How to obtain the latest Windows Vista service pack

Windows Vista updates are distributed in service packs. Service packs help keep Windows Vista current, and they can extend and update the functionality of your computer. This article describes three step-by-step methods that you can use to obtain the latest service pack for Windows Vista. However, before you select the method that you want to use, please make sure that the following conditions are true:

• The service pack is not already installed on your computer.
• You are logged on to your computer by using a user account that is a computer administrator.
• The computer on which you want to install the service pack is connected to the Internet.

If you are not sure that all these conditions are true, please see the "Before you try to download the latest Windows Vista service pack" section. Otherwise, select the method that you want to use to download and install the service pack.

Methods to download the latest service pack

• Method 1: Turn on Automatic Updates (Recommended for most users)
• Method 2: Check for updates on Windows Update (Same as Method 1 but not automatic)
• Method 3: Obtain the latest Windows Vista service pack from the Microsoft Download Center (Good to use if the computer on which you want to install the service pack is not connected to the Internet)

Important Windows Update may not offer the latest Windows Vista service pack to some users. This issue can occur for several reasons. For a full list of causes and resolutions, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Method 1: Turn on Automatic Updates

The best way to make sure that you receive the latest Windows Vista service pack is to turn on the automatic updating feature.

To turn on the automatic updating feature, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.
2. In the navigation pane, click Change settings.
3. Select the Windows automatic updating setting that you want. If you are not sure which setting to select, follow these guidelines. Otherwise, go to step 4:
   • Automatic (recommended) Automatically download recommended updates for my computer and install them: We recommend that you select this option. Simply click to select the day and the time for scheduled updates to occur. You can schedule Automatic Updates for any time of day, but your computer must be on at the scheduled time for updates to be installed.
   • Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them: With this option selected, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to automatically download updates from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An icon appears in the notification area of your taskbar when the updates are being downloaded. When the download is complete, a message appears in the notification area. Click the Automatic Updates icon or the message. If you do not want to install a downloaded update, click Details, and then click to clear the check box next to that update to decline it. Click Install to install the selected updates.
   • Notify me but don't automatically download or install them: Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An Automatic Updates icon and message appear in the notification area of your taskbar when new updates are available to download or to install. Click the icon or the message to view the updates. If you do not want to download a selected update, click to clear the check box next to that update to decline it. Click Start Download to download the selected updates. The Automatic Updates icon remains in the notification area of your taskbar while the updates are being downloaded. You can point to the icon to view the download status. To pause or to resume the download, right-click the icon, and then click Pause or Resume. When the download is complete, another message appears in the notification area to inform you that the updates are ready to install. Click the Automatic Updates icon or the message, and then click Install to install the updates.
   • Never check for updates (not recommended): Do not select this option.
4. Click to select the Include recommended updates when downloading, installing, or notifying me about updates check box, and then click OK.
   
   
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   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

To verify that this method worked and that the latest Windows Vista service pack is installed, repeat the steps under "How to determine whether the latest Windows Vista service pack is installed" in the "Before you try to download the latest Windows Vista service pack" section. If you see a reference to Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2), you have successfully installed the latest service pack. If the latest Windows Vista service pack was not installed successfully, try Method 3.

Note Before you can install Windows Vista SP2, you must install Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1). If you have not installed Windows Vista SP1, Automatic Updates will not install Windows Vista SP2.

Method 2: Check for updates on Windows Update

Although Automatic Updates can automatically install updates for you, you can also do this manually.

To manually check Windows Update for updates, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , click All Programs, and then click Windows Update.
2. In the navigation pane, click Check for updates.
3. After Windows Update has finished checking for updates, click View available updates.
4. Click to select the check boxes for the updates that you want to install, and then click Install.
   
   
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   If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type the password, or provide confirmation.

To verify that this method worked and that the latest Windows service pack is installed, repeat the steps under "How to determine whether the latest Windows Vista service pack is installed" in the "Before you try to download the latest Windows Vista service pack" section. If you see a reference to Windows Vista SP2, you successfully installed the service pack. If the latest Windows Vista service pack was not installed successfully, try Method 3.

Note Before you can install Windows Vista SP2, you must install Windows Vista SP1. If you have not installed Windows Vista SP1, Windows Update will not install Windows Vista SP2.

Method 3: Obtain the latest Windows Vista service pack from the Microsoft Download Center

This method is a little more time-consuming. However, this method is a good way to download the service pack if you have to install it on another computer. Just download the latest Windows Vista service pack from the Microsoft Download Center onto another computer that has an Internet connection. Then, transfer the service pack to the computer that does not have the Internet connection. You can also download the service pack and then install it later.

