The great Windows Post-installation Dilemma

[dioxholster]

To update or not to update that is the question.

Seriously at first I was under the impression its good practice to update windows fully first before installing any drivers so as to take care of any potential problems. Besides it makes sense, seeing how these newer drivers are tailored for a patched up version of windows. But then i come across this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2505743 instructions from microsoft's website clearly tells me to update drivers first.

 

[evilsofa]

I would follow Microsoft's instructions exactly.

In these forums, some people were unable to install SP1 without reinstalling Windows; others (myself included) had no problem whatsoever. Looks like Microsoft has sorted out at least some of those problems in the instructions you found, so it certainly won't hurt to follow them.

 

[Joe Average]

You can get past most of that stuff by just using an integrated Windows 7 SP1 installation disc in the first place - since everything is all nice and tidily integrated from the gitgo, there's no muss, no fuss, and it just works.

Having said that, if you're in a situation where you're either forced to do an RTM + SP1 installation for some reason or you're just now getting around to installing SP1 then yep, follow the instructions and steps Microsoft laid out in that KB article.

Personally I'd say grab the SP1 integrated disc... you can get direct download links for the Windows 7 installation ISOs directly from Microsoft (through their online download service contractor, Digital River) over at the MyDigitalLife.info forums in this particular post:

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/th...amp-X64/page60?p=470600&viewfull=1#post470600

To make sure you get the very latest, scroll down to the lower part of that post and get the Media Refresh versions; those were the recently updated SP1 integrated ISOs and are the most current available. The Media Refresh supposedly resolves issues with installing the integrated SP1 on some machines that involves setting the Time and Currency formats to non-English/German/Finnish/Swedish languages during the installation - so if you're definitely installing the English version this might not be a big concern, but it can't hurt to go ahead and use the most updated ISO possible.

My personal installation practice:

1) Install Windows 7 SP1 Media Refresh (was using the bare RTM up till SP1's release, then the first SP1 ISO after)
2) Hit Windows Update and grab everything, including all hardware drivers possible if available
3) Check to see if hardware manufacturers do have a more current driver for the video, sound, and chipset, and that's about it
4) Update those if available, but the rest stays with the Windows Update supplied drivers

Never had any issues with this methodology for myself.

 

[FPaul]

Joe Average's approach is the best way to go when you can install fresh.
If you can't, use Windows Update - it will offer you the updates "sequentially", until it gets to the SP1.
It's a bit tedious, but it never failed for me.