REDMOND, WA — Don’t get too excited about updating Windows Vista with Service Pack 1. Microsoft has pulled a necessary prerequisite for the update and hasn’t said yet when it may be available again.According to CNET, Microsoft stopped automatically distributing servicing stack update KB937287 on Wednesday after customers complained the updated Vista installer utility caused their systems to crash. One irate Windows Vista Ultimate user responded to a Microsoft blog post about the recall that the service stack caused such severe system instability on his PC he had to completely reformat the hard drive and reinstall the operating system from scratch. He consequently lost all the files and programs on the PC, he said.

“We’ve heard a few reports about problems customers may be experiencing as a result of KB937287,” Microsoft product manager Nick White posted to the company’s blog. “Immediately after receiving reports of this error, we made the decision to temporarily suspend automatic distribution of the update to avoid further customer impact while we investigate possible causes.

“This problem only affects a small number of customers in unique circumstances,” White added.

Microsoft initially billed the utility as “necessary to successfully install and to remove Windows Vista SP1 on all versions of Windows Vista.” Vista SP1 already is available to Microsoft Developer Network subscribers but isn’t expected to be released to the general public until mid-March.

Microsoft also is juggling accusations that Vista was rushed to market before it was ready because the former senior vice president in charge of the product was in a hurry to depart for greener pastures. Brian Valentine headed Vista’s development until he left Microsoft for a lucrative deal with Amazon.com in September 2006. At the time, Microsoft assured consumers the OS was complete and ready for prime-time, but later practical use of the OS has proved that not to be entirely true. Instead, Microsoft critics now say Valentine rushed the incomplete OS through the production cycle so he could accept a $1.7 million signing bonus with Amazon in addition to a $150,000 annual base salary, another $500,000 bonus and 400,000 shares of Amazon stock (worth almost $30 million) if he occupied an Amazon desk by September 11th.