Beyond Binary

Microsoft said on Wednesday that it is beginning automatic distribution of Windows Vista Service Pack 1, the first major update to the year-and-a-half-old operating system.

The company finalized the Vista update in February, but has held off until now pushing it directly to individuals.

Starting Wednesday, the company will start sending it to Vista users who have Windows' automatic update feature turned on. However, the company cautioned that not everyone will get SP1 immediately.

"While Microsoft is beginning automatic distribution today, it's important to note that customers might not see the update download right away since Microsoft is distributing the service pack in phases to ensure a seamless download experience," the company said in a statement.

Vista SP1 was made available for download to customers last month. Service Pack 1 doesn't add much in the way of new features, but rather is a collection of changes designed to fix bugs and improve performance, as well as address competitive concerns raised by Google over Vista's desktop search system. Microsoft also changed how its antipiracy mechanism works with SP1.

The release of Vista SP1 via automatic update is the second milestone this week for the Windows team. On Monday, Microsoft announced it had finished work on Windows XP Service Pack 3. That product will be available for download next week, Microsoft said, but won't start being pushed out via automatic updates until summer.

Microsoft said on Monday that it has wrapped up development of its long-awaited Service Pack 3 update to Windows XP.

The update, which consists of previously released updates and a few new bug fixes and changes, will be available for download via the Web on April 29. Microsoft said it plans to start pushing out XP SP3 this summer to "home users" who have Automatic Updates turned on.

A Microsoft representative said the company won't update boxed copies of Windows XP with the service pack, though it will be an option for computer makers that are still offering XP on new machines. Large computer makers have only until June to sell XP on standard systems, though some low-cost, low-memory machines can be sold with XP until 2010, as can some PCs aimed at emerging markets.

Microsoft has been testing Windows XP Service Pack 3 for some time. The product was planned to be released as early as 2006, but was pushed back several times as Microsoft focused on developing and updating Windows Vista.

Colleague Robert Vamosi will have a hands-on look shortly and I'll post a link here.

Update 12:40 p.m.: Robert's blog is now live and available here.

With deference to my colleague (and boss), not ALL roads lead to Vista.

Although Microsoft is pushing hard to move everyone to the latest version of Windows, there are some market realities that are going to keep Windows XP around for some time--likely well beyond the current June deadline for large computer makers to stop selling the older operating system.

Microsoft has already extended the deadline once (XP was originally supposed to stop showing up on big-name PCs in January) and I would expect another extension to be announced soon.

The biggest area where XP is likely to stick around is in the nascent but growing market of low-cost, flash memory-based notebook computers, such as the Asus Eee PC. These devices are fertile ground for Linux, benefiting from its low cost and low memory requirements. Microsoft had to do some work just to get Windows XP onto the Eee PC and Vista would seem to be a non-starter.

Speaking of starters, another area where XP is likely to persist is in emerging markets. Microsoft conceded as much when it first extended the XP deadline last year. In addition to offering a few months reprieve for XP broadly, the software maker said it would offer the entry level Windows XP Starter Edition through 2010 for use on ultra low-cost PCs.

"We're seeing great interest from our OEM partners in having Windows on these machines, such as pre-installing them with Starter edition in over 100 emerging market countries worldwide," Microsoft VP Mike Nash said in a statement in September. "That continues to be a trend we're keeping our eye on, as even though we expect hardware costs to continue to drop, it reaffirms for us that not all customers want the same thing from their computers."

But it's not just Starter edition that people want. To compete against Linux, Microsoft needs full Windows XP on these devices. There are more and more devices like the Eee PC cropping up and they are finding interested buyers, not just in emerging markets, but in mature markets where people are willing to trade a few features for getting a low-cost, light machine that allows full Web browsing on the go.

Publicly the company is still sticking to the revised June deadline, but Microsoft has shown a willingness to make changes in the past. My big question is whether it will extend the deadline only for certain types of computers. There are plenty of mainstream models today where XP remains an option, particularly on build-to-order machines from the likes of Lenovo, Hewlett-Packard, and Dell.

April is apparently coming early this year.

Microsoft has abruptly changed its tune on when Service Pack 1 will start showing up on retail shelves. Microsoft said it has started shipping the full retail versions of the product as of Tuesday (in addition to making it available for download). That means that Amazon.com is indeed going to be able to start sending out copies on Wednesday, as it had billed on its Web site.

