Vista installation Top ten points to note

If users plan to take advantage of all the benefits provided by Windows Vista, they certainly need high-end hardware. The minimum requirements for running Microsoft's newest flagship operating system are much higher than any previous operating system.

Here are 10 things to note before you are ready to run Windows Vista on an existing computer. Although this operating system requirements are relatively high, but many hardware requirements are easy to meet. The biggest obstacle to running Windows Vista is the graphics card requirements, but if the user is not ready to use the new aero glass graphics, this requirement is less stringent.

First, the analysis of the upgrade capacity of the machine

First, you should download and run the Windows Upgrade Advisor utility. The software examines your computer and briefly describes which versions of Windows Vista your computer can run. Note: The Upgrade Advisor only indicates whether the computer can run Windows Vista and cannot indicate what requirements it cannot achieve.

Second, check the CPU

The CPU requirements for Windows Vista are not very high. A computer that is considered Vista capable has a CPU running at least 800MHz of speed. Premium ready computers require the processor to be at least 1GHz in speed. Most computers sold in recent years can easily meet this requirement.

Third, to ensure that there is enough memory

For Vista, memory is another fairly easy to meet hardware requirement. The computer that is considered Vista capable must have at least 512MB of RAM. The Premium ready machine must have at least 1GB of system memory. Most computers today meet this requirement.

Iv. Evaluation of graphics adapters

Those who are looking for new three-dimensional aero glass graphics capabilities need to make sure that their graphics adapters support DirectX 9. It is also recommended that the machine be compatible with the WDDM (which is the Windows display Driver model used to write the driver). A graphics adapter considered to be a premium ready must have at least 128MB of video memory; The adapter card, which is considered a vista capable, requires only 64MB of video memory. Unless the user intends to use Aero glass graphics, there is no need to upgrade if the existing video adapter is Vista capable.

V. Confirm that there is enough hard disk space

Be aware of Windows Vista's minimum hard disk space requirements. To install Windows Vista, the hard drive must be at least 40GB large and have at least 15GB of space left.

Six, ensure that there are DVD drives

Windows Vista is published by DVD, so to install this new operating system, the computer has to have a DVD drive.

Vii. Select version

It may be a bit more complicated to determine which version of Windows Vista is installed than with previous versions of Windows. Windows Vista has the following five versions:

Windows Vista Home Normal Edition: This version of Vista provides basic operating system functionality. If the user does not need advanced features such as Aero glass, you can choose this version.

Windows Vista Home Advanced Edition: This version is a hybrid of Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional Edition. It features much more than the normal version of Windows Vista home, which is installed by most ordinary and advanced home users.

Windows Vista Commercial: This version is equivalent to the Windows XP Professional Edition. It provides standard commercial functionality and becomes a prerequisite for the company's desktop.

Windows Vista Enterprise Edition: Vista Enterprise offers many advanced features, such as BitLocker Drive Encryption for laptops, application compatibility tools, and multilanguage support.

Windows Vista Flagship: The Vista flagship incorporates the benefits of the home and business editions into this feature-rich operating system. This version also includes the Windows Media Center.

Eight, check application compatibility

To make the Windows Vista installation process as smooth as possible, make sure that your existing applications are running in Vista before you install them. Users can download and run the Application Compatibility Toolkit to help determine which applications may not run under Windows Vista.

Ix. do not ignore data backup

Backing up your data is one of the most important steps before you upgrade your operating system. In addition to backing up your data, it is a good idea to verify that you have the various platters and appropriate license information you need to install the existing software before you begin the installation.

Ten, the trouble of the notebook computer

Laptops must also meet the same hardware specifications as desktops. One problem with laptops, however, is that if graphics cards are not compatible, you can basically not upgrade your system.