Datasheet

Preparing for an installation involves making sure that your
hardware meets the minimum requirements and that your hard-
ware is supported by Windows Vista. When you install Windows
Vista, you should also decide whether you are upgrading or installing a clean copy on your
computer. An upgrade attempts to preserve existing settings; a clean install puts a fresh copy of
the operating system on your computer. Installation preparation also involves making choices
about your system’s configuration, such as selecting a disk-partitioning scheme.
Once you’ve completed all the planning, you are ready to install Vista. This is a straight-
forward process that is highly automated and user friendly.
To complete the Windows Vista installation, you will need to activate the product through
Windows Activation. This process is used to reduce software piracy. After Windows Vista is
installed, you can keep the operating system up-to-date with post-installation updates.
When you install Windows Vista, you should also consider whether the computer will be
used for dual-boot or multi-boot purposes. Dual-booting or multi-booting allows you to have
your computer boot with operating systems other than Windows Vista.
Preparing to Install Windows Vista
Windows Vista is easy to install. But this doesn’t mean you don’t need to prepare for the instal-
lation process. Before you begin, you should know what is required for a successful installation
and have all the pieces of information you’ll need to supply during the installation process. In
preparing for the installation, you should make sure that you do the following:
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Understand the differences between Windows Vista editions.
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Know the hardware requirements for Windows Vista.
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Know how to use the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor and the Hardware Compatibility
List (HCL) to determine whether your hardware is supported by Windows Vista.
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Have verification that your computer’s BIOS is compatible with Windows Vista.
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Know whether the devices in your computer have Windows Vista drivers.
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Understand the difference between a clean install and an upgrade.
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Decide whether you want to migrate user data.
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Know the installation options suitable for your system, including which disk-partitioning
scheme you should select for Windows Vista to use.
The following sections describe the preparation that is required prior to installing Win-
dows Vista.
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