Important Before you install Windows Vista SP2 from the Download Center, follow these steps:

• Make sure that you have downloaded and installed Windows Vista SP1. Windows Vista SP1 is a prerequisite for Windows Vista SP2. You can use the information in this article to download and install Windows Vista SP1 if you have not already installed SP1.
• Recommended: Install the latest updates for Windows from the Windows Update site or install the update for Ks.sys from the following Microsoft Web site:
  https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/results.aspx?pocId=&freetext=950127 (https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/results.aspx?pocId=&freetext=950127)
• Check whether your computer is running the 32-bit version or the 64-bit version of Windows Vista. If you know this information, go to the "Download" section. If you are unsure about which version is running on your computer, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start
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     , type system in the Start Search box, and then click system in the Programs list.
  2. The operating system is listed as follows under System:
     • For a 64-bit version operating system, 64-bit Operating System is displayed.
     • For a 32-bit version operating system, 32-bit Operating System is displayed.

Download Windows Vista Service Pack 2

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) was released on May 26, 2009.

How to obtain the service pack

To install the correct version of the service pack, you must know whether your computer is running the 32-bit version or the 64-bit version of Windows Vista. Additionally, you must be logged on to Windows as an administrator. If you are not sure which Windows Vista version is installed or if you need help verifying that you are an administrator, visit the following Web site: Then, download the correct update by clicking one of the following links.

Note Windows Vista Service Pack 2 is currently available in English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

Windows Vista, 32-bit versions Five Language Standalone package for English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional) Windows Vista, 64-bit versions Five Language Standalone package for English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional) For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

The current service pack for Windows Vista is Service Pack 2.

Download Windows Vista Service Pack 1

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) was released on March 18, 2008.

How to obtain the service pack

To install the correct version of the service pack, you must know your Windows Vista platform type (32-bit or 64-bit). Additionally, you must be logged on to Windows as an administrator. If you are not sure which Windows Vista platform type is installed, or if you need help verifying that you are an administrator, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Then, download the correct update by clicking one of the following links.

Note If your language version of Windows Vista is English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional), install the Five Language Standalone package. The Five Language Standalone package is smaller than the All Language Standalone package and therefore is faster to download. If your language version of Windows Vista is not English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional), you might want to install the All Language Standalone package.

Windows Vista, 32-bit versions Five Language Standalone package for English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional)Windows Vista, 32-bit versions All Language Standalone package for all supported Windows Vista languagesWindows Vista, 64-bit versions Five Language Standalone package for English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish (Traditional)Windows Vista, 64-bit versions All Language Standalone package for all supported Windows Vista languages For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Release notes for the service pack

For more information about what is fixed in Windows Vista Service Pack 1, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
For more information about a problem that may occur when you use this method, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: The current service pack for Windows Vista is Service Pack 2.

This information is primarily intended to help IT professionals and corporate helpdesks support and maintain company computer systems.

Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Vista SP2 include previously released hotfixes and security updates. For more information about the previously released hotfixes and security updates that are included in these service packs, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Before you download the latest Windows Vista service pack, you may want to take a moment to verify several things:

• Is the latest service pack already installed on your computer? The latest service pack is Windows Vista Service Pack 2. If you have Automatic Updates turned on, you may already have the latest service pack installed. We'll show you how to check whether the latest service pack is already installed.
• Are you logged on to your computer by using a user account that is a computer administrator?
• Is the computer on which you want to install the service pack connected to the Internet?

If you are sure that the computer has a valid Internet connection, that you have not installed the latest service pack, and that you are logged on as a computer administrator or can supply an administrator password when you are prompted, go to "Methods to download the latest service pack."

If you are not sure whether the latest service pack is installed, see "How to determine whether the latest Windows Vista Service pack is installed."

If you are not sure whether you are logged on as an administrator, see "How to determine whether you are logged on with an administrator account."

How to determine whether the latest Windows Vista Service pack is installed

You may want to determine whether you already installed the latest service pack before you download the service pack. The latest service pack is Windows Vista Service Pack 2. To verify that you have the latest Windows Vista service pack, complete these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , right-click Computer, and then click Properties.
2. Look in the Windows Edition section in the upper-right part of the window. If the service pack is installed, a reference to Windows Vista SP2 will be displayed.

How to determine whether you are logged on with an administrator account

To verify that you are logged on to Windows with a user account that is a computer administrator, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , type timedate.cpl in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. The Date and Time dialog box appears.
2. On the Date and Time tab, click Change date and time. If the User Account Control dialog box appears, click Continue.
3. One of two things will happen next, choose which one from a or b below to continue.
   1. If you are prompted to type an administrator password, and you see administrator account names that are listed, you are not logged on with a computer administrator account. If a. is true, you are not the computer administrator. Type an administrator password to continue. If you cannot supply an administrator password, you may have to ask someone for help or contact Support.
   2. If you are not prompted to type an administrator password, and you do not see administrator account names that are listed, you are logged on with a computer administrator account. Click Cancel, and then click Cancel again to close the Date and Time dialog box. If b. is true, you are the computer administrator. So, let’s get started.

Go to the "Methods to download the latest service pack" section.