Microsoft announced some time ago that they will not be releasing a Service Pack 2 for Windows 7, hoping to persuade customers to upgrade to Windows 8. If you keep your Windows 7 system though, make sure Service Pack 1 is installed on your system to make sure it has the latest bug fixes and protection.
To verify if Service Pack 1 is installed on your system, click your “Start” button, then rightclick “Computer” and select “Properties” from the menu.
When the System window opens, in the first section, titled Windows edition, below the Copyright” declaration, it will indicate if your Service Pack 1 is installed. If it doesn’t show this, you should take the time to install it now. Also, look on the System page and under the System section, and note if your computer is either 32-bit or 64- bit. You will need this information to select the appropriate service pack version.
First, set a System Restore point before installing the service pack. To do this, go to the System window we already opened and near the top and to the left, click “System protection.” The System Properties dialog box opens. Click the “Create” button and then assign it a name. Keep in mind it will automatically indicate the date of your restore point so you don’t have to mention it in the name. Click “Create” to begin. Once the restore point has been set, click “Close” and then “OK” to close the dialog boxes.
Next, open Internet Explorer and go to Microsoft’s website by typing www.microsoft.com in the address bar near the top. When Microsoft’s home page appears, click “Products.” Scroll down until you see the section Security & updates and click “Windows Service Pack Center.”
Select Windows 7 if it is not already selected and click “Download SP1 from the Download Center (advanced).” Choose either 32-bit or 64-bit (according to your system info) and then click “Download.” Click “Open” or “Run,” and then click “Next.” If asked, click “Yes” to allow these changes and then follow the remaining instructions. Your computer may restart during this installation and this may take 30 minutes or longer to complete depending on your Internet connection speed and other factors.
Once the installation is complete, reboot your system. If you get a confirmation that the service pack was installed correctly, go ahead and close the confirmation box.
Scott Lindsay actively promotes learning the computer, regardless of age, to better one’s life and circumstances and has helped thousands of people over the past 12 years to become better computer users. He can be reached at Scott@MicroScottPro.com.