March 20th, 2007
Windows Vista upgrade FAQ
No matter how much is written about Windows Vista, people still seem hungry for more information, and the most commonly asked questions all seem to revolve around upgrading an existing PC to Windows Vista from a previous version of Windows.
To help those planning on making the leap, I've compiled this FAQ. It's pretty comprehensive but what I'll do in a week or so is go through the comments here, pull out any good questions or tips and incorporate them into the FAQ.
So, here we go …
Q: What are the system requirements for Windows Vista?
A: This issue of system requirements seems to bug a lot of people. I think that the confusion is caused by there being so many different versions of Windows Vista, the fact that Microsoft issues two specifications (one for Vista Capable and one for Vista Ready PCs) and that the system requirements vary depending on whether you want to run the Aero UI or not.
Here's what Microsoft claim are the minimum spec for a Vista PC (called a Vista Capable PC):
- A processor with a minimum speed of 800MHz
- Half a gigabyte (512MB) of RAM
- A graphics system capable of supporting DirectX 9 (SVGA 800×600)
- 20GB hard drive (with 15GB free - don't worry though, Vista doesn't take up 15GB, it just needs that much room to install!)
- A DVD-ROM drive
For a Windows Vista Ready PC, the requirements go up a bit:
- A processor with a minimum speed of 1GHz (x86 or x64)
- 1GB of RAM
- A GPU that supports DirectX 9 and the following:
- WDDM (Windows Vista Display Driver Model) Driver
- 128MB of video RAM
- Hardware support for Pixel Shader 2.0
- 32 bits per pixel - 40GB hard drive (with 15GB free - again, don't worry though, Vista doesn't take up 15GB, it just needs that much room to install!)
- A DVD-ROM drive
- Note that BitLocker Drive Encryption also needs a requires a TPM 1.2 chip or a USB 2.0 flash drive
My personal feeling though is that these system requirements are too low.
Q: What are your recommended system requirements for Windows Vista?
A: I've used Vista quite a lot over a number of beta releases and the final releases and I've come to the conclusion that these system requirements are a little on the low side. To be on the safe side I recommend that any PC that you upgrade to Windows Vista has the following system requirements:
- A processor with a minimum speed of 2.0GHz (dual-core recommended)
- 2GB of RAM for x86 (32-bit) systems, 4GB for x64 (64-bit) rigs
- A GPU that supports DirectX 9 and the following:
- WDDM (Windows Vista Display Driver Model) Driver
- 256MB of video RAM
- Hardware support for Pixel Shader 2.0
- 32 bits per pixel - 100GB SATA hard drive, 50GB free
- CD/DVD burner
These might seem on the high side, but if you're willing to pay for the software upgrade, it makes sense to have the right hardware. If you don't see the point, don't upgrade Windows.
Next –>
Adrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations
Want to get in touch? Got a tip? Feel free to drop me a note! I ALWAYS respect anonymity. I'm also on Twitter (@the_pc_doc)
Right to Reply: Should any industry representatives wish to comment on any posts on Hardware 2.0, I will be happy to publish their reply verbatim on this blog.
Subscribe to Hardware 2.0 via Email alerts or RSS.
