But beware of careless drivers, Microsoft warns

The Service Pack 1 package of tweaks and fixes for Vista is now available for download .

Machines that have been configured for automatic updates (accessible via the Vista Control Panel) will get the code in mid-April, though users will still get the option not to install.

SP1 will not install automatically if it recognises any incompatible drivers, which Microsoft says are responsible for many problems frequently blamed on the operating system.

But the standalone version, available today, will install whether it likes your drivers or not.

Microsoft has also posted a short list of programs known to have problems with SP1.