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For many of you, the experience of Windows Vista will begin with the purchase of a new PC. For others, however, the experience begins by upgrading your current PC, and it's important to know and understand the upgrade options.
Your upgrade options are dependent on the version of Windows that is currently running on your PC. Below is some information to help you start planning for an upgrade to Windows Vista. As we get closer to the launch of Windows Vista, we will provide even more detailed guidance to help ensure a smooth upgrade experience.
You can upgrade from your current edition of Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 2000 to a corresponding or better edition of Windows Vista by purchasing and installing an upgrade copy of Windows Vista. Depending on which edition of Windows you are running and the edition of Windows Vista you would like to install, you have two options for the installation process:
In-place upgrade
You can upgrade in-place, which means you can install Windows Vista and retain your applications, files, and settings as they were in your previous edition of Windows.
Clean install
Upgrading to Windows Vista with a clean install means that you should use Windows Easy Transfer to automatically copy all your files and settings to an extra hard drive or other storage device, and then install Windows Vista. After the installation is complete, Windows Easy Transfer will reload your files and settings on your upgraded PC. You will then need to reinstall your applications.
The table below outlines the upgrade options mapped to the different Windows Vista editions.
| WINDOWS VISTA EDITIONS | ||||
| Home Basic | Home Premium | Business | Ultimate | |
| Windows XP Professional |  | |  | |
| Windows XP Home | | | | |
| Windows XP Media Center | | | | |
| Windows XP Tablet PC | | | | |
| Windows XP Professional x64 | | | | |
| Windows 2000 | | | | |
Requires clean install. In-place installation option available.
Notes:
If you are currently using Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP Professional x64, you are eligible for an upgrade copy to a corresponding or better edition of Windows Vista, but a clean install is required.
For versions of Windows earlier than Windows 2000, upgrade copies are not available. These earlier versions of Windows require you to install a full copy of Windows Vista.
If the edition of Windows Vista that you choose to install will result in a loss of functionality over your current edition of Windows, a clean install must be done or the installation must be completed to a new partition on your PC.
While selecting the edition of Windows Vista that's right for you, it's important to clearly understand what hardware your PC will need to ensure that the features you want will run reliably.
If you plan on adding Windows Vista to your current Windows XP-based computer, we suggest that you run the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor beta to ensure that your PC is ready for the edition of Windows Vista that you choose to install.
Reviewing the Windows Vista Capable and Premium Ready PC specifications for system requirement guidance will help you determine the PC that will best meet your needs.
