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Upgrading To Windows Vista

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Upgrading To Microsoft Windows Vista Tips

The traditional annual days of giving are at hand. Some people will want to upgrade (if it can be called that) to Windows Vista.

Here are some tips to help keep you out of trouble.

Recommended minimum hardware requirements for Windows Vista

Windows Vista Home Basic

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800-megahertz (MHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 800-MHz 64-bit (x64) processor

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512 megabytes (MB) of system memory

Note On system configurations that use system memory as graphics memory, at least 448 MB of system memory must be available to the operating system after some memory is allocated for graphics.

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DirectX 9-class graphics card

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32 MB of graphics memory

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20-gigabyte (GB) hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space

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Internal or external DVD drive

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Internet access capability

Audio output capability

Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, and Windows Vista Ultimate

1-gigahertz (GHz) 32-bit (x86) processor or 1-GHz 64-bit (x64) processor

1 GB of system memory

Windows Aero-capable graphics card

Note This includes a DirectX 9-class graphics card that supports the following:

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A WDDM driver

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Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware

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32 bits per pixel

128 MB of graphics memory (minimum)

40-GB hard disk that has 15 GB of free hard disk space (the 15GB of free space provides room for temporary file storage during the install or upgrade.)

Internal or external DVD drive

Internet access capability

Audio output capability

Note A Windows Aero-capable graphics card is a graphics card that meets the following requirements:

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Supports a Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) driver

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Has a DirectX 9-class graphics processor unit (GPU) that supports Pixel Shader 2.0

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Supports 32 bits per pixel

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Passes the Windows Aero acceptance test in the Windows Driver Kit (WDK)

Operating system requirements to upgrade to Windows Vista

Much more information at http://remotehelpdesk1.com/articles.htm

Notes:

If you are currently using Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional x64, you are eligible for an upgrade copy to a corresponding or better edition of Windows Vista, but a clean install is required.

Upgrade copies are not available for versions of Windows earlier than Windows 2000. These earlier versions of Windows require you to install a full copy of Windows Vista.

If the edition of Windows Vista that you choose to install will result in a loss of functionality over your current edition of Windows, you will need to do a clean install, or install Windows Vista to a new partition on your PC.

Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor

Before you begin

Before you run the Upgrade Advisor, be sure to plug in any USB devices or other devices such as printers, external hard drives, or scanners that are regularly used with the PC you're evaluating.

?Download Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor

Ready to upgrade? Check out these special offers from Microsoft partners.

The Upgrade Advisor works with 32-bit versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista. Review the upgrade options available for earlier versions of Windows.

Make sure your computer is ready for the edition of Windows Vista you want.

The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor will help you to determine if your Windows XP-based PC can run Windows Vista. You can also use the Upgrade Advisor to determine if your Windows Vista-based PC is ready for an upgrade to a more powerful edition of Windows Vista.

This small software tool will scan your computer and create an easy-to-understand report of all known system, device, and program compatibility issues, and recommend ways to resolve them. Upgrade Advisor can also help you to choose the edition of Windows Vista that best fits the way you want to use your computer.

Just download, install, and run the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor.

Please Note:

The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor works with 32-bit versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista, except Windows Vista Enterprise edition. It will not work with other editions of Windows.

The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor does not collect or send any personal, identifiable data to Microsoft Corporation or third parties.

Upgrade procedure

To upgrade your computer to Windows Vista, follow these steps:

1.Start the computer by using the current operating system. Verify that the Microsoft Windows operating system that is currently installed on the computer is eligible for upgrade to Windows Vista.

2.Insert the Windows Vista DVD in the computer's DVD drive.

3.Use one of the following procedures, as appropriate:

If Windows automatically detects the DVD, the Install now screen appears. Click Install now.

If Windows does not automatically detect the DVD, follow these steps:

a. Click Start, click Run, type Drive:setup.exe, and then click OK.

Note Drive is the drive letter of the computer's DVD drive.

b. Click Install now.

4.When you reach the Which type of installation to you want? screen, click Upgrade to upgrade the current operating system to Windows Vista.

The Upgrade option is unavailable, and you receive an "Upgrade has been disabled" message

When you try to upgrade to Windows Vista, the Upgrade option is unavailable.

Additionally, you receive the following message:

Upgrade has been disabled

This issue may occur if one of the following conditions is true:

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The operating system that is currently installed on the computer is not supported in the upgrade path to Windows Vista.

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You did not start the computer by using the current operating system. Instead, you started the computer from the Windows Vista DVD. To resolve this issue, start the computer by using the current operating system, and then run the Setup program from the current operating system.

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The operating system is installed to a partition that uses the FAT32 file system. To resolve this issue, convert the file system on the partition to use the NTFS file system. For more information about how to resolve this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

307881 ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307881/ ) How to convert a FAT16 volume or a FAT32 volume to an NTFS file system in Windows XP

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The partition on which you want to upgrade to Windows Vista has insufficient free hard disk space. To resolve this issue, free additional space on the hard disk.

tmm

Upgrading To Windows Vista

Window's is coming out with a new Operating System, Window's Vista and many enterprises are already going through the motions of preparing all of their PC's for this new upgrade. If you have an older machine, you may be thinking you need to prepare yourself for upgrade as well, but why? Just because Window's says their new OS is bigger and better doesn't necessarily mean that it is right for you and your machine.

The truth is that this new operating system may be something you don't need and the expense in hardware upgrades that would be necessary, not to mention a license for the OS itself, may be cost prohibitive, especially if you have a refurbished or used laptop. When you have an older machine, the old adage of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" is usually the best advice to follow. For instance, if you are currently running on Window's 98, and it works, why are you anxious to upgrade? Window's 98 is a solid and stable operating system that has withstood the test of time. Just because Microsoft doesn't plan to support it anymore doesn't mean you need to run out and upgrade and incur expenses and stress.

Window's Vista requires a hefty amount of computing power. According to Microsoft's website, if you want to upgrade to Window's Vista, your PC should at least pass the standards demanded for running Window's XP. The laptop or computer should be using an up to date CPU, have at least 512MB of memory and should have a DirectX 9 class graphics processor, a video card with 128MB RAM (at least) and that's not all. The user experience for Window's Vista is heavily graphical and supposed to be a leap forward in usability, being more intuitive and informative to the specific user. BUT, you have to have the hardware and the memory to run it.

Even if you upgrade your used laptop to conform to these standards, you never really know what you are going to get with a new Windows operating system. The truth is that every Window's OS is usually pretty buggy, which is why there are always tons of downloads within weeks to patch, upgrade or fix minor glitches that don't come out until a wider user base and used the system. Additionally, you really don't know if the enhancements are going to make that big of a difference in your daily life.

If you have an older machine, a used laptop or a refurbished laptop you may have to add RAM, graphics capabilities and even a new CPU to make sure it can even take the OS. Unless you love to upgrade your own components and troll the web for major bargains, replacing the laptop altogether may make more sense than upgrading the machine you have. Unless there is a specific feature or piece of software that you absolutely need, you may as well wait and just keep using the good old operating system that you currently know and love.

The bargain lovers who own used laptops and refurbished laptops already know the value of patience and the importance of mitigating functionality and cost. The bells and whistles that attract the folks who love the newest gadgets probably don't matter to you because you would rather have a laptop or pc that suits your needs, not your every desire. So when your favorite software manufacturer comes out with a new version or when you are faced with the decision of putting a new operating system on your older or refurbished laptop, think twice and remember back to that useful old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

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About Author

Both Luat Tran Van & Blair Stephens are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Luat Tran Van has sinced written about articles on various topics from Site Promotion, Investments and Bankruptcy Lawyer. . Luat Tran Van's top article generates over 368000 views. to your Favourites.

Blair Stephens has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, computers and the internet and Real Estate. Blair Stephens is an experienced writer and proud member of the team. Used Laptops specializes in providing customers with the best possible us. Blair Stephens's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.

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