Datasheet

Chapter 1: Selecting the Right Vista Version
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quite a bit more, around $100 to $130. The upgrade to Windows Vista Ultimate is about
$125 to $150. (These additional costs are all based on a core system running Windows
Vista Home Basic and can, of course, change over time.)
For example, Figure 1-1 shows Dell’s “configurator” for a typical home PC.
Figure 1-1: When you’re buying a new PC, be sure to get the Vista version you really want.
As you’ll see in a moment, the cost of upgrading to a better or more expensive Windows
Vista version is almost always lower if you do it when you purchase the PC. Regardless
of cost, however, it is always easier to upgrade during the purchase process because the
PC maker will install and configure the OS for you.
Retail Boxed Copies
If you walk into an electronics superstore, the versions of Windows Vista you see are what’s
known as retail boxed copies of the software. You will see both Full and Upgrade versions
of the software, and you should see versions of each for Windows Vista Home Basic, Home
Premium, Business, and Ultimate. Here are the differences between the versions:
Full version:
♦
A full version of Windows Vista (see Figure 1-2) can be used to
perform a clean install of Windows Vista only. It cannot be used to upgrade an
existing version of Windows to Windows Vista. Full versions of Windows Vista
are more expensive than Upgrade versions.
Upgrade version:
♦
An upgrade version of Windows Vista can be used to per-
form a clean install of Windows Vista or upgrade an existing version of Windows
to Windows Vista. Upgrade versions of Windows Vista are less expensive than
Full versions because you must be an existing Windows customer to qualify for
Upgrade pricing. The Upgrade packaging for Windows Vista Home Premium is
shown in Figure 1-3.
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