Windows Update

[#1]

I continue to be mystified by the progress of the management of this Vista SP1 update. I found it was available on my desktop this morning (albeit I assume it is SP1, at 66.9 Mb is it likely to be anything else?) and is downloading as I write this on my laptop. Curiously, it is NOT available for my laptop, otherwise I would not be writing this but, downloading it on this computer as well.
Both machines run; Vista Home Premium.

[#2]

The following quote

Quote

Strictly speaking, Vista users who are staying up-to-date with security patches from Redmond don't have to install this update, as Service Pack 1 includes all of the security patches Microsoft has released for Vista since first shipping the operating system more than 14 months ago

is from
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/04/windows_vista_service_pack_1_n_1.html?nav=rss_blo...
it may answer some questions.
I think God's contribution may have been relevant.

Quote

As I understand it the SP1 update looks at your machine and only downloads what you need which varies from PC to PC, so I guess the update system isn't geared to tell you how much of the subset it is supplying and just reports the size of the complete file.

[#3]

This may also be relevant (also mentioned in the article linked to in the previous post):
"Windows Update will detect drivers that Microsoft knows may be problematic when updating to SP1 and will not offer the service pack until an update has been installed" - Taken from this article.
This is because of this problem which ocurred at the start of the SP1 roll out.
Windows update will detect if you've one of the problem drivers on your PC and will not offer service pack one as an automattic update until the problem with the driver has been resolved.
You can, however, manually download and install the service pack and then re-install the current driver for the problem device!

[#4]

Does SP1 actually inform you which drivers need "updating" before it will load, or is it one of the usual silly boxes
"Windows cannot continue because some drivers are not up to date"  "OK?" 
and of course,  it has to be OK, cos you can`t get rid of the box any other way, yet you are blissfully unaware which is causing the problem, and can`t solve it either ! 

[#5]

@shutter
If you manually install it, the first you will know is when your drivers don't work - no boxes, no warnings!
If you use Windows Update you'll not even be presented with SP1 as an update if the specific drivers are on your PC until the issues are resolved (apparently it's an issue with the way SP installs and not the drivers themselves, the drivers will work if you reinstall them after you've installed SP1).

[#6]

Seems a bit of a "rock" and a "hard place" type operation then.... If windows won`t load because of the drivers, and won`t tell you which drivers, then "auto update" is a waste of time as far as SP1 is concerned.... Surely M$ know of this? ? ? ?
Or is this part of the " Vista is designed to annoy"? 

[#7]

M$ are apparently working on a fix for SP1 and the drivers concerned.  Once the fix is in place the Service Pack will be offered via Windows Update to those PCs which use the drivers concerned.
If your PC doesn't use one of the affected drivers then you'll be offered SP1 via Windows Update now.
I don't think it's a case that you have to update drivers yourself to get SP1 - it's just a waiting game until Microsoft release and install a fix (either the SP will be patched or you'll get new drivers via Windows Update).
If you know what you're up to and have one of the affected drivers you can install SP1 and then re-install the current driver or update to newer one (if it's available).
A typical Microsoft experience!!!

[#8]

Yes, I see Paul, very useful..... except, how do I know which drivers are affected, if 
  a) windows vista sp1 won`t load because of the "defective drivers"
  b) windows vista sp1 won`t tell me which drivers are "defective"
Hence the analogy to "rock" and "hard place"
If windows wont tell you what is wrong, then how can you fix it ?

[#9]

There's a list of affected drivers about half way down this page (under "Method for Clause 5").

[#10]

Thanks for that link Paul, I have added it to my favourites list..... I`m running on XP SP2, but my wife`s laptop is running Vista, and she hasn`t a clue .... already complains when AVG runs a daily update "There must be something wrong with this laptop, it keeps checking AVG, I`m going to take it back and complain" is the usual whine, when she switches it on ! !...