Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Coming Soon

A Russian Microsoft blog has revealed that the first Service Pack for Windows 7 may be on its way soon. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) will bundle all of the updates and improvements made to the operating system (OS) since its October 2009 release into a single download.

Late last week, the headline "Released Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2" was found on the Microsoft TechNet blog "Russian Windows Virtualization Discussion". The blog promised more discussion of the Service Pack would follow in the coming days.

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 Release Date On Track

News of a soon-to-be-released Windows 7 Service Pack 1 received plenty of attention from users around the world. Some insiders went as far as speculating that Microsoft's shipment of SP1 was already released to manufacturers (RTM), meaning it would soon be available to all consumers.

Microsoft, however, denied the claims. "Microsoft has not released SP1 to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) at this time, though we are on track for a Q1 release, as we previously announced," the company said in a blog post on January 14. "The comments made in this blog entry included some inaccuracies." (Source: earthweb.com)

A Microsoft spokesperson would only say "we have nothing to share at this time but will keep you posted," when asked for further comment by CNET News. (Source: zdnet.co.uk)

"Some Inaccuracies" Cause for Further Speculation

Windows 7 Service Pack 1 is, without a doubt, a very big deal. Many businesses often wait until an operating system receives its first Service Pack before jumping on board, making its release an important part of an operating system's sales time-line.

Nonetheless, it's unclear at this time what about the leak was accurate and what wasn't. If Windows 7 Service Pack 1 was nowhere near completion, it's likely Microsoft would have dismissed the blog and the rumors without hesitation. Clearly, it did not do that.

Officially, SP1 is scheduled for release sometime this half of 2011, probably before the end of Quarter 1. That was the very vague date Microsoft gave it last July, when testing of SP1 began.