Insert the Vista DVD and wait for the installer to start.Use a separate partition or hard disk for the backup, or use an external device to make a backup (USB device, DVD burner, tape). With these steps you will be set for a Vista upgrade. Download the latest versions from the hardware manufacturer website or look up your installation CDs and DVDs for the hardware products. You need to have service pack 2 (SP2) installed, so if that is not the case, download it, and install it. Run a defrag program to optimize your hard disk files.Make sure you have sufficient free disk space after your cleanup actions.Delete the files and folders in your Windows temp folder and in the temp folder of the Internet Explorer.

Run a disk cleanup on the Windows drive and remove all temp and install files.This will free up space and reduce the upgrade complexity. Remove any user accounts that you do not need.Also uninstall your antivirus software, since that will either require a reinstall or a newer version for Vista. Uninstall any software that you do not need or of which you know it will not run under Vista.Follow these steps in preparing your Windows XP installation: The better you prepare for the Vista upgrade, the smoother it will be. For the other upgrade compatibilities, see the table below:

OEM versions can only be used for clean installs. If you have an OEM version of Windows Vista, you cannot upgrade XP at all. The program will advise you which components are not suited for Windows Vista, considering the targeted Vista version.Īlso consider the upgrade possibilities, not all Windows XP versions can be upgraded to all Vista versions. It can be downloaded from the Microsoft website.Īfter you download and install the application, make sure you connect all your external hardware, and run the program. Windows Aero (WDDM support, Pixel Shader 2.0, 32-bit per pixel support)Īnother good step to take in your preparation is to run the Vista Upgrade Advisor. So check if you PC hardware meets the Vista requirements.įor your convenience, here are the actual system requirements for Vista from Microsoft: System requirements Vista requires a higher performing computer than Windows XP does. The first thing to check is to see if your existing computer hardware is sufficient for the Vista operating system. Of course there are things to consider and mistakes are still possible. Microsoft has learned from their experiences and take many steps to ensure that the upgrade from Windows XP to Vista is as smooth as possible. If you have decided that you want to upgrade your computer from Windows XP to Windows Vista, you need to decide how to actually upgrade Windows.

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