Vista SP1 sours some computers
Some people are having issues with their installations of pre-release versions of Vista SP1. This is why it’s called “pre-release” or “beta.” The more savvy of you may have already sought out the final version of Vista SP1 but keep this post in mind if you have/are planning to do so.
The RC (release candidate) and RC1 refresh have caused some problems with certain configurations. Namely, getting stuck during the installation process, causing an endless reboot cycle or both.
In the most extreme cases, the PC had to be powered off manually by unplugging the power cord. When Microsoft says “Do not power off computer” during the SP1 installation, it is serious. The end result will be a corrupted file system. If you’re lucky it can be repaired by using a Vista installation disc or physically plugging the hard drive in to another computer and using it to repair the file system.
It’s not clear what caused this on the systems. There are a few complaints of this over on Microsoft’s TechNet forums. Here are a few suggestions to make your installation go smoothly.
Make sure you have all prerequisite updates installed before installing either Vista SP1 RC or RC1 refresh. If you are installing the final version of the service pack, be sure that all previous versions have been uninstalled before proceeding.
As a side note, Vista SP1 changes the way that the Windows installer functions to facilitate installation which is probably what caused the damage to the file system but I cannot confirm that.
I installed both RC versions of SP1 and have now upgraded to the final release of Vista SP1 on my laptop and desktop without issue. Since only a few seem to be affected by this, it’s not something I would worry about it since it is recoverable if you do encounter problems, no matter how bad it might seem.
Microsoft has not commented on the issue and offers no suggestions for a possible fix.
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February 17th, 2008
“Make sure you have all prerequisite updates installed before installing either Vista SP1 RC or RC1 refresh. If you are installing the final version of the service pack, be sure that all previous versions have been uninstalled before proceeding.”
Could you be more specific about what previous versions have to be uninstalled~?
February 17th, 2008
Any pre-Vista SP1 must be uninstalled prior to installing Vista SP1 final. Most pre-release versions of Vista SP1 display “Evaluation copy, build 6001″ – if you see that in the lower left corner of your screen then you must uninstall the service pack in preparation for the new one.
It will be shown in Programs and Features under “Show Updates” as KB936330 but it won’t differentiate between final and pre-release versions.
You can check System to see what version of the Service Pack is installed. If it says something like Service Pack 1, v .744 or some such then it’s a pre-release. If it says “Windows Vista, Service Pack 1″ without a version number then it’s the final release.