Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) is an update to Windows Vista that addresses feedback from our customers. In addition to previously released updates, SP1 will contain changes focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues; supporting new types of hardware; and adding support for several emerging standards. Can I upgrade from Vista Home Basic to Windows 7? Kaninelupus 275 Practically a Posting Shark. So long as going x86 Vista to x86 Win7, yes the upgrade is possible - but still not the best way to go. If moving from Vista x86 to Win7 x64, then the answer is no, as Vista x86 is incapable of rolling out the x64 OS build.

In this free computer repair tutorial Will shows us how to upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7. He also covers the hardware specifications one will need. Windows Vista Business also offers powerful new ways to organize, find, and share information, while helping people stay better connected in the office and on the road. The Microsoft Windows Vista Business Upgrade (DVD-ROM) helps your business run more efficiently than ever before. For instance, if you have Windows Vista Home premium you can upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium. You can also go from Vista Business to Windows 7 Professional, and from Vista Ultimate to 7 Ultimate. Any other upgrade, like Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional, will require a clean install. That means you can't just turn Vista into 7.

Upgrade Windows Vista Home Basic To Windows 7

‘What got you here might cage you here. Try new things.’
Brendon Burchard

Although being conservative about your tastes and values may be among the winning parts of your personality, clinging to the past is by no means a good strategy when it comes to using Microsoft products. With that said, we suppose that you should admit that even if your good old Windows Vista has served you well, it is actually over the hill now and therefore needs replacement.

Why switch from Windows Vista?

The sad truth is, Windows Vista is somewhat ancient: it was released in far 2006 and reached the end of its life cycle on April 11, 2017. That means Microsoft stopped supporting it. As a result, it is now vulnerable, insecure and prone to error. In a case like this, switching to a newer version of Windows would be the best course of action. The first option that pops into one’s mind is Windows 10 – this latest brainchild of Microsoft offers up a whole bunch of striking features. But is it possible to upgrade from Vista to Windows 10? That is the question for which you will find the right answer below. Just read on and make sure not to miss any important points.

Can you update Windows Vista to Windows 10 for free?

Sorry, you can’t. Although users keep looking for ways how to update Windows Vista to Windows 10 free of charge, the result is the same – you will have to spend some money on a licensed copy of Win 10. Regrettably, the Windows 10 free upgrade offer ran out on July 29, 2016, and Windows Vista was not even included in it. No chance, you see.

As such, now you have only two options to choose between: you can either buy a new PC or install Windows 10 from scratch on your current device. The second option is obviously cheaper, so let’s look in detail at the best way to carry out this manoeuvre.

Can you install Windows 10 on your PC?

That is the first question you should ask when toying with the idea of an upgrade. The problem is, if your computer is literally an old-timer, you might need to invest in a newer machine. With this in mind, you should go to the official website of Microsoft and check if your computer meets the Windows 10 system requirements. Besides, it is a wise idea to figure out what factors might influence its upgradability.

To wrap things up, you are supposed to have at least a 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor or SoC and no fewer than one gigabyte of memory for installing the 32-bit edition of Win 10. If you crave for the 64-bit version, make sure you have at least 2 GBs of memory at your disposal. As for your hard disk, it should have 16 GB and 20 GB of free space for a 32-bit and a 64-bit OS respectively. Your graphics card must be DirectX 9 or later with the driver WDDM 1.0. Last but not least, the minimum display resolution needed is 800×600. If you are OK with these requirements, you should buy a copy of Windows 10 from Microsoft and proceed to install it.

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Remember to back up your things

Clean installing Windows 10 will wipe all the data off your drive, so make sure to back up your important files in advance. For this purpose, you can use a cloud solution, such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Yandex Drive, or Dropbox. Also, portable storage devices like USB drives, compact disks or external drives will come in very handy. Furthermore, you can consider moving your files to another laptop. The problem is, most of the solutions above require plenty of manual work and are therefore quite time-consuming. For this reason, we recommend using Auslogics BitReplica: this tool will save you a lot time and effort by providing automatic backups. Besides, it will put your docs in a cloud so that you can easily access them from your devices.

You should also bear in mind that all your apps will disappear as well. Starting fresh means that you will have to install them again, so make sure the installers you will need are kept handy.

How to switch from Windows Vista to Windows 10?

You might be aware of the way that involves upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 first and then moving to Windows 10, but we consider this path costly and tedious. We are sure that performing a clean installation of Windows 10 will be the best option in this regard. To do that, you will need a USB drive with at least 8GB of storage. Bear in mind that its contents will be erased, so it had better be blank.

To clean install Windows 10 on your computer, make use of the step-by-step guide provided below:

  1. Go to the Microsoft support site and get a license to install Win 10. Then you will need to download the media creation tool from the same website and run it on your PC. The media creation tool will help you create bootable installation media (a USB drive in your case).
  2. Make sure your Internet connection is OK. Then you should create your installation media: click on Download tool now and press Run. You will need administrator privileges to run it.
  3. Accept the license terms and go to the What do you want to do? page. You should opt for Create installation media for another PC. Then select Next.
  4. You will be asked to select your language. Do so and provide your confirmation.
  5. When selecting the edition, choose Windows 10 and confirm your choice.
  6. Now it is time to choose between the 64-bit and the 32-bit versions. You can press Windows key + R, type ‘msinfo32’ (without quotes) and press Enter in order to check your system information and decide on which Win 10 edition will suit you.
  7. Set ‘USB flash drive’ as your media and attach it to your PC.
  8. Restart your computer and hit any key to boot from your USB drive. If Windows Vista happens to start, you should enter your BIOS or UEFI settings (the exact combination of keys depends on your device model) after switching your computer on. There you should navigate to the boot order menu and configure your PC to boot from the media.
  9. After booting from your installation USB drive, you will see the Install Windows screen. There configure your language, time and keyboard settings. Click on Next to proceed.
  10. Select Install Windows. You will be guided through the installation process – just follow the on-screen prompts.
Upgrade Windows Vista Home

What to do after installing Windows 10?

Upgrade Windows Vista Home Premium

First and foremost, you should check your Windows Update center and download any available updates:

Settings -> Update & Security -> Windows Update -> Check for updates

Make sure all your drivers are up to date. To do so, you can visit the support sites of your vendors and check them for the latest driver versions.

Home

You may also wish to employ Device Manager for the same purpose:

  1. Press the Win + X shortcut -> Select Device Manager
  2. Locate a device -> To update its driver software, right-tap on it and select the appropriate option

Evidently, both of the options above imply updating your drivers one by one, which requires a lot of time and effort. Besides, you may accidentally install the wrong driver for your device and complicate the matters even further. Fortunately, you can update all your drivers to their latest manufacturer-recommended versions both effortlessly and efficiently – just install Auslogics Driver Updater and press one button to get the job done.

Hopefully, your PC is running Windows 10 now.

Do you have any questions or ideas regarding the topic?

We are looking forward to your comments!

New computers today come with Windows Vista preinstalled — it’s practically unavoidable. But, if you have an older computer, it’s time to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista. If it’s running Windows 98 or Windows Me, don’t bother trying: Vