Microsoft has announced that the first service pack release for Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 will hit the download servers starting today. The company had already released the final code to OEM partners earlier on February 9, followed by MSDN customers, TechNet subscribers and volume licensing customers on February 16, but now anyone will be able to get it either via Microsoft's Download Center website, through Windows Update or here (download links at the end).

So, what can you expect from SP1? For Windows Server 2008 R2, two new features that directly affect Microsoft's desktop virtualization platform: Microsoft Dynamic Memory and Microsoft RemoteFX. The former gives on-the-fly control of a virtual machine's memory while the latter provides a virtualized 3D graphical experience for remote users. For Windows 7, this is mostly a compilation of minor bug fixes and previous updates you might have already installed, but it also includes an updated Remote Desktop client that takes advantage of RemoteFX.

Still, the release of Windows 7 SP1 is an important milestone as it could help to further fuel adoption of the operating system among enterprises, which typically wait for kinks to be ironed out before jumping on the bandwagon.

We should note that users running a previous iteration of SP1, such as a beta or release candidate, will need to uninstall it first before grabbing the final release. Instructions on how to uninstall a service pack are available here.

Download Links:
Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1 32-bit
Microsoft Windows 7 & Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 64-bit