Some people really enjoy having the latest new thing and can't wait to get it when something like Vista comes out. However, the majority of home PC owners see the computer as a tool or appliance and are not fascinated by the operating system per se. I see no need for this group to to switch to Vista until they need a new computer. As I have written elsewhere:
- In many ways Vista is not a finished project; Microsoft was working on it in a frenzy right up to the release to manufacturing. Microsoft, other software companies, and hardware manufacturers have much work left to do. (Note added later: Service pack 1 is now out. Some of the rough edges have been smoothed but there is no major change. Driver problems remain even now.)
- Until Vista has been in use for a while by the general public, questions remain about how the new security measures like User Account Control and the Content Protection Policy are going to work in real day-to-day practice. Service pack 1 has lessened some of the constant messaging.
- Windows XP SP2/3 isn't perfect but it is established, works well, and continues to receive Microsoft support and updates.
- Most reviews that I have seen find no compelling reason to make a hurried switch to Vista. (Note added later: This remains true even after the release of service pack 1.)
It is also true that manufacturers are not likely to have Vista drivers for all hardware. In the case of older equipment, drivers are likely to never be written for Vista. Some software that is poorly written will also run into trouble with the more stringent Vista security that restricts access to sensitive parts of the operating system or reduces privileges.
For those who wish to upgrade an existing Windows XP system instead of buying a new computer, there are some hardware considerations. Vista is more demanding on resources than XP, particularly for video cards and RAM (more detail on this page). Upgrading an older system always has potential problems but changing to Vista may be especially challenging. You can check to see if your current system will run Vista with the free Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor, which can be downloaded from Microsoft here.
Upgrading an existing Windows XP system
If you do decide that your existing system has the horsepower for an upgrade to Vista, you will find that Microsoft has made the process a very confusing one. There are two upgrade routes. One is the "in-place" method of installing the new operating system on top of the old one and retaining (if we are lucky) most of our old settings and programs; the other procedure is where you zap your old system entirely and make a fresh Vista installation. . Microsoft makes a distinction between these two upgrade routes and has a rather convoluted set of rules about what version of XP can be upgraded to what version of Vista by means of an in-place upgrade. .A table below shows the upgrade routes that are possible "in-place".
| Windows Vista Home Basic | Windows Vista Home Premium | Windows Vista Business | Windows Vista Ultimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows XP Professional | X | X | OK | OK |
| Windows XP Home | OK | OK | OK | OK |
| Windows XP Media Center Edition | X | OK | X | OK |
So if you have Windows XP Professional, does that mean that you can't upgrade to Vista Home Premium? Not in-place, apparently. But you are still eligible to buy the upgrade version of Vista Home Premium and do a fresh install (saying goodbye to all your old settings, etc). In fact, owning any full version of Windows XP entitles you to the upgrade price for any version of Vista but you may be limited to a fresh install. Even owning a full copy of Windows 2000 entitles you to the upgrade price. Windows 98 and Me are not eligible. Another possible catch is systems that have already been upgraded once. If you upgraded from Windows 98 to XP, then you probably can't do it again. However, any hardware on a system that came with 98 probably wouldn't run Vista anyway. The details of a fresh install are messy and I won't repeat them here but Ed Bott has an excellent description.
By the way, according to Microsoft's terms, upgrading means that the license for your old operating system is no longer valid, If you are going to have to do a fresh install, you might consider an OEM or "System Builder" version of Vista instead of an upgrade version. You'll save money. See the chart on this page.