14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Final is now not only available via the Microsoft Download Center, but also served directly to users through Windows Update. Microsoft promises that getting SP1 RTM through WU is the best course of action for Windows 7 users, although actually downloading the standalone packages and manually deploying the upgrade is also a viable option.
When it announced the release to manufacturing of Windows 7 SP1 a couple of weeks ago, the company revealed that the RTM bits would hit the Download Center and Windows Update concomitantly.
It appears that the Redmond company has lived up to its promise.
“Starting [on February 22nd, 2011], Windows 7 Service Pack 1 will be available to everyone via the Microsoft Download Center and start rolling out via Windows Update. Most people will simply get Windows 7 SP1 via Windows Update when it becomes available to them,” noted Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc.
The same is valid for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 RTM, which was also released yesterday on both the Download Center and WU.
If you were to ask me, I would say that deploying SP1 is nowhere near a priority for users running Windows 7 clients. Fact is that Windows 7 RTM is good enough by itself, and there aren’t any major changes or any new features.
Business customers leveraging Windows Server 2008 R2 will certainly have more to gain from deploying SP1, namely two new features that will kick the platform’s virtualization capabilities up a notch, RemoteFX and Dynamic Memory.
“Remember - for Windows 7, SP1 will help keep your PCs well supported by delivering ongoing updates, many of which have been made previously available through Windows Update,” LeBlanc added.
“It does, however, include client-side support for RemoteFX and Dynamic Memory which are two new virtualization features enabled in Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.”
Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM Build 7601.17514.101119-1850 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) RTM are available for download here.