Windows Vista SP1 Complaints Lead to Free Support

Microsoft Corp. is responding to a multitude of consumer complaints over its Vista SP1 update by providing support services at no-charge. This free suppors if free for anyone having any trouble installing or running the update according to Microsoft's support website. The support will be via email and online chat, though the wait time for online chat by mid-afternoon on Monday was about 20 minutes.

Microsoft is responding to criticisms from users who say that they can't get the the software to install or run on their computers. Reported problems varied from inability to download the software to sudden spikes in memory usage. Though it is not uncommon for major software updated to cause problems when first released, even Windows XP SP1 has a number of glitches and problems when it shipped on host computers in 2002 and Microsoft fixed those problems with subsequent patches.

Windows Vista SP1 was made widely available for the first time by Microsoft last week. It is designed to increase the speed, security, and reliability of Vista though even Microsoft has admitted that it isn't perfect. One of the problems is that the software will not install on any computers that uses system drivers that Microsoft has deemed incompatible. This list of devices included audio and video drivers made by Realtek and Intel along with many others made by other manufactures. Microsoft said that it is working to resolvethe compatibility issues in a timely manner.