[Yzöwl]

Does anybody have any idea why I cannot have the option to download Service Pack 1 from Windows Update.

The OS in question is an Untouched Retail x86 Home Premium Edition and all available updates apart from those shown in the graphic below have been installed.



I have been through this page to no avail, so I'm out of ideas.

As additional notes, there is no 3rd party security software installed only Windows Firewall at its defaults and Windows Defender at it's defaults too, no updates are hidden, all services are unchanged etc., no proxies are used, no registry tweaks etc have been undertaken and my inside leg measurement has been taken just in case I missed something!

P.S.
Please do not suggest I install from the full standalone download, I know that's an option, but If I was going to resort to that I'd probably wait for SP2 anyhow.

[ner]

I had the same issues, install all available updates and re-run windows update
It will apprear, and you will be able to install.

Also check that you have the most up to date drivers installed

[Yzöwl]

The only updates I haven't downloaded and installed are the two shown in the graphic, (49 Important, 20 Recommended and 3 Optional have been installed to date). Now I'm not saying that you're wrong, just that there is no information which states that I need to install either MRT, which isn't really an update, and couldn't catch a cold, or the exploit scanner update in order to be offered Service Pack 1. Especially bearing in mind that the KB940510 wasn't released before the Service Pack anyhow. (If there's no fix that I can find I may attempt to fool the system into believing that these have been installed in order to see if it helps!)

All drivers I have are Windows own drivers as installed with the OS and updated using the same method, (Realtek Network, NVIDIA gaphics, and Silicon Image SATA)

[ner]

Check the version of your drivers for sound and display, you may just find that they are not the lastest, and newer version required SP1.

I had an issue with Realtek and Nvideo

see below:
Microsoft update scans your PC for drivers and if it detects that you have drivers installed that are not compatible with Vista SP1 (which are only a few btw), then it will not offer it to you as an update. These drivers will be fixed in time, but if you REALLY want SP1 now, you can get it from:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

Just be prepared for one of your hardware devices not to function properly when you install it.

This post has been edited by ner: 07 November 2008 - 10:06 AM

[Tripredacus]

Wasn't there a reghack you could do to fool Windows Update to think you already had an update installed when you didn't? I seem to remember reading it because someone had an update that was installed already and kept showing up to be updated...

[Yzöwl]

Okay, I'll may try the nVidia driver first, but although the Windows version doesn't have the same numbering system the version installed is less than a month older than nVidias offering:

Quote

Driver Provider: NVIDIA
Driver Date:      17.09.2008
Driver Version:  7.15.11.7813

Quote

GeForce Release 178     WHQL
Version:          178.24
Release Date: 15.10.2008

Tripredacus, on Nov 7 2008, 04:24 PM, said:

Wasn't there a reghack you could do to fool Windows Update to think you already had an update installed when you didn't? I seem to remember reading it because someone had an update that was installed already and kept showing up to be updated...

I'm fairly sure that the option is available to me to do just that, I'm going to get as many ideas together as I can before I indulge myself however.

[mongo66]

Tripredacus, on Nov 7 2008, 04:24 PM, said:

Wasn't there a reghack you could do to fool Windows Update to think you already had an update installed when you didn't? I seem to remember reading it because someone had an update that was installed already and kept showing up to be updated...

You mean this:

@echo off

reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSp1 /f > NUL 2>&1
reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSP1 /f > NUL 2>&1

reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSp1 /v Beta1 /t REG_SZ /d dcf99ef8-d784-414e-b411-81a910d2761d /f
IF NOT %errorlevel% == 0 ( goto ERROR)

:SUCCESS
@echo.
echo ===========================================================
echo  Windows Vista SP1 registry key has been set successfully. 
echo  Please check for updates in Windows Update.
echo ===========================================================
@echo.
goto END

:ERROR
@echo.
echo ===========================================================
echo  FAILED to set Windows Vista SP1 registry keys.
echo  Please run this script by right clicking and selecting
echo  "Run as Administrator".
echo ===========================================================
@echo.
goto END

:END
pause

@Yzöwl:

Before using the "reghack", you may want to install the latest Windows Update Agent just to see if it solves anything...

[Yzöwl]

@ mongo66

No I was thinking about pretending that I had installed the two updates I don't want to install. That hack was only to enable the download of beta releases of the service pack without being part of the beta program.

Update:
Okay I've updated both my nVidia drivers and Realtek drivers, and added yet another batch of Windows Defender updates, then I bit the bullet and downloaded the KB940510 update.

The only thing now showing in Windows Updater is the MRT tool, No Service Pack.

Does anyone know what exactly is looked at by Windows Updater when ascertaining the updates available for my machine? Is there a file containing a listing, does it just look at registry entries etc. I'm just trying to rule out some sort of corruption!

Obviously it goes without saying that this is a fully legal, activated, genuine release of the retail product. I've even been to this page and ran the WGA check process to ensure that the Genuine Software check had been made.

Any more ideas welcome!

[mongo66]

Yzöwl, on Nov 8 2008, 12:41 PM, said:

Does anyone know what exactly is looked at by Windows Updater when ascertaining the updates available for my machine?

As far as I know, WU has always depended on the registry to ascertain updates for a given machine.

[MagicAndre1981]

have you used vLite? Even when you only used it for integration of updates or drivers vLIte creates a registry key. WU is checking for vLite settings inside the registry.

[mongo66]

MagicAndre1981, on Nov 8 2008, 02:24 PM, said:

have you used vLite? Even when you only used it for integration of updates or drivers vLIte creates a registry key. WU is checking for vLite settings inside the registry.

