Windows 7 Service
Pack 1 (SP1) is an important update that includes
previously released security, performance, and stability
updates for Windows 7. SP1 also includes new
improvements to features and services in Windows 7, such
as improved reliability when connecting to HDMI audio
devices, printing using the XPS Viewer, and restoring
previous folders in Windows Explorer after restarting.
In order to download
and install Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 you
must currently have a Release to Manufacturing (RTM)
version of Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 already
installed. If you have previously installed a
pre-release version of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008
R2 SP1 on your machine, you must uninstall that version
before installing SP1.
You can download and
install Windows 7 SP1 using either Windows
Update or from the Microsoft Download
Center. It is recommended to download it and
install it using Windows Update. However, in this
article, I will be showing you both ways, and the steps
you need to take into consideration if you decided to
install it using the Microsoft Download Center.
Please remember,
that its always recommended to back up your machine. If
you want to backup your windows 7 before applying SP1,
then check my article :
Before installing SP1, you need to check
if Windows 7
SP1 is already installed. To do this, read my article
Downloading
SP1 from Windows Update
-
Click the
Start button
,
click All Programs,
and then click
Windows
Update.

-
In the left pane, click
Check for updates.

-
Click on important update link, and
then select
Service Pack for
Microsoft
Windows (KB976932),
and then click OK.


-
Click Install
updates.
If
you're prompted for an administrator password or
confirmation, type the password or provide
confirmation.

-
After the installation is complete,
you will be prompted to reboot your machine. Click
on Restart now

-
Log on to your computer, you will
receive a notification indicating
the update was successful. Click Close

Downloading and Installing
Windows 7 SP1 from Microsoft
Download Center
Before installing SP1 from Microsoft
Download Center, you need to install Windows Update KB2454826
from Windows Update if it is not already installed. If
you install the service pack from the Microsoft Download
Center and do not install Windows Update KB245862, you
could encounter a Stop error in Windows in rare cases.
Windows Update KB2454826 will automatically be installed
when you install the service pack by using Windows
Update. However, Windows Update KB2454826 is not
automatically installed when you install the service
pack from the Microsoft Download Center.
To check whether Windows Update KB2454826 is installed,
Open Windows Update and click on View update history
from the left pane. Notice whether Update for Microsoft
Windows (KB2454826) is listed. If the update is not
listed, you will have to install it from Windows Update.
If its already listed, then carry on with the
installation of SP1 from Microsoft Download Center.
