
The service pack primarily brings security fixes and compatibility updates and it is mandatory for the Service Pack 2 installation. Since Windows XP did not impress mostly in terms of security and compatibility, Microsoft has released Service Pack 1 and Service Pack 1a in 2002, just one year after the launch of the operating system.

In addition, they bring fixes, enhancements as well as new features in order to provide users with better overall experience. Download it and run a free driver scan here.Microsoft's service packs refer to collections of updates for both Windows and Office. We recommend Driver Scanner from Uniblue for such a task. Note that some drivers will work instantly after installing them, but others will require a system restart in order to function properly.Īs an alternative, you can simplify the process of installing the latest versions for your drivers by using a program to scan all your drivers and compare them with the latest available versions from the manufacturers.

Second recommended step is creating a restore point to help you later on in case you install the wrong device driver. If the driver contains release notes ("readme" files) proceed with reading them first. The main difference between this and SP1a is that Java Virtual Machine was removed from the pack due to a lawsuit filed by Sun Microsystemsĭownload Windows XP Service Pack 1 if you want to improve the reliability & security of your XP operating system.īefore installing version of Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows make sure this is the latest version available and that it works with your current operating system and device model.The ability to remove Middleware products (such as Windows Media Player or Internet Explorer).Another notable addition is the ability to specify which programs are needed to certain activities (for instance, play video files with a certain media player or open HTML files with the default browser).Support for the Media Center (which enables you to connect all your entertainment devices to one central hub) and tablet PCs.NET framework which is now extensively required by many Windows applications An integrate Virtual Java Machine which enables you to run by default any Java powered application on your system.You can now plug in any USB 2.0 device and it will be recognized.

Here are the key features that stand out: It adds over 300 fixes for various bugs and it makes your system more reliable and secure.

Want to update your operating system to SP1? Wondering what surprises Microsoft has in store for your XP? The SP1 update was launched on. " Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1) provides."
