Windows Vista updates are distributed in service packs. Service packs help keep Windows Vista current, and they can extend and update the functionality of your computer. This article describes three step-by-step methods that you can use to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Vista. However, before you select the method that you want to use, please make sure that the following information is true for you:

•	Service Pack 1 is not already installed on your computer.
•	You have logged on to your computer by using a user account that is a computer administrator.
•	The computer on which you want to install the service pack is connected to the Internet.

If you are not sure that all these are true for you, please see the "Before you try to download Windows Vista Service Pack 1" section. Otherwise, select the method that you want to use to install Service Pack 1.

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Methods to download Service Pack 1

•	Method 1: Turn on automatic updating (Recommended method for most users)
•	Method 2: Check for updates on Windows Update (Same as Method 1 but not automatic)
•	Method 3: Obtain the latest Windows Vista service pack from the Microsoft Download Center (Good to use if the computer on which you want to install this service pack is not connected to the Internet)

Important Windows Update may not offer Windows Vista Service Pack 1 to some users. This issue can occur for several reasons. For a full list of causes and resolutions, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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Method 1: Turn on automatic updating

The best way to make sure that you receive the latest Windows Vista service pack is to turn on the automatic updating feature.

To turn on the automatic updating feature, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start , click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.
2.	In the navigation pane, click Change settings.
3.	Select the Windows automatic updating setting that you want. If you are not sure which setting to select, follow these guidelines. Otherwise, go to step 4: • Automatic (recommended) Automatically download recommended updates for my computer and install them: We recommend that you select this option. Simply click to select the day and time for scheduled updates to occur. You can schedule Automatic Updates for any time of day, but your computer must be on at the scheduled time for updates to be installed. • Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them: With this option selected, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to automatically download updates from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An icon appears in the notification area of your taskbar when the updates are being downloaded. When the download is complete, a message appears in the notification area. Click the Automatic Updates icon or message. If you do not want to install a downloaded update, click Details, and then click to clear the check box next to that update to decline it. Click Install to install the selected updates. • Notify me but don't automatically download or install them: Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An Automatic Updates icon and message appear in the notification area of your taskbar when new updates are available to download or to install. Click the icon or message to view the updates. If you do not want to download a selected update, click to clear the check box next to that update to decline it. Click Start Download to download the selected updates. The Automatic Updates icon remains in the notification area of your taskbar while the updates are being downloaded. You can point to the icon to view the download status. To pause or to resume the download, right-click the icon, and then click Pause or Resume. When the download is complete, another message appears in the notification area to inform you that the updates are ready to install. Click the Automatic Updates icon or the message, and then click Install to install the updates. • Never check for updates (not recommended): Do not select this option.
4.	Click to select the Include recommended updates when downloading, installing, or notifying me about updates check box, and then click OK. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

To verify that this method worked and that Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is installed, repeat the steps in "How to determine whether the latest Windows Vista service pack is installed" in the "Before you try to download Windows Vista Service Pack 1" section. If you see a reference to Windows Vista SP1, you have successfully installed the service pack. If Windows Vista Service Pack 1 did not install successfully, try Method 3.

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Method 2: Check for updates on Windows Update

Although Automatic Updates can automatically install updates for you, you can also do this manually.

To manually check Windows Update for updates, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start , click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.
2.	In the navigation pane, click Check for updates.
3.	After Windows Update has finished checking for updates, click View available updates.
4.	Click to select the check boxes for the updates that you want to install, and then click Install. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

To verify that this method worked and that Windows Service Pack 1 is installed, repeat the steps in "How to determine whether the latest Windows Vista service pack is installed" in the "Before you try to download Windows Vista Service Pack 1" section. If you see a reference to Windows Vista SP1, you successfully installed the service pack. If Windows Vista Service Pack 1 did not install successfully, your next step would be to try Method 3.

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Method 3: Obtain the latest Windows Vista service pack from the Microsoft Download Center

This method is a little more time-consuming. However, this method is a good way to download Service Pack 1 if you have to install it on another computer. Just download the latest Windows Vista service pack from the Microsoft Download Center onto another computer that has an Internet connection. Then, transfer the service pack to the computer that does not have the Internet connection. You can also download the service pack and then install it later.

