The software maker has put out a call for businesses that want to be early testers of the software. "Interested customers should contact their Technical Account Manager at Microsoft to get nominated," a Microsoft representative said in an e-mail.
Windows Vista doesn't hit retail shelves until next week, though it has been on sale to large businesses since November.
Understandably, the company has not finalized what it will deliver in the first service pack, though the software maker outlined an update that is more similar to Windows XP Service Pack 1 and other minor updates than to Windows XP Service Pack 2, which was a fairly major overhaul of the operating system.
"We expect Windows Vista SP1 to be a standard service pack that will include security updates and hot fixes, as well as limited other changes focused on improving overall quality," the representative said.
Microsoft said it was "too early to provide any firm date range" for SP1, but said, "In general, we expect the first service pack for Windows Vista to be released in a timeframe similar to that of service packs for previous versions of Windows."
Windows XP Service Pack 1 arrived in September 2002, 11 months after XP's initial debut.
Microsoft's call for business testers was noted earlier Tuesday by APCmag.com.
Microsoft using Billboard to advertise Windows Vista
Microsoft will kick off its Windows Vista launch activities with a human billboard in downtown New York.
The Cirque du Soleil-style performance will take place at 9 a.m. Monday at the Terminal Building.
"It's a billboard. It's marketing, except that it's made by people," Mike Sievert, corporate VP for Windows told CNET News.com late Wednesday.
Among those on hand for the marketing stunt will be around 80 families that extensively tested Vista.
The performance will kick off two days of activities in New York as the software maker touts its first consumer Windows release in five years as well as the launch of Office 2007.
Sievert said New York was chosen because it is a "very big, very important city" for Microsoft. The company plans to invite several hundred beta testers from the Greater New York area to a party in the Times Square area Monday evening.
Microsoft, along with several of its hardware partners are hosting a lunch Monday at the posh Cipriani restaurant.
New York was also the locale for the business launch of Vista and Office 2007 in November.
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