Question: How do I upgrade to Windows Vista?
I have a computer that I want to upgrade to Windows Vista. How do I do it?
Answer: Before you attempt to upgrade to Windows Vista, you first need to ensure that your computer can run it. The Vista Capable PC requirements detail what is required.
Next, you need to purchase a Vista license for the edition of your choice. There are two types of licenses available, upgrade and full package. The upgrade licenses are less expensive, but you can only use them if you're pursuing a specific upgrade path. If you use Windows XP Home now, you can upgrade to Vista Home Basic, Vista Home Premium, or Vista Ultimate. Windows XP Media Center Edition users can upgrade to Vista Home Premium or Vista Ultimate. Windows XP Professional users can upgrade to Vista Business or Vista Ultimate. If you don't meet the above requirements, you'll have to purchase a full package (not an upgrade license) for the Vista edition you want.
Once you purchase your Vista license, you need to install it. There are two different ways to upgrade to Windows Vista: in-place upgrades and clean installs. If you purchased an upgrade license of Vista, you should be able to perform an in-place upgrade. To upgrade to Windows Vista via an in-place upgrade, you'll simply insert the Vista CDs\DVDs into your computer and follow the instructions provided in the box. Your applications, files, and settings will be transferred to Vista automatically. Although an in-place upgrade should preserve your files and settings, it's best to backup your information to another storage device beforehand to ensure you don't lose important information.
If you purchase a full package license for a Vista edition, you must perform a clean install of Windows Vista. A clean install requires you to transfer all your files and settings to a secondary storage device, install Vista using the CDs\DVDs, then reload you files, settings, and applications onto your newly upgraded computer. The process is more involved, but it gives you more flexibility since you can move any Vista Capable PC to any edition of Windows Vista.