Important Before you install Windows Vista Service Pack 1 from the Download Center, we recommend that you install the latest updates for Windows from the Windows Update site or that you install the update for Ks.sys from the following Microsoft Web site: Additionally, you need to know whether your computer is running the 32-bit version or 64-bit version of the Windows Vista operating system. If you know this information, you can continue to the "Download" section. If you are unsure about which version is running on your computer, follow these steps:

1.	Click Start, type system in the Start Search box, and then click system in the Programs list.
2.	The operating system appears as follows: • For a 64-bit version operating system, 64-bit Operating System appears for the system type under System. • For a 32-bit version operating system, 32-bit Operating System appears for the system type under System.

Download Windows Vista Service Pack 1

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) was released on March 18, 2008.

How to obtain the service pack

To install the correct version of the service pack, you must know your Windows Vista platform type (32-bit or 64-bit). Additionally, you must be logged on to Windows as an administrator. If you are not sure which Windows Vista platform type is installed, or if you need help verifying that you are an administrator, click here to verify your environment (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/admin). Then, download the correct update by clicking one of the following links.

Note If your language version of Windows Vista is English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional), install the Five Language Standalone package. The Five Language Standalone package is smaller than the All Language Standalone package and therefore is faster to download. If your language version of Windows Vista is not English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional), you might want to install the All Language Standalone package.

Windows Vista, 32-bit versions Five Language Standalone package for English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional)Windows Vista, 32-bit versions All Language Standalone package for all supported Windows Vista languagesWindows Vista, 64-bit versions Five Language Standalone package for English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional)Windows Vista, 64-bit versions All Language Standalone package for all supported Windows Vista languages For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Release notes for the service pack

For more information about what is fixed in Windows Vista Service Pack 1, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
For more information about a problem that may occur when you use this method, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: The current service pack for Windows Vista is Service Pack 1.

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This information is primarily intended to help IT Professionals and corporate helpdesks support and maintain company computer systems.

Windows Vista SP1 includes previously released hotfixes and security updates. For more information about the previously released hotfixes and security updates that are included in Windows Vista SP1, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

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Before you work through the steps to download Windows Vista Service Pack 1, you may want to take a moment to verify a few things:

•	Is Service Pack 1 already installed on your computer? If you have Windows Update turned on, you may already have Service Pack 1 installed. We'll show you how to check to see whether Service Pack 1 is already installed.
•	Have you logged on to your computer by using a user account that is a computer administrator?
•	Is the computer on which you want to install the service pack connected to the Internet?

If you are sure that the computer has a valid Internet connection, that you have not installed Service Pack 1, and that you are logged on as a computer administrator or can supply an administrator password when prompted, continue on to ""Steps to download Service Pack 1."

If you are not sure whether Service Pack 1 is installed, complete "How to determine whether the latest Windows Vista Service pack is installed."

If you are not sure whether you are logged on as an administrator, go to "How to determine whether you are logged on with an administrator account" section.

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How to determine whether the latest Windows Vista Service pack is installed

You may want to determine if you already installed Service Pack 1 before you work through the methods to download the service pack. To verify that you have the latest Windows Vista service pack, complete these steps:

1.	Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
2.	Look in the Windows Edition section at the top right side of the window. If the service pack is installed, you will see a reference to Windows Vista SP1 displayed.

Go to "How to determine whether you are logged on with an administrator account" section.
Go to the "Methods to download Service Pack 1" section.

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How to determine whether you are logged on with an administrator account

To verify that you are logged on to Windows with a user account that is a computer administrator, complete these steps:

1.	Click Start, type timedate.cpl in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. The Date and Time dialog box opens.
2.	On the Date and Time tab, click Change date and time. If the User Account Control dialog box opens, click Continue.
3.	One of two things will happen next, choose which one from a or b below to continue. a. If you are prompted to type an administrator password, and you see administrator account names listed, you are not logged on with a computer administrator account. If a. is true, you are not the computer administrator. Type an administrator password to continue. If you cannot supply an administrator password, you may have to ask someone for help or contact Support. Continue to the "Next steps" to learn how you can contact Microsoft Support. b. If you are not prompted to type an administrator password, and you do not see administrator account names listed, you are logged on with a computer administrator account. Click Cancel, and then click Cancel again to close the Date and Time dialog box. If b. is true, you are the computer administrator, so let’s get started.

Go to the "Methods to download Service Pack 1" section.

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If you are unable to obtain Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), unfortunately this content is unable to help you any further. So, you might want to ask someone for help, or you might want to Contact Support. For information about how to contact support, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

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