Microsoft prepares Windows 7 for external SP1 testing

committed to database on January 2, 2010 at 3:40 pm Eastern Standard Time 73 comments digg this

Similar to previous external beta service pack rollouts, Microsoft has enabled – via updates you already installed – a beta ‘candidacy check’ within its Windows Update software. Just like Windows Vista, a registry key and value pair need to be added prior to being authorized to download the new software.

Process Monitor showing Windows 7 SP1 registry keys.

Although I’ve documented the required key and value names, the value’s data (likely a GUID as before) remains unknown. The takeaway here is that external Windows 7 SP1 testing should commence soon, if it hasn’t already. Tips regarding the significance of the name SPORTM would be greatly appreciated.

Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\Win7SP1
Value: SPORTM (REG_SZ)
Data: Unknown (likely a server-side checked GUID)

  1. Sydney Tech Guy January 2, 2010 at 3:53 pm

    First thing that comes to mind is Service Pack Release to Manufacturing, but still no idea on the O, who knows though its just a wild guess at what SPORTM means :)

    Very interesting that there looking at beta tests for Win7 SP1 already though.

  2. jake January 2, 2010 at 5:56 pm

    They are testing the ability for win7 to be patched. it is too early in the game for win7 to require sp1 so soon after RTM!! Let us be reasonable and logical here

  3. Matt Sharpe January 2, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    I have it on good authority that SPORTM is part of Microsoft’s ongoing Healthier Computing initiative, whereby users will be logged off after a period of inactivity and forced to take part in SPORT that is Mandatory before the computer will allow logon once again.

  4. lzk87 January 2, 2010 at 7:30 pm

    oh yes microsoft, good game.. win7 is great but i have some of bug into my home network :’( and so at the logon screen (a damn delay to reach the desk.. system is clean!).. I hope for this sp1 … sorry for my poor english :-P

  5. Daniel Martinoli January 2, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    The first thing that comes to mind is that SP0 (with a zero) is sometimes used in reference to the original shipping version of the product. The ‘O’ could stand for…. Original?

  6. Brian January 2, 2010 at 8:07 pm

    Service Pack One RTM

  7. BullDawg January 2, 2010 at 9:16 pm

    Service Pack Over Release To Manufacturing

  8. Franpa January 2, 2010 at 10:52 pm

    Or if each alphabet letter = a number from 1 – 26, SPORTM = 101

  9. anon January 3, 2010 at 1:24 am

    I hope they do fix the Explorer annoyances (social.technet.microsoft/Forums/en/w7itproperf/thread/0e55ded6-6b12-4b2d-9714-902ebd562813). It’s been like that since Vista beta 2.

  10. Primeras pistas sobre el SP1 de Windows 7 | Noticortos.com January 3, 2010 at 1:49 am

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  20. Mattisdada January 4, 2010 at 4:16 am

    I have a reliable source that is informing me, that this is the soon to be reviled Sports Motorbike edition that Microsoft will soon be releasing. This will enable all Motorbikes to have true multi-engine support, while supporting the new Decal Acceleration. These new innovations will help to provide new Sport Motorbikes with the direly needed Windows experience!

    This has been in development for a long time, as the engineers at Microsoft want to ensure a bug free experience (for once). As this time, when Windows crashes, so do you. Another Microsoft innovation akin to the Blue Screen Of Death.

    In case someone takes me seriously, I’m not being serious.,….

  21. SpatulaCity January 4, 2010 at 7:07 am

    With this service pack, you will be able to push a button and activate the Sport Mode of your computer. Handling characteristics and performance responsiveness will be increased at the cost of fuel efficiency.

  22. Windows 7 SP1 a fine gennaio? | Windows 7 Blog January 4, 2010 at 9:02 am

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  25. Ryan January 4, 2010 at 11:54 am

    SPORTM. Hmmm. Service Pack One Release To Manufacturing maybe? Odd that they’re going with the word not the numeral.

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  27. Scott January 4, 2010 at 11:09 pm

    Sweet Potato On Rye Toast, Monsieur

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  30. celso ricardo s castelaesno January 5, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    quero o novo msn

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  32. Bincento January 5, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    Service Pack Ongoing Release Team?

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  35. Michael January 6, 2010 at 1:31 am

    I would have to agree with Brian, Service Pack One RTM

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  41. JingJang January 8, 2010 at 8:11 pm

    Service Pack Operational By RTM?

  42. csalgau January 8, 2010 at 11:11 pm

    Service Pack, Originally RTM (but we ran out of time)

  43. pavid January 9, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    Stupid People Ordered Rewrite Test Mode.

  44. KSR January 10, 2010 at 2:33 am

    I think, We should/can expect Windows 7 SP1 sometime during Office 2010 RTM/Release. I do feel its too early to release a service pack, Unless it required.

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  47. web tasarımı January 11, 2010 at 2:44 am

    Service Pack Over Release To Manufacturing.

  48. Carol Anne January 12, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    Same Peculiar Oversights Remedied This Month

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  50. Dan January 13, 2010 at 8:31 am

    “Very interesting that there looking” It’s “they’re looking”. Sheesh…..will people never learn English?

