Pave the way for your PC to handle Vista

Giving your system an upgrade is no small task

By DWIGHT SILVERMAN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

Has it really been more than five years since the release of a major Microsoft operating system? It seems like only yesterday the software giant was touting Windows XP as the be-all and end-all for your PC.

Windows Vista, the next generation of the Windows platform, has been available to businesses since Nov. 30 and will finally be sold to consumers starting Tuesday. It is not expected to be a major event, similar to the releases of Windows 95 more than 11 years ago, or even that of Windows XP in 2001.

That's because Vista is an evolutionary upgrade to Windows, whereas 95 and XP were major leaps. Even Microsoft's hype machine is toned down a notch as a result.

Nevertheless, buying Vista and installing it on an existing PC will be a major leap for home users, because upgrading an operating system is never a trivial endeavor. The smartest move may be to wait and buy it on a new PC, but some folks must have the latest and greatest.

What to do now

In my column on Tuesday, I'll review Vista and help you decide whether to buy a copy for upgrading. But if you're considering it, there are steps you can and should take now to get your system ready.

Vista's installation routine is much improved over that of previous Windows versions, but you're still ripping out the software plumbing on your machine and replacing it with something completely different.

Pick between two ways

You should be prepared.

As with previous versions of Windows, Vista can be installed in one of two ways.

An "in-place upgrade" installs on top of an existing Windows XP or 2000 installation, leaving your files and programs intact (if all goes well).

A "clean install" essentially wipes the hard drive and lays down a pristine copy, after which you'll need to reinstall your applications and copy your data back to the drive.

In addition, each of the three editions aimed at consumers — Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate — comes in either upgrade or full versions. The upgrade costs less, but you're limited to launching the installer from within a working version of Windows XP or 2000. The full upgrade costs more, but lets you boot directly from the install disc and gives you more detailed options for installation.

Your preparation strategy will vary depending on which course you take.

Clear the decks

Whether you're planning an upgrade or a clean installation, you'll want to clear as much drive space as possible. Windows Vista comes on a DVD, not a CD, and that should tell you that it needs more room than an installation of Windows XP. Vista requires at least a 20-gigabyte hard drive, with at least 15 gigabytes free.

But if you choose a clean install using an upgrade version of the operating system, Vista will still leave your old XP or 2000 setup on the hard drive, squirreled away in a folder called WINDOWS.OLD.

This is convenient — it lets you get to any files you may have forgotten to back up, although you can't run any programs from there — but it also takes up disc space.

Begin by doing a survey of the programs on your hard drive.

Click on Start, Programs and look for software you don't use. If you find uninstallers in the folders there for those programs, run them. If not, go to the Add/Remove Programs module in the Windows Control Panel and remove them from there.

Clean your system

Make sure your PC is free of viruses, spyware and other malicious programs. Run a full scan of your computer with both antivirus and antispyware programs. See www.chron.com/spyware for tips, strategies and access to software.

You'll particularly want to do this if you are planning to upgrade an existing Windows XP installation, rather than doing a clean install. However, because spyware and viruses can hide in parts of your drive that may be unaffected by the upgrade, it's a good idea to run a full scan even if you're planning a clean install.

Do your due diligence

Microsoft has a free program called the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor that scans your computer's hardware and software and issues a detailed report about what it finds. It will tell you which editions of Vista are supported by your system, and flag you on programs that may cause problems and hardware for which Vista lacks built-in drivers.

You can get this program at www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx, and I strongly urge anyone even thinking about upgrading to Vista to download and run it, and take its recommendations to heart. It can save you time and possibly much pain.

You can also get information about Vista compatibility issues, thanks to a group of volunteers who are maintaining a Wiki devoted to it. You'll get a list of all kinds of programs and their compatibility status at www.iexbeta.com/wiki/index.php/Windows_Vista_Software_Compatibility_List

Back up what's important

There are several ways to install Windows Vista on a PC. But regardless of whether you install Vista on top of an existing Windows XP setup or choose an option that gives you a fresh installation, you'll want to save your important files — documents, music, video, photos, saved games and so on — off your computer.

There are different ways to do this.

• Keep it simple. The simplest method is to copy your important files onto a writeable CD or DVD. You could also copy them into a holding folder on the hard drive of another computer on a home network. DVDs have a higher capacity than CDs, so use those if your computer has a DVD burner.
You can also copy your files to USB flash drives or the kind of memory cards that are used in cameras and MP3 players. If you have a lot of files — particularly video and music — you may need several.

• Built-in backup. Windows XP Professional and Media Center editions come with a basic backup program, which can be found by clicking on Start, then Programs, Accessories, System Tools. (Home Edition users will have to install it from the VALUEADD folder on their Windows XP system CD.)
The program uses an Explorer view to let you pick and choose folders and files to backup. You can't burn the backup files directly to a CD or DVD, but you can save the backups on your hard drive, then copy them. If you have a lot of files, you may want to make several small backup files.

But be warned: The backup files XP's program creates aren't compatible with Windows Vista's own built-in backup. You won't be able to use it to restore them.

Fortunately, Microsoft has developed a utility for Vista that can restore backups made on XP. You can download it at www.chron.com/ntbackup.

• Buy a third-party backup program: Use that to create your backups. You might want to consider NTI Backup or NovaStor. The latest versions of both of those programs should work on Windows Vista when you're ready to restore your files.
• Poor-man's backup: WinZip, the classic Windows-based file-compression program, available at www.winzip.com.

Gather your drivers

Before you install Vista, visit the support areas for the Web sites of makers of your computer's key components — the video and sound cards, the mouse and keyboard, the printer and other peripherals. Look for Vista drivers and download them, burning them to a CD or DVD or saving to a flash drive.

Many hardware makers already have Vista drivers available, but Vista also comes with a remarkable number of drivers built-in.

The previously mentioned Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor will flag you on drivers you need to acquire.

You should also check the support areas for the developers of your favorite software programs as well. Some may have patches designed to make their titles more compatible with Vista.

Upgrade your hardware

If you plan to add memory or a beefier video card to better handle Vista, do that before you upgrade.

You don't need the headaches of adding new hardware at the same time you're learning the vagaries of a new operating system.

And even with new hardware, get the latest drivers. Don't presume that the latest ones are on the disc that comes with your new toy. They probably aren't.

Choose your installation

Once these steps are complete, you can begin installing Vista.

You'll need to decide whether to do a clean or upgrade installation.

If possible, the former is preferred. With an upgrade installation, you may end up importing problems from your old system into your new one. A clean install is like getting a second chance with your PC, although you will have to reinstall your applications.

Upgrade installations also take much longer in Vista. A clean Vista takes 20 to 30 minutes on average, but an upgrade can take several hours. Help Line columnist Jay Lee recently did an upgrade installation of Vista on a relatively new HP Pavilion system. Time to complete: two hours, 45 minutes.

To do an upgrade install, just pop your Vista DVD while Windows is running, and if you have autostart turned on, the Vista installation windows should appear. If not, go into My Computer, open your CD/DVD drive and click on Setup.exe.

The installer will walk you through the steps, and at one point you'll be asked whether you want to do a clean or upgrade install.

Make your decision, and your adventure begins!