Windows 7's SP1 will include just 'minor' updates

The first service pack for Windows 7 will include "only minor updates," Microsoft said.

Earlier this month, rumours surfaced that the Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) would arrive by the end of this year after being moved up as much as a year ahead of schedule to fix performance issues.

While Microsoft refused to say when SP1 would arrive, it did stress it wouldn't be a major update.

"For Windows 7, SP1 includes only minor updates, among which are previous updates that are already delivered through Windows Update," explained Windows communications manager Brandon LeBlanc in a blog post.

The first server pack for Windows Server 2008 R2 will introduce RemoteFX and Dynamic Memory for desktop virtualisation, while the Windows 7 SP1 will include an update to a remote desktop client that uses RemoteFX.

Microsoft has yet to announce when the beta for the first service pack for Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 will arrive, or any timing information at all.

Many businesses choose to wait for the first service pack before rolling out a new operating system, which has some wondering if Microsoft will push SP1 out as soon as possible.

LeBlanc stressed that Windows 7 is ready for corporate use. "So don't wait - go ahead and deploy you know you want to," he said, ending the sentence with a winking smiley face.

Read on to find out why Microsoft might want to move ahead the schedule for SP1.