Windows Vista SP1 Release Candidate Refresh - Build 17128 is now available for download. Microsoft is making headway with the development of the first service pack for Windows Vista. At the same time, the Redmond company insists on continuing to adhere to the official timetable for the service pack, insisting that the refresh will be delivered no later than the first quarter of 2008. However, the advance development stage of Windows Server 2008, which is reported to head for RTM at the beginning of the next month, to be launched officially on February 27th, points to the coming month as the deadline for Vista SP1 code to go gold. In support of such a scenario, Microsoft has already debuted serving the pre-requisite updates laying the ground for Windows Vista SP1.

And after it has made available for download the first public version of the service pack, in December 2007, the Redmond company has gone private with Vista SP1 once again. The new bits for Vista SP1 can be grabbed either via Microsoft Connect or through Windows Update. But users will need the Vista registry WU script, in order to access the new variant of Vista SP1 as an update.

"We are excited to announce that the Windows Vista SP1 Release Candidate (RC) Refresh - Build 17128 is now available for download", reads a fragment of an email message from the Windows Beta Team announcing the new Vista SP1 bits (via ActiveWin). "Uninstall Instructions for Windows Vista Windows Vista SP1 does not support build-to-build upgrades. Therefore, if you have installed a previously release build on your machine, you have to uninstall this old build before installing the next build of Windows Vista SP1."

"Today, Microsoft released the latest pre-release build of SP1 - 'Windows Vista SP1 RC Refresh' - to approximately 15,000 beta testers. This group includes corporate customers, consumer enthusiasts, software and hardware vendors, and others. The code is not available for public download", a Microsoft representative revealed as cited by Mary Jo Foley. "We are still on schedule to deliver SP1 RTM in Q1 CY08. The final release date is based on quality, so we will continue to track customer and partner feedback from the beta program before setting a final date."

In this manner, Microsoft has moved ahead from Windows Vista 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1, v.668 Build 6001 to Build 17128. The old bits, dropped in December, are up for grabs here. At this point in the development of Vista SP1, Microsoft has drastically limited the changes that will be introduced into the service pack before it ships.

"Thank you for your feedback thus far; it is an invaluable part of our beta program. In this build, you will see many elements of your feedback have been incorporated. Please download the Windows Vista SP1 RC Refresh build and continue to test SP1 aggressively. However, please note that at this point in the process, only the most serious issues will be considered for inclusion."