Where's my SP1?

OK, so I'm getting kind of anxious now. Windows Vista SP1 has been released. Like a really long time ago! And I still can't get it. Well OK, I can get it (manually), but I've read the reports, the horror stories, the incompatible drivers that will brick my machine (which I use all day every day). So I've patiently waited, installed everything that Windows Update has thrown at me (even Silverlight!) but still no SP1. Do I still have incompatible drivers? I've installed all the new drivers I could find on the Toshiba website (for my Portege M400) but still no SP1.

So check this out: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=948343
And you get this list of reasons why:
Cause 1
You are already running Windows Vista SP1.
- Nope, not me!
Cause 2
Windows Vista SP1 has not been released for the language of the language pack that you have installed.
- Nope, speaka da English
Cause 3
Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool is used to block the delivery of Windows Vista SP1 from Automatic Updates or from Windows Update.
- What? The Service Pack Blocker Tool? Sacrilege! I'm not under the control of some crazy sysadmin who can stop me getting SP1! (quick check of HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate - just in case)
Cause 4
You tried to install Windows Vista SP1, and the installation failed with a known inconsistency in the file or registry structure.
- Nope, haven't even gotten that far.
Cause 5
A hardware device driver or device software was problematic when you updated to Windows Vista SP1.
- But I haven't updated yet, right?
The Windows Update service can detect the small set of device drivers and software that falls into this category. The Windows Update service will not offer Windows Vista SP1 until an update for the hardware device driver or the device software has been installed.
- Now how could I possibly know? How long am I going to have to wait for new drivers?
Cause 6
You have installed a prerelease version of Windows Vista SP1, and you must uninstall the prerelease version, or start with a new installation of Windows Vista.
- Nope. Not me. I'm legit.
Cause 7
You used the third-party program vLite to configure the system, and you may have removed required system components that have to be available for Windows Vista SP1 to be installed.
For more information, visit the following vLite Web site:
http://www.vlite.net (http://www.vlite.net/)
- Nope. Haven't come across that one before.
Cause 8
You see one or more updates for Windows Vista when you run Windows Update. However, you do not see Windows Vista SP1 listed.
- Nope. No updates at all.

So I guess I'm stuck with Cause #5. So what does that mean? A quick scan of the list, and a 'Search' of my system shows two likely candidates:
Method for Cause 5

To help ensure a positive update experience, Windows Update will temporarily not offer Windows Vista SP1 to systems that have the following device drivers. In some cases, these device drivers are problematic on Windows Vista-based computers when you update to Windows Vista SP1. By installing updated device drivers, you will resolve the issue and enable Windows Update to offer Windows Vista SP1.

Audio drivers
SigmaTel
• For x86-based computers: Sthda.sys - version 5.10.5762.0 or earlier
SigmaTel
• For x86-based computers: Stwrt.sys - version 6.10.5511.0 or earlier

Biometric (Fingerprint) Sensors
• UPEK Fingerprint Sensor with the Tcusb.sys driver file – version 1.9.2.99 or earlier

Bugger! The latest version available from Toshiba is:
12-20-2006 Toshiba Fingerprint Utility for Windows Vista/XP (v5.6.0 Build 3284; 12-15-2006; 12.65M)
And I've already installed what seems like a newer version of the audio driver:
01-10-2007 SigmaTel HD Audio Driver for Windows Vista (v6.10.0.5286; 01-05-2007; 8.17M)
But still my .DLL is version 5.10.4866.0 :-(

I think I'm going to be waiting a while yet for my SP1...


For reference:
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_sp1_ga.asp

http://computerworld.co.nz/news.nsf/news/436CBFFE7DCD7B54CC25741000738ADE

Update: I'm glad I'm not the only one!

QIK! Watch my Video

So I finally got Qik going today, which is cool cause now I can stream live video onto the Internet straight from my phone, wherever I am! I'm not sure what I'm going to use it for, but it's very cool that it's even possible (and so easy).

After being 'invited' a while back, I couldnt get it going on my Nokia E61i due to a 'Certificate Error'. I tried a few things then gave up on it until today when I emailed Qik support. And whatd'ya know, the support was SUPER quick. I got an email response with the fix in like 1 minute or something (thanks, Jane). Here's the fix for installing an unsigned app onto a Symbian phone:
Go to Main Menu > Tools > App Manager
Select Options and then Settings and make sure the following is set correctly:
Software Installation = All
Online Cert Check = Off

So here's my first Qik 'Live' video stream (Driving home from Auckland City, over the Harbour Bridge, but mostly sitting in traffic - a nice sunny day though!):


The other cool thing with Qik is that while you're streaming the people watching can send you comments which come up on the Mobile's screen - so its fully interactive. You can also get it to update Twitter & Blogger when you stream (although when I selected this as an option it did neither today - for some reason). I had some technical difficulties with my first stream - firstly to mount my E61i on the dashboard. Luckily I had some Scotch tape in the glovebox (leftover from posting & wrapping my Xbox 360 back to MS for the Red Ring of Death - again), so I taped the phone to the side of the Windscreen mount for my TomTom GPS. The last one - which killed my stream before I actually got home - was a basic one: The phone ran out of batteries. It seems that Streaming live video over the Internet SUCKS the battery life out of your phone :-)

I can't get over how good the video & audio quality is though, considering the basic technologies involved. Live broadcasts with expensive equipment are soon becoming a thing of the past!

QIK | My Videos

All-a-Twitter?

I was listening to the latest TWiT podcast today and they spent so much time talking about Twitter (and they've mentioned it quite a bit in the past) so I thought I had to go check it out. They were of course talking about the SXSW Zuckerberg Interview, and how the Twitterers revolted against Sarah Lacy. It intrigued me to say the least.

So I signed up to Twitter today, and duly went looking for friends to follow. But unfortunately none of my friends were there :-( Quite funny really. Hopefully at least a couple of those I've invited will sign up and give it a try.

I just want to see whether it'll be useful or not. I'm hoping it'll be better/more interesting than plain old IM. I've almost given up on Facebook for regular use. Its good to check in every now & then but I can't say I'm that into the Apps and stuff. Maybe the movie app, but the others haven't really grabbed me.