Making the move from Windows XP Pro to Vista Business
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Move On Up to Vista Business Edition
If your ready to say Bon Voyage to Windows XP Pro & Hello to Vista
Welcome traveler to our continuing hubs on everything Vista; today well tell you how to make the jump from Windows XP Pro to Vista. If you’re ready, here we go.
If a few years ago like millions of loyal Microsoft fans you made the jump from Windows 2000 to Windows XP Pro. And now have decided to make the move from Windows XP Pro to the scintillating world of Vista Business Edition, Microsoft’s small business version of its latest operating system. You could be having a few nervous twitches at the though, considering the trials and tribulations of upgrading to Windows XP Pro.
Relax, the process isn’t the slow, excruciating, pain you remember from the first time you trusted Microsoft and made the move to WinXP. It’s possible, there could be a stumble of two, but most reports by users indicate the upgrade was painless compared to the move to WinXP, maybe Microsoft might be learning, yeah right!
First things first, make sure you download and run Microsoft’s Vista Upgrade Advisor on every WinXP computer on which you plan to install Vista Business Edition. Remember, this utility will tell you if the PC is ready to be upgraded to Vista and indicate if there are any compatibility problems with your hardware and Vista. Go to the www.microsoft.com Web site and type Vista upgrade advisor in the Live Search box, click the first result and follow the instructions for downloading the program.
At this time you should backup all vital files, folders, and settings in WinXP before starting the upgrade. This can be accomplished using either a third-party backup program or WinXP’s Backup Utility (click Start and choose All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and Backup). Whatever path you decide to take, just plan for all contingencies, including important files, browser favourites, email settings and messages, documents and any other data impossible or difficult to find or replace.
Now, to begin the upgrade installation to Vista Business Edition, boot into WinXP and insert your Vista Business CD or DVD in your optical drive. If Autorun is enabled, Vista installation utility will automatically start, but if Autorun is disabled, you can manually start the utility by clicking your optical drive in Windows Explorer and clicking Setup.exe.
If the version of Vista Business you’re using is a downloaded one, click Install from your digital locker. The program will download three files, including an executable (EXE) file, which will mean a File Download Security Warning will appear. Click Save, and be sure to download and save all the files in the same directory, after the files have finished downloading, open the directory and double-click the executable file to launch Windows Vista Setup.
The first screen that appears will have several options for you to choose from. And although you should have already backed up your important data and settings in WinXP, you will have the option of transferring files and settings from another computer using a transfer cable, an optical disc, or removable media. It should be noticed at this time that after installing and configuring Vista Business on this PC, this can be a useful step that will save time when installing the OS on other computers. To launch Windows Easy Transfer, click Transfer Files and Settings and follow the instructions provided by the program.
Next, click Install Now and Vista will offer you the opportunity to go online to download the latest updates for your new operating system. If you are connected via the Internet, lick the first option, Go Online To Get The Latest Updates For Installation, to ensure that Vista has the latest drivers to aid the installation process.
After upgrading to the latest drivers (or if you decided not to obtain updates), the following screen will ask you to enter your product key for activation. It’s not necessary to enter the key at this time, but we suggest you do to avoid Murphy causing problems later. You should also click on the Automatically Activate Windows When I’m Online to avoid being pestered about activation after your finished installing Vista Business Edition.
When the next screen pops up it will feature the licensing terms for Vista Business, and while you can theoretically click to accept the terms and move on, Vista consumers should read word-for-word the terms of the agreement to understand Microsoft’s guidelines for using the OS, such as storing Vista on network servers, using it over networks, and others. Read the terms carefully and then click I Accept The License Terms and click Next.
Next, you’ll be given the choice to either upgrade your existing OS or install a clean copy of Windows. In this instance, we’re upgrading to Windows, so select Upgrade. Vista then checks for compatibility problems and informs you of any possible questions that exist with applications and devices. If you’re wondering about the particulars of any issues, select Click Here For More Information or just click Next to head to the installation.
It will take a few minutes while Vista Business automatically processes the rest of the upgrade by copying Windows files from the disc, gathering the files, expanding them, installing features and updates, and finishing the process. You will see a single Upgrade Windows screen displayed and Vista will occasionally reboot the computer while it’s performing this magic.
You will need to stand by the computer while this is going on as Windows will present you with a screen that wants to know if you want to Use Recommended Settings, Install Important Updates Only, or Ask Me Later. The intelligent selection is Use Recommended Settings to ensure Vista Business is secure from the start, but if you decide on one of the other two options, make sure you review the security settings on the computer when the installation is finished. After this, you’ll be asked to look-over your time and date settings, make the selections you want on this screen and click Next.
The final step is for the program to launch the Vista Business Desktop. If Vista looked and didn’t find any drivers for any of your hardware devices during the installation process, it will probably look for and find new drivers at this point. If a screen pops up asking if you want to Locate And Install Driver Software, Ask Me Again Later, or Don’t Show This Message Again For This Device it’s the program trying to find the drivers.
We suggest you click the first option at this time, but this is of course up to you. The will then be introduced for the first time to Vista’s User Account Control feature, which needs administrator permission before it can perform certain actions. A User Account Control dialog box will appear next, that asks you to click Continue to perform the action or Cancel to prevent the action from continuing, click Continue. At this point Vista will ask you to install the disc that came with the hardware device, if you have the disc, insert it, click Next, and carry out the instructions provided for installing the necessary drivers.
If you don’t have the disc, you can click I Don’t Have The Disc to see other options for this contingency. One option for this will be Browse Your Compute For Driver Software, which can be useful if you earlier downloaded the driver from the manufacturers Web site to your hard drive (the other option is Check For A Solution, which probably won’t produce any real results, it didn’t when we tried it).
It is possible that some hardware devices don’t work properly with Vista’s default drivers, just visit the device manufacturer’s Web site and download the latest Vista –ready drivers for the hardware. That’s it, once the devices are running smoothly; it’s time to enjoy the experience that is Vista.
Well that’s it for another hub on everything Vista, time for a richly deserved breath and coffee. We hope this hub helps you with any problems you might experience in the transition from Windows XP Pro to Vista. Until next time traveler, happy hubbing!