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  52. Will January 13, 2010 at 12:48 pm

    As to those saying it’s too soon for a SP for Windows 7. I say, it could be a marketing push, to signify to businesses that it is OK to deploy Windows 7 now.

  53. _iCeb0x_ January 13, 2010 at 2:26 pm

    My 2 cents about what SPORTM means:

    * Some People Oughtta Read The Manual
    * So Proud Of Ripping-off The Macintosh

  54. Joe January 13, 2010 at 4:11 pm

    Have to agree with the first comment, SPORTM sounds like Service Pack Release To Manufacturer.
    no idea about the O, could be “Or” in case they build updated CDs for install.

  55. JR January 13, 2010 at 10:37 pm

    Stupid People Order Redmond Total Malware

  56. Pete N January 14, 2010 at 3:33 am

    The ultimate SP1 for windows 7 will be OpenSUSE 11.2 . Joking aside the last win 7 machine i setup took 3 hours to sort out the system recovery discs this is totally unacceptable .

    It is time that system makers were forced to supply Original Discs as supplied by MS instead of this insult image idea

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  58. Omnia » Post Topic » Microsoft “spinge” su Windows 7 SP1? January 14, 2010 at 4:36 pm

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  59. Sartori January 15, 2010 at 3:44 am

    So, let me get this straight, you think Windows 7, which has been available in the shops for less than three months is nearing SP1? Seriously? Considering SP1 for Vista arrived 14 months after release I think you’re all dreaming lol

  60. ไมโครซอฟท์เตรียมปล่อย Service Pack 1 ตัวทดสอบสำหรับ Windows 7 | เจาะลึก Windows 7 January 15, 2010 at 1:06 pm

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  61. BobS. January 16, 2010 at 2:24 am

    “Service Pack One Released To Mfg” seems obvious… it’s even meaningful, more or less (which means it can’t be that, or it means that somebody “goofed”, big-time)… I’d have gone with something suitably mysterious, like “ShortHorn”, or maybe “BumSteer”, or “Leopard” (oh, phooey… that one’s already “spoke for”…) but… perhaps that’s just me…

    Why release SP1 “so soon” after initial release? Duh! It’s a blatant attempt (by Microsoft) to con(vince) the world that Win7 is now a “mature” (eg. “safe” and “stable”) product, ready for broad implementation… and “they” (Microsoft) want/need to “cash in” quickly… after all, Vista was such a “stunning triumph”, revenue-wise … and Win7 is the “successor” (to Vista)… and “we planned it that way”… “natural evolution”, and all that…

    Horsefeathers!

    I’d like to see a legitimate “score-card” on how many folks took delivery of a Vista platform, and then immediately “retrofitted” XP onto it… and how many Win7 customers did the same…

    I have clients that pay me to “wipe” their new systems, and install XP on them. From their perspective, it’s nothing “personal”… it’s just a “best practice”… based on experience…

  62. Jim January 16, 2010 at 3:00 pm

    I think SP1 should be out soon, it’s been a while since they signed off on the RTM. I’m sure they’re still tweaking Windows 7.

  63. Bruno Silva January 18, 2010 at 3:04 pm

    BuildGUID – c062153d-1a4f-40e4-a7c6-20286578be37
    BuildLab – 7600.win7_ldr.100102-1742
    BuildLabEx – 7600.20588.x86fre.win7_ldr.100102-1742

  64. Bruno Silva January 18, 2010 at 3:08 pm
  65. Cyteck January 18, 2010 at 3:50 pm

    Its laughable but here’s my two penny worth. SPORTM just stands for SHOW (i.e. display) TRADE MARK?

  66. Windows 7 SP1 in the pipeline | TechPrecinct January 19, 2010 at 10:26 pm

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  68. Jared Gray - Yatti420 January 26, 2010 at 12:41 am

    There are a few bugs that I have confirmed in Windows 7 pretty quickly..

    1. Disabling libraries – WMP12 doesn’t like this and doesn’t have a path for ripped music etc.. Basically disables the ability to rip music or change the path until libraries are re-enabled..

    2. Personalization Performance Degradation – Not really a bug but loading up your OS with every M$ official theme seems to really slow down the ability to re-access the personalization setup area..

    3. I will have to think about #3..

  69. Rafael January 26, 2010 at 12:48 am

    You’re complaining that WMP12 doesn’t work when you HACK libraries out of Windows 7? Seriously?

  70. Valued Customer January 28, 2010 at 11:52 am

    I think he is referring to folder Libraries for Documents/Music/Pictures/Videos/etc, not DLLs.

  71. Dan January 30, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    So he’s disabling a feature of Windows 7 and then is surprised when applications that rely on the feature break. Shock!

  72. Windows 7 için SP1 geliyor | sXeCenter February 2, 2010 at 3:19 pm

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  73. bnem February 18, 2010 at 10:11 am

    Service Pack Offering Release To Manufacturing – SPORTM
    I’ve never seen SPO standing for Service Pack One, it’s always SP1.