I'm excited to announce the release of SP1 for WSS 3.0 and Office SharePoint Server 2007.  Before you install the service pack there are some very important things to understand.  In this post I'll try to provide you with the resources you need to be successful in updating to the latest service pack.  Please do NOT simply drop to the bottom and find the links and download and install directly on your production environments.  It is essential that you understand the appropriate guidance and test out the patch in a separate test environment.  For this purpose we have put together a special SP1 page on TechNet to guide you through the process.  The more you know the better prepared you'll be for updating your environment.

Overview and What's Included 

For information on what's included in the service pack view the Announcing WSS 3.0 and MOSS SP1 article from TechNet.  This information will be important from both a business and technical perspective to support installing SP1.  The KB "Description of Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Service Pack 1 and of Windows SharePoint Services Language Pack 3.0 Service Pack 1" in addition is a must read.  It includes a link to a list of fixes included in WSS SP1.  For Office SharePoint Server 2007 SP1 another KB has been posted with a downloadable Office Servers list of fixes.

Note: For SharePoint Server 2007 environments, WSS 3.0 SP1 should be installed before SharePoint Server 2007 SP1.

Critical Planning and Deployment & Installation Information 

Next before installing each service pack please read the corresponding planning and deployment guidance which is critical to a smooth update:

• Deploying software updates for Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 
• Planning and deploying SP1 for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server

How to obtain and to install the service packs

Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SP1 and Windows SharePoint Services Language Pack 3.0 SP1 are located at the Microsoft Download Center. To download the service packs and to obtain installation instructions and deployment strategies, visit the following Microsoft Web sites:

WSS 3.0 SP1

SP1 existing deployments:

• Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SP1, 32-bit edition and 64-bit edition
• Windows SharePoint Services Language Pack 3.0 SP1, 32-bit edition, 64-bit edition 

WSS 3.0 with SP1 for new installations:

• WSS with SP1 Slipstream - Not to confuse you, but to simplify installation we have created a special WSS with SP1 slipstream which essentially it is the full WSS 3.0 with SP1. It is designed to make installs, especially on Windows Server 2008, easier.  Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 with Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 SP1 32-bit edition, 64-bit edition

Office SharePoint Server 2007

• Office SharePoint Server 2007 SP1 (includes SP1 for Project Server, Forms Server, and Groove) 32-bit edition and 64-bit edition
• Office SharePoint Server 2007 Language Pack 3.0 SP1 32-bit edition, 64-bit edition

SharePoint Designer 2007

• SharePoint Designer SP1
• SharePoint Designer Language Pack SP1

Patches for all Office System products are available on Microsoft Update (recommended), Office Update and the Download Center with a few exceptions. Windows SharePoint Services and the WSS Language Packs are live on Windows Update and Microsoft Update. For those customers with low bandwidth, CDs will be available for order after January 15th for a small shipping and handling fee from a link off the Download Details page.

<Update 12/18/2007> 

A few people have been asking about installing MOSS on Windows Server 2008.  As suggested in the post and in much of the documentation, Windows Server 2008 requires MOSS SP1 be installed.  Install will be blocked if you attempt to install the RTM.  Ben Curry one of the SharePoint MVPs has shared his MOSS WS08 install instructions for how to build the slipstream.  Until we get the MOSS SP1 slipstream bits available I recommend you take advantage of the updates option as suggested in the blog.

 Joel

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<Update>

Don't miss the new updates to the SDKs.  More detail on building web parts with AJAX.NET.

Joel Oleson
Sr. Technical Product Manager
SharePoint Team