When we first saw a preview beta version of Vista SP1, it still had a few problems. Before it could be used, for example, the user had to check that various other updates were already in place. This was a pain, but thankfully it has been sorted out and the finished version has no such problems.

In fact, Windows Update will check to see that the three other required updates are in place before it offers Vista SPl. When the first Windows Update version of SP 1 was released, some users encountered a completely different problem that caused their computer to restart over and over again. Microsoft stopped the update process until it could fix this and the problem has now been solved, so it's no cause for concern.

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One other possible problem is that some drivers, used to make other products such as printers or scanners work, might conflict with SP1. This has been taken into account and the Windows Update version will not install itself if it detects a driver that could cause problems. However, it's important to note that downloading the large update file from Microsoft's website will bypass this check, so we recommend waiting for Windows Update rather than using this method.

One other important thing to check before installing Vista SPI is that you're not running a program that is known to cause problems when the update is applied. Fortunately these are few and far between, but the list includes a few anti-virus and security products. Check the box 'Problem programs' for details.