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Microsoft accelerating Windows 7 SP1?

By Stuart Turton

Posted on 9 Mar 2010 at 08:20

Microsoft could release the first Service Pack for Windows 7 by the end of the year, according to reports.

According to TechARP.com, Microsoft executives had internally scheduled a two-year development schedule for Windows 7 SP1, but have changed their mind in order to address "serious" performance problems.

The website reports that Microsoft will look to pump out the Service Pack in the last quarter of 2010, which would tally with the first Service Packs for its other operating systems.

The software giant launched Windows XP SP1 around ten months after the release of XP, and Vista SP1 appeared 12 months after the Vista RTM. However, Windows 7 has proved a critical success for Microsoft and it's difficult to identify the "serious" performance issues the Service Pack would target.

Microsoft declined to comment on the report, or a Windows 7 Service Pack in general, offering the standard "Microsoft has nothing new to announce at this time. We do not comment on rumour or speculation," response.

However, if the story bears fruit it could have an interesting knock-on effect for Microsoft's XP downgrade programme. "It's worth noting that XP downgrade rights, which you currently get with Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate, are only valid until April 2011 or the release of Windows 7 SP1, whichever comes first," noted PC Pro technical editor Darien Graham-Smith.

"So this announcement could signal an early end to that programme."

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User comments

Good idea, poor reason?

I'd say that it's nothing to do with performance issues and everything to do with the attitude of various companies. Specifically, the number of companies which won't upgrade to a vanilla Microsoft OS and which will always wait until the first service pack comes along. Release one nice and early and this may speed Windows 7 adoption rates in companies.

By Trippynet on 9 Mar 2010

It's also worth noting that XP downgrade rights, which you currently get with Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate, are only valid until April 2011 OR the release of Windows 7 SP1, whichever comes first. So this announcement could signal an early end to that programme. More details on downgrade rights here:

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentpage.aspx?p
ageid=552836#windows7

By DarienGS on 9 Mar 2010