Trick to Download and Install Standalone Offline Vista SP1 RTM with WU .CAB Files

Microsoft stages the roll out and distribution of Windows Vista SP1 in several different phases, with generally English version users been given privileges to download and install much earlier than other 35 languages edition of Vista, with some scheduled to be released as late as April 2008. Vista enthusiasts have came up with various tricks and hacks, such as leaking from MSDN and TechNet or using Vista SP1 RCR2 registry trick. Here’s another hack to download and install the standalone offline x86 setup installer in .CAB format for official Vista SP1 RTM with complete 36 languages from Windows Update.

Windows Vista requires at least 2 prerequisite updates – KB938371 and KB937287, plus KB935509 for Vista Enterprise and Ultimate only that have to be installed before SP1. If your Vista system hasn’t been installed with these updates, download and install these updates first from the direct download links below.

KB935509: Windows6.0-KB935509-x86.msu or Windows6.0-KB935509-x64.msu

KB937287: Windows6.0-KB937287-x86.msu or Windows6.0-KB937287-x64.msu

KB938371: Windows6.0-KB938371-x86.msu or Windows6.0-KB938371-x64.msu

Alternatively, download the .CAB files of these prerequisite updates from WU, and use the Package Manager commands to install it.

KB937287: windows6.0-kb937287-x86_2039fc9d2475d8886e112fdb3a7a5778f9ab7302.cab
KB938371: windows6.0-kb938371-x86_0e58dcb38724bbfa30e9c55290c63bb824635f08.cab

Install with the following commands in administrator’s command prompt:

start /w %SystemRoot%\system32\pkgmgr.exe /ip /m:C:\VistaSP1\windows6.0-kb937287-x86_2039fc9d2475d8886e112fdb3a7a5778f9ab7302.cab /s:C:\VistaSP1\windows6.0-kb937287-x86_2039fc9d2475d8886e112fdb3a7a5778f9ab7302.cab /norestart

start /w %SystemRoot%\system32\pkgmgr.exe /ip /m:C:\VistaSP1\windows6.0-kb938371-x86_0e58dcb38724bbfa30e9c55290c63bb824635f08.cab /s:C:\VistaSP1\windows6.0-kb938371-x86_0e58dcb38724bbfa30e9c55290c63bb824635f08.cab /norestart

Change the path to the .CAB files that you downloaded accordingly.

Here’s the direct download link to the Windows Update full 32-bit 36 languages edition of Vista SP1 standalone update package (KB936330): windows6.0-kb936330-x86_b3bd75011971986894b5fa63a08a36c05ccdd874.cab

After downloading the the Vista SP1 RTM CAB files of around 532.9 MB, use the following command to install the service pack in elevated command prompt with administrative privileges.

start /w %SystemRoot%\system32\pkgmgr.exe /ip /m:C:\VistaSP1\windows6.0-kb936330-x86_b3bd75011971986894b5fa63a08a36c05ccdd874.cab /s:C:\VistaSP1\windows6.0-kb936330-x86_b3bd75011971986894b5fa63a08a36c05ccdd874.cab /norestart

Change the path to the .CAB files that you downloaded accordingly. Once started, the Windows Vista SP1 will be installed automatically, which may include several reboots. And the installation works on all language editions of Vista system.

Update: Windows Vista official download has been released for 5 languages, and full final 36 languages Vista SP1 36 languages Vista SP1 setup package scheduled early April.

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