Tuesday, March 25, 2008

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!

3 comments:

Peter Cronwright said...

They don't call it Vista Service Pack None for nothing... ;-)
Actually I heard on the Windows Weekly podcast that the drivers you are missing maybe released to Windows Update in mid-april.

David Howard said...

Did you ever get this? I have not gotten it either so I am in the same boat. Problem is that I had to get a new motherboard in my M400, and now the system is shutting down for what seems like no reason once or twice a day. I just updated the APCI with a new BIOS update, so hopefully that helps.

I am interested in knowing if yours has come through.

David Howard said...

I just checked again, and it is now available. I updated the ACPI BIOS to 3.60 (only available on Toshiba Support site), and the sound driver as you described (which was available via Windows update).
I am going to install later, and if you do not hear from me, it works.