+1

Vista Service Pack compatibility

Come to think of it, if you can't get it to work, just download the official pre-integrated ISO... Why waste anymore time than you already have with this bs...? No TechNet subscription? No problem... bt is your friend

Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (x86) - DVD (English)
en_windows_vista_with_service_pack_1_x86_dvd_x14-29594.iso (2.87 GB)
CRC = CE4CB528
MD5 = b09267740ddd1a08d80b04ec6bbc232a
SHA1 = bcd715a02739809e477c726ae4b5caa914156429

Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (x64) - DVD (English)
en_windows_vista_with_service_pack_1_x64_dvd_x14-29595.iso (3.66 GB)
CRC = 5CC5BE14
MD5 = e4ce0b193d94279e4dce1098d6b5afeb
SHA1 = bdadc46a263a7bf67eb38609770e4fdbd05247cb

*** Activation IS required ***

This post has been edited by mongo66: 08 November 2008 - 07:52 AM

[Yzöwl]

I don't want to bypass the problem, I see no benefit in doing so. Forums like ours would never exist if people simply took the easy way out every time they had a problem! Time wasting to me is people who use their systems and software but never really get to fully utilize its feature set and understand them.

The problem is obviously with Windows or its components and I see no point in not trying to fully investigate and fix it.

I hate nLite, vLite and other updater/slipstreamer projects and all they stand for. They take longer to create and use than simply using the built-in update functions of the OS. I can understand those who re-install often using those methods but then again those who do so by the time they need to use their nice new iso again will inevitably need to add more updates, fixes, applications etc. all over again thus wasting even more time. nLite and vLite to me would only really be of any use in a small corporate or business type environment, (from which I think they're probably disallowed anyhow as part of their licences).

[mongo66]

Yzöwl, on Nov 8 2008, 04:26 PM, said:

I don't want to bypass the problem, I see no benefit in doing so. Forums like ours would never exist if people simply took the easy way out every time they had a problem! Time wasting to me is people who use their systems and software but never really get to fully utilize its feature set and understand them.

The problem is obviously with Windows or its components and I see no point in not trying to fully investigate and fix it.

Very good point -- I can't argue with that

To me, it's not about taking the easy way out, because 9 times out 10, I don't. I wouldn't possess the knowledge I have today if I took the alternate route...

But in this particular case, "Microsoft f***** it up BIG time" IMO -- right from the very release of Vista itself. I don't want to make sound as if I'm putting the blame solely on Microsoft, but they are responsible in a big way. Had they not "rushed" Vista out the door, but given developers and OEMs more time to adapt, we wouldn't have to deal with this <insert word here> or whatever you wanna call it.

Back to the problem...

Like someone else said, it probably boils down to some bizarre hardware? compatibility issue that's keeping you from updating to SP1 via Windows Update. Should you come across a solution (whatever that may be), share it with us!

[Yzöwl]

I just though I'd add this here in order to prevent further suggestions in an unneeded direction.

The machine in question already has a fully working and up to date SP1 version of Windows Ultimate x64 Edition on another partition on the same hardware. This hopefully should rule out hardware problems especially as there are none under the 64bit version.

This current OS was installed for testing and comparison purposes, both for troubleshooting others problems and making recommendations.

I had up until now only used virtual hardware for such things and it appears I was missing out!

[gunsmokingman]

Yzöwl, I dont know if this will help you, but read this link to see if will help.
Link To Read
Gsm

[Yzöwl]

Thanks for the info GSM, it's unlikely that the information is exactly what I need, (I'm not even offered the option to download it). It does lead me in another direction, that of checking version numders etc.

[mongo66]

Yzöwl,

Check to see whether or not the following updates are installed. IF they're missing, download and install them in this order...

#1 http://support.micro...om/?kbid=949939

#2 http://support.micro...om/?kbid=937287

#3 http://support.micro...om/?kbid=938371

These are the prerequisite updates required to install SP1. Could be a possible solution as to why WU is refusing to offer SP1.

This post has been edited by mongo66: 08 November 2008 - 02:47 PM

[Yzöwl]

Thankyou for the information, you know what, I really thoght you had the answer there!

I didn't have KB937287 in my list of installed updates, the other two were already on board. I downloaded and installed it, rebooted just to be sure, and tried Windows Update again.

Unfortunately however I'm still only offered the MRT!

The information you gave however was exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for. It definitely said that it was a pre-requisite update necessary for SP1 through Windows Update and not required for the SP1 standalone installer.

Obviously this is a grave error by Microsoft, if they recommend that I use Windows Update as opposed to the standalone, then surely they would need to ensure that all pre-requisites for that method of installation are made available through that medium.

Now I've just got to hope that there is one or more of these `secret` pre-requisites still to find.

[mongo66]

Just out of curiosity, which release of the KB938371 update do you have installed? This update was re-released (v2), so if you've got the original, you might want to update it...

Download (links not offered in KB article):

Vista x86
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

Vista x64
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

[Yzöwl]

For the missing one, Windows6.0-KB937287-v2-x86.msu as linked to directly from the page highlighted in your last post.

As for the KB938371, I've no idea, Winodws update tells me only this:

Quote

Update for Windows Vista (KB938371)

Installation date: ‎26/‎10/‎2008 23:07

Installation status: Successful

Update type: Important

Install this update to enable future updates to install successfully on all editions of Windows Vista. This update may be required before selected future updates can be installed. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Once you have installed this item, it cannot be removed.

More information:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938371

Help and Support:
http://support.microsoft.com

Incidentally I downloaded Windows6.0-KB938371-v2-x86.msu and tried to install it, I was met with a message that it does not apply to my system, (probably because I have a version of it already)!