14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is offering official confirmation of the fact that the release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is imminent. Although officially, the Redmond company has not shifted from its initial timetable for the delivery of the service pack, as it is noted by the Windows Service Pack Road Map, pointing to the first quarter of 2008 as the availability date for Vista SP1, it is now offering indication that the refresh will drop any day now. The Release Candidate of Vista SP1 is currently available to all users of the operating system, with the RTM version on its way. In this context, Microsoft will make available via Windows Update an update that is a pre-requisite for the deployment of Windows Vista SP1. KB935509 will ship to all Enterprise and Ultimate SKUs of Vista starting on January 8th, 2008.
"KB935509 release is a little different than past updates. It is a prerequisite for installing SP1 and is applicable only for Windows Vista Ultimate and Enterprise users, because it only affects versions of Windows Vista supporting BitLocker Drive Encryption. This update modifies the boot loader to enable successful install or uninstall of the service pack if the PC uses BitLocker encryption. We're releasing it now to lay the groundwork for future updates and to eliminate any extra reboots by installing it along with updates that already require a reboot", revealed Nick White, Windows Vista product Manager.
Of course that Microsoft failed to make any references to the proximity of the RTM date for Vista SP1. However, according to recent reports, the company is targeting the second half of January and the beginning of February, for the release to manufacturing of Windows Server 2008. Vista SP1 has so far had its development milestones synchronized with those of Windows Server 2008, with Release Candidates for both the server operating system and the first service pack for the latest Windows platform dropped concomitantly in December 2007. As such, Vista SP1 RTM could be made available by the end of January or in early February, alongside Windows Server 2008.
However, Microsoft has still to implement two additional updates that act as pre-requisites for Windows Vista SP1 RTM. Along with KB935509, the company will serve KB938371 and KB937287. In this manner, the company will ensure that it will cut one reboot out of the Vista SP1 RTM installation. However, until the remainder pre-requisite updates are offered via Windows Update, the official delivery date for Windows Vista SP1 RTM will remain the first quarter of 2008, as Cecilia Gutierrez Cole, WSUS Program Manager, emphasized.
"This update is a prerequisite for installing Windows Vista Service Pack 1 on Windows Vista Ultimate and Enterprise editions. Even if you don't plan on installing the service pack for awhile, you may still want to test and deploy this update. Not only does it make improvements to the boot loader, but it's also required prior to installing the two upcoming prerequisites for SP1. The two upcoming prerequisites will have an updated installer technology which will increase performance and reduce failures for the installation of updates, which are great improvements to make even if you choose to wait to deploy SP1", Gutierrez Cole added.