Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1

Today on the TechNet download center there are 5 new items.  Two of those Items are Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with integrated SP1.  Of course as you can see if you choose either Windows 7 of Windows Server 2008 R2 from the new downloads menu you can also download the service pack as a standalone package. 

I was a guest host on Keith Combs Talk TechNet call in radio show this morning and one of the callers asked a question on the show that I thought I would share with you here. 

Question:  “If I have been doing consistent updates to my Windows 7 machine since install will I still need to download the service pack?” 

Answer:  No, and then again Yes!  No because the updates you already have applied to Windows 7 have been rolled up in to a nice package with Service Pack 1.  Yes, because next time you install Windows 7 on a machine you really don’t want to have to go out and install the 60 plus required updates that are already a part of Service Pack 1. 

On a related note you positively do want to download and install the service pack for your Windows Server 2008 R2 machines ,even if they are up to date.  SP1 for Windows Server introduces new functionality to Hyper-V that is just phenomenal.  Dynamic memory allocation alone is worth the hour or so that it will take to install the service pack.    There are many more really cool benefit for running SP1 on Windows server 2008 R2. 

Lastly and most importantly!  To my knowledge SP1 is only available via download through your TechNet Subscription!  If you don’t have one its time to get one.  If you aren’t planning on getting a TechNet Subscription you can wait with the masses for a little bit longer until the SP1 download site goes public. 

Happy SP1 Wednesday!