As of Monday, Microsoft told CNET News.com that retail boxed copies would not be available until "as soon as April." Apparently that information was inaccurate.

"Initially, we targeted April as a conservative estimate for Windows Vista SP1 retail availability for full packaged product," Microsoft said in a new statement on Tuesday. "We were actually able to ship sooner than originally anticipated--today, in fact. Customers should expect to see Windows Vista SP1 (boxed copies) online and on store shelves as soon as retailers can make them available--in Amazon's case, starting tomorrow."

As far as when SP1 shows up preloaded on new PCs, Microsoft apparently still thinks that will take until next month in most cases.

"We released Windows Vista SP1 to manufacturers on February 4," Microsoft said. "Since then, retailers have been working to build PCs with Windows Vista SP1 and make them available to consumers as soon as possible. Based on what we understand from our partners in retail and OEMs, April is our best estimate for availability for PCs with SP1. However, there will be certain exceptions based on individual companies' distribution models."

Well, Amazon was at least half right. As the retailer predicted, Microsoft did make Windows Vista Service Pack 1 available for download on Tuesday via Windows Update and on its Web site.

Still unclear is when it will start being available on retail shelves. Amazon said it will start shipping boxed copies with SP1 included on Wednesday, while Microsoft said it will be at retailers "as soon as April." I've asked for further clarification on the disparity, but have yet to hear back.

Meanwhile, in a posting on the Windows Vista blog, Microsoft also went into a little more detail on a previously disclosed driver problem that may prevent some drivers that work in Windows Vista from working with Service Pack 1. Microsoft also posted a list of potentially problematic drivers.

Microsoft said some drivers have already been updated to fix the incompatibility.

"We're working with the providers of the remaining devices to get updated versions of the drivers to our customers as well," Microsoft product manager Nick White said on the Vista blog. "In the meantime, Windows Update will recognize PCs with drivers that may be problematic and postpone offering SP1 to those PCs until it has installed corrected drivers or other applicable updates. Either way, Windows Update works to detect whether or not your system is ready for SP1 and not offer it to you until the time is right."

So, you may or may not be able to get SP1 starting today. For those whose systems are able to get SP1, the update is available in five languages: English, French, Spanish, German, and Japanese.

As for other means of getting SP1, Microsoft plans to start pushing out Service Pack 1 next month to Vista users who have automatic updates turned on. As for when new PCs will start carrying it, that is still a bit unclear, with Microsoft noting that it takes time for PC makers to update their assembly lines, but also saying they can use the new code "when they are ready." Microsoft finalized Vista Service Pack 1 back in February.

(Update, March 18, 2008 5:21 AM PDT: Amazon.com has listed Windows Vista SP1 as ready for shipment starting Wednesday.)

So, when is Windows Vista Service Pack 1 coming out?

It sounds like a simple question, but the answer is anything but simple.

Without trying to get Clintonesque and say it depends on your definition of is, let's just say there are many different ways of getting the operating system update and each is operating on its own schedule.

In February, CEO Steve Ballmer announced that Microsoft had wrapped up development of the update, but the company cautioned that the update wasn't ready for the masses. Chief among the reasons was that some Vista drivers were rendered inoperable when moving from Vista to Vista SP1.

As a result, Microsoft said it would be mid-March before SP1 showed up for download via Windows Update and Microsoft.com. That appears to be on track and, what with mid-March now upon us, it seems likely that SP1 will be available from Microsoft's servers very shortly.

Less clear, though, is when the OS update would replace the initial Vista on retail shelves and on new PCs.

I pressed Microsoft for some answers here, but got only limited help. On the retail front, Microsoft said in a statement on Monday that "we expect Windows Vista with SP1 will be available as a full packaged retail product as soon as April." So those making pre-orders for Vista SP1 on Amazon.com may have to wait awhile longer to get the product (though people can always buy Vista now and upgrade to SP1 on their own).

On the question of when PC makers would start offering new machines with Service Pack 1 preloaded, Microsoft was even less forthcoming. Although PC makers got the code in February, Microsoft said, "it takes time for our OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) partners to update their assembly lines with code."

"Our partners will begin distributing SP1 on new PCs when they are ready," Microsoft said.

Hmm. OK.

It strikes me that Microsoft is missing out on a big opportunity.

Service Pack 1 is not a bunch of new gee-whiz features that are going to convince consumers to rush out and get the operating system. It's a collection of performance improvements and bug fixes, the kinds of things that were supposed to give the software maker a chance to convince big businesses that Vista has its act together. However, with uncertainty around SP1's readiness and its timing, it seems like Microsoft may be giving the opposite impression.

And that's a shame for the crew in Redmond. Because you don't get a second chance to make a second impression, either.

Updated: 2:40 p.m. with some clarifications from Microsoft.

Brett Zehr was surprised on Thursday when he saw that his Windows Vista PC had a new update ready: Service Pack 1.

The software wasn't supposed to be available until mid-March, however a glitch on Thursday meant that Zehr and some other general users were able to download the Vista update.

The update was not pushed out via Windows' Automatic Update feature, but was listed for owners running the 64-bit version of Vista who chose to "check for new updates" via Windows Update.

"A build of SP1 was posted to Windows Update and it was inadvertently made available to a broad group," Microsoft said in a statement. "The build was intended only for our more technically advanced testers, and was meant to only be offered to those with a specific registry key set on their PC. For general availability, we are still planning to make SP1 broadly available in the mid-March timeframe."

A screenshot of one of the computers that was upgraded to Vista Service Pack 1, thanks to a glitch that made the update available a month ahead of schedule.

(Credit: Brett Zehr)

Zehr, who works for a technology leasing company in Illinois, said the upgrade took less than an hour and there were no immediately apparent hiccups.

"Unfortunately, I haven't had enough time on the machine to tell if anything is really better or broken, but I've always had an image backup just in case," Zehr said in an e-mail interview. "So far so good."

Zehr has two other Vista machines, including one other 64-bit system, but was unable to see the available upgrade for those PCs. He said that if the glitch had to happen to someone, he was glad it was him.

"I'm also a computer hobbyist, so Microsoft couldn't have picked a better guinea pig, glitch or no glitch," he said. Although he was not a beta tester for Vista, he did help test Windows XP just prior to its debut in 2001.

Microsoft finalized the code for SP1 earlier this month. Initially, the company planned to make all users wait until March for the update because of some driver-related issues that had yet to be resolved. However, the company eased its policy some, making it available earlier this month to businesses that have volume licensing pacts as well as to MSDN and TechNet developers.

The glitch is the second SP1-related issue for Microsoft in recent days. The company had to pull another update, this one a set of files necessary to move to SP1, because some users were sent into a repeated reboot cycle by the files.

Update: Microsoft revised earlier comments, confirming that those with automatic update settings configured in certain ways may have had the update pushed to them automatically.

A company representative also stated that the version pushed out is the final RTM version even though it may carry a beta designation.

Microsoft said on Tuesday that it is making public its latest test version of Windows XP Service Pack 3.

The software maker said Release Candidate 2 of XP SP3 will be available after 5 p.m. PST via Microsoft's download center. "We're broadening the availability of the release candidate in order to receive further user feedback prior to the release of Windows XP SP3," it said in a statement.

The same test version was released to a smaller group of testers on February 8. Microsoft said at the time that it was still on track to release the software in final form before the end of June.

It was originally expected as early as 2006, but has been pushed back several times as the bulk of Microsoft's energy has been focused on Windows Vista. The update focuses mainly on bug fixes and other minor changes to the operating system, as opposed to new features.

Microsoft said Friday that it has issued a second near-final "release candidate" version of Windows XP Service Pack 3. The move follows the company having finished the first service pack for Windows Vista.

"Yesterday, we released Windows XP SP3 RC 2 to private beta testers," the software maker said in a statement. "This release catches the build up on previously released hotfixes and responds to critical feedback from previous betas."

The software maker repeated that it plans to finalize the XP update by the end of June, but added its customary hedging that its "timing will always be based on customer feedback as a first priority."

The third (and perhaps final) service pack for Windows XP was originally expected as early as 2006, but was pushed back as the Windows team focused on getting Vista, and then Vista Service Pack 1, out the door.