Microsoft Vista OS Software: Upgrading or New Hardware

[engine]

The OS is due to the mainstream very soon and developers are already launching software upgrades for Vista.

Did you know that there are as many as six different versions of Vista?

Starter Edition for third-world markets.
Enterprise Edition for the Corporate office.
Home Basic is similar to XP Home.
Home Premium includes Media Center.
Business is similar to XP Pro
Ultimate is, as it suggests, all of the above.

Here's Microsoft's upgrade info. [microsoft.com]

For those that may not want a new machine, is your XP-based machine capable of running Vista [microsoft.com]?

It's probably worth reviewing the hardware requirements for Vista [microsoft.com] before running the tool.

A Windows Vista Capable PC includes at least:

A modern processor (at least 800MHz1).

512 MB of system memory.

A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable.

Windows Vista Premium Ready PCs
To get an even better Windows Vista experience, including the Windows Aero user experience, ask for a Windows Vista Capable PC that is designated Premium Ready, or choose a PC that meets or exceeds the Premium Ready requirements described below. Features available in specific premium editions of Windows Vista, such as the ability to watch and record live TV, may require additional hardware.

A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC includes at least:

1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor1.

1 GB of system memory.

Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM driver, 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum)2, Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel.

40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.

DVD-ROM Drive3.

Audio output capability.

Internet access capability.

In my experience, these minimums are really the absolute minimums to run an upgraded OS. It's really not worth skimping on processor speed or RAM.

Don't get caught out by the description of the hardware capability. A Windows Vista Capable PC will be the minimum to run Vista. A Windows Vista Premium Ready PC will give you better Windows Vista capability, including Windows Aero.

If you want to get a PC today, make sure you receive an Express Upgrade [microsoft.com] to Windows Vista. This is available from the participating manufacturers listed on the page above. Needless to say, all the majors are on there.

I hope this has helped you understand what's available for your system, or whether you whant to upgrade to get all the whiz-bang features of Vista. [microsoft.com] Happy upgrading.

[bill]

That's a very good writeup engine, thanks for putting it together.

Another school of thought, aside from the upgrade method, is to wait until machines with Vista installed become available. I know that a lot of the tech writers are pushing this angle. The thinking is to let other people be the guinea pigs for this new OS.

I'm of a mixed mind on this issue. I have put off hardware purchases specifically for this reason. However I do have machines that are already Vista ready, and I am seriously considering an upgrade on some of them.

[coopster]

That "flip" display technology looks familiar. I seen an innovative desktop at one point a year or two ago being discussed here at WebmasterWorld. It was not MS either, can't recall who/where it was. It was quite impressive and looks like MS has implemented their own version of it.

[bill]

Despite all of the different versions of Vista that Microsoft is offering it doesn't look all that difficult when I check Microsoft's Vista comparison table [microsoft.com].

The Starter Edition will only be offered in certain markets. For the majority of people here that won't even be an option.

The Enterprise Edition would be something that your corporation would be licencing from MS directly. That again wouldn't be an option for most people here.

That narrows down the selection quite a bit. The majority of the market will be looking at 4 versions of Vista.

• Home Basic
  - Real bargain basement level Windows from the looks of it. However, it's probably comparable to what you'd get with XP Home today.
  
• Home Premium
  - This is like getting XP Media Center. It has all the extra media functions but lacks some of the networking features that higher level users would need.
  
• Business
  - This is comparable to Windows XP Pro in a lot of ways. It lacks the Media Center features that few business users would need.
  
• Ultimate
  - In my mind this is the only really new version of Windows being offered. It's a geek pack. It has everything that all the other versions do, plus BitLocker Drive Encryption [microsoft.com]. That may be enough of a selling factor for many.

[Visit Thailand]

Great piece engine. Thanks. I was just this second reading about Vista and wondering whether I should upgrade or wait a while.

Am also curious about Office 2007 and the new Outlook 2007.

[coopster]

Drive Encryption. That may be enough of a selling factor for many.

Yes, I would tend to agree. Especially laptop owners. You had to purchase software separately for this on a Windows workstation but to see it included in the OS is a welcome feature.