56. Install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Via Windows Auto Update
There are two ways of installing the Windows 7 Service Pack 1.
This tutorial will deal with installing Windows 7 Service Pack 1
using Windows Auto Update.
Unlike most other updates that are available through Windows
Update you will find that the Windows Service Pack 1
update is
classed as an Optional update. This means that the choice
is yours as to whether you install the service pack or not. However,
although Windows 7 Service Pack 1 doesn't add anything new in the
way of functionality to your system, it does add additional updates
that are important to your system. Therefore, we recommend that you
install Windows 7 Service Pack 1.
Like most service packs, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 is rather large
in size. How much of the service pack that needs to be installed on
your system will depend upon how up to date your Windows Operating
system is. For example, if you have religiously updated your copy of
Windows via Windows Auto Update, you may find that the install will
only be around 100MB or so. However, if you haven't updated your
Windows operating system for quite a while it may be necessary to
install as much as 900MB of the service pack. Download and
Installation time combined can be anything up to an hour or more, so
please allow plenty of time to download and install the service
pack.
To install Windows Service Pack 1 proceed as follows:
- Click the Start Button followed by All programs.
- On the All Programs menu, scroll down until you see
Windows
Update.
- Click on Windows Update to open the update window.
Fig: 56-1 Windows Start Menu
- When the Windows update window opens, look to the left of
the screen (in the blue margin) and Click on the Check
for updates option.
Fig: 56-2 Click the Check for updates option
- Windows updates will now check for any available updates.
The Windows Service Pack will be recorded as an Optional
Update.
Fig: 56-3 Screen showing available updates
- Click on the Optional Update link to make sure that it
actually refers to Windows Service Pack 1.
See Fig: 56-4 below.
Fig: 56-4 Windows Service Pack 1 will be displayed in the list of
available downloads
- To begin the install, click the Install Updates button.
Fig: 56-5 The size of the available download(s) can be seen just
above the Install Updates button
- Windows will now begin to download the Windows 7 Service
pack and any other available updates
Fig: 56-6 Downloading available updates
- Once Windows has completed the download the updates will
begin to install. However, prior to installation Windows will
create a System Restore point.
Fig: 56-7 A System Restore point is crated before the updates are
installed
- After Windows has created a System Restore the updates will
begin to install.
Fig: 56-8 Installing the Windows Updates
- After Windows has successfully installed Windows 7
Service Pack 1 you will need to Restart
your computer.
- To Restart, press the Restart Now button.
Fig: 56-9 Press the Restart Now button to continue
- Your computer will now being its log off sequence.
Fig: 56-10 Logging off
- Your system will next begin to shut down.
Fig: 56-11 Windows is shutting down
- During the shutting down process Windows will start to
configure the Windows Service Pack. Once the process has reached
the 30% mark Windows will shut down
and then restart again.
Fig: 56-12 Configuring the Windows Service Pack
- On Restarting you will see the Starting Windows Logo.
Fig: 56-13 Starting Windows Logo
- The next screen will ask you to Please Wait.
Fig: 56-14 Please Wait while Windows initialises
- Windows now need to start the configuration once again.
Fig: 56-15 Preparing to Configure windows
- The configuration progress indicator will appear again.
Please Do Not turn your computer off while Windows is
configuring and updating essential files.
Fig: 56-16 When the progress bar reaches 100% the installation has
completed
- Now that the Windows Service Pack has been installed you
will be able to Log On to your computer. If you do not have a
password set on your computer you will not see the screen in
Fig: 56-17. Instead Windows will simply open at the desktop.
Fig 56-17 Type in your password
- Finally a message will appear informing you that the Windows
7 Service Pack is now installed.
Fig: 56-18 Windows service Pack has now been successfully installed