Best way to upgrade smoothly to Service Pack 1?

Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 is being pushed out via Windows Update; which is the best way to upgrade to SP1 without problems because of one's antivirus software? I have got Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and Norton Internet Security 2011.

This Microsoft link recommends turning off one's antivirus software but also states that it is risky to do so. Is it okay to simply turn off the antivirus protection component (AutoProtect) but leave the firewall on? I am connected to the internet via a router and Ethernet LAN, and I'm a bit jumpy about something sneaking onto my computer while upgrading to SP1 with (part of) NIS 2011 turned off. Obviously, I won't be doing any internetting during the SP1 update ;-)

PS: Is there a way to change the thread title? It got butchered up somehow or the other...Don't ask me why...Lol!...Okay, I figured it out...had to go to advanced options...

It is fine. The actual firewall in NIS is doing nothing. Your router already blocks everything that is not inside your network already. So there really is no threat. Viruses are only really an issue if you download untrusted stuff from the internet then execute it. (Downloading viruses/malware, is not really an issue as long as it does not run.)

For me, when a Service Pack comes out, I reinstall Windows and installing the Service Pack is the first thing I do when I'm not using SP1 integrated media. This avoids "garbage in, garbage out" problems when taking a messed up dirty Windows installation and giving it a service update that touches almost every part of the system.

Hi logicearth,

That was a very quick reply - thank you very much!

Hello PallasAthene, welcome to Seven Forums!


If you do a clean install it would be best to wipe the HDD first; after you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media, use Step One of this tutorial at the link below to do a wipe (secure erase) to the entire Hard Disk Drive, running this "clean all" then using the outline in Step Two #2 to create/format and mark Active a single 100GB partition using diskpart will get you the best possible space to do a clean install of Windows 7 to; you can always extend the Windows partition to include the remaining unallocated space on the HDD / SSD or create additional partitions after the installation completes if you choose.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

DISKPART : At PC Startup

Oh ok, if/when you find a need to do a clean install here's some interesting info you may find useful, and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

After you have copied out or made back-ups of the data you need to save to external media; if you can find an exact Windows version that the PC shipped with you can do a clean install using the activation key on the COA sticker attached to the PC though it may require a robo-call to MS to sort the OEM batch-key.

How to Activate Windows 7 by Phone


If you can't find an exact same version, you could use the info in this tutorial to create an "all versions" installer of any version Windows installer, to install using the same method I posted above.

Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create


After you have made backups of everything you care to save, the best method is to do a complete wipe (secure erase) of the entire Hard Disk Drive first, it over-writes everything, all the old Windows code including all the old drivers/programs, giving you the best possible space to install Windows to.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Here's an excellent imaging program, a lot of people have serious issues with the Windows 7 default imaging.


Imaging with free Macrium

Good to see you got it running and thanks for the update.