I have decided to upgrade to Windows Vista.  After talking to many friends and experts while I was at the APCUG conference in Vegas, I was convinced I needed to upgrade.  I had the opportunity to play with Vista while I was there and was quite taken.   I was impressed by the new interface and the search features in the Start menu..  As an early adapter, this was one program that I knew I need to get. I have already got the new Office 2007 and that is worth the upgrade.. I hope to be able to demonstrate some of the new feature to the group at our March Meeting..

My VIAO laptop has just the bare minimum for an upgrade to Vista Basic.  To be able to get the full functionality of Vista you have to get the Home Premium.   The windows upgrade advisor say that I can upgrade to Home Premium on my Home machine which is a Pentium D CPU 2.80 GHz with 2 GB of Ram.

You can check out your machine at http://www.compusa.com/specials/showcases/vista/moreinfo.asp#.

As I have upgraded my time, I have found out the best way is with a clean install.   I have my programs installed on the “D” drive so I don’t lose setting when I reformat the “C” Drive.  I have to back up my Outlook folders.. I then use the Microsoft transfer wizard to save my Windows setting… I always make a back up of my document and setting files in case the wizard does not work.

Most of this work is done, I just have to do one some file moving right before I reformat so that I have the latest settings.

The next step will be to go out and get the new sortware.. I will do that Monday nite as CompUSA is opening at 10 pm with a sale.. IT will then begin sales of Vista and Office at 12:01 am. I will blog more from there Monday nite.

David