Upgrade to Windows Vista Smoothly
Check for Vista Requirements and Drivers before Installing or Buying
Sep 24, 2007
Make your transition to Windows Vista easier. Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows Vista, has been on the market for some time now. If you considering upgrading your current system to the new Vista operating system, be aware that not all of the bugs inherent in the upgrade have been worked out. Some issues may never be resolved and you may find that upgrading to Vista will require you to upgrade other features of your computer network as well.
Upgrading? Check Computer Specifications
Before you go out and buy the Windows Vista upgrade software, check your computer’s specifications. Vista has minimum requirements that may not seem very “minimum” to you. The Vista home Basic edition requires that your computer have a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, 15 GB of available hard drive space, 32 MB of graphics memory and a DVD-ROM. Other versions of Vista carry even higher “minimum” requirements.
Buying New?
If you are in the market for a new computer that comes preinstalled with Windows Vista then plan to spend time shopping around. Compare not only the specifications of the computers, but the service and warranty plans as well. Phone support may be a consideration for you as well especially during the first few months that you own your new Vista computer. You may also want to consider purchasing the computer without the operating system preinstalled. Purchasing Windows Vista separately and having it installed in store or at home offers a better level of support for Vista specific questions.
Check for vista drivers for all devices
Make sure all of your network devices and peripherals are compatible with Windows Vista before making the upgrade or new computer purchase. Check the manufacturer’s websites for your network router, printer, digital cameras, and scanners for Vista driver’s. Many manufacturer’s are not provided updated drivers for older components. So, your router, printer or camera may not work with your new Vista operating system. Add the cost of buying a new network router, printer or digital camera to the cost of a new computer or the Windows Vista upgrade software. Make sure that you are comfortable with the cost of upgrading to Vista.
Upgrade your network router, too
If you have a home network set up then you may be able to use most of your devices with a computer that is still running Windows XP. But, it may be necessary to purchase a new router and printer so that you can connect your new Vista computer to the network and can print out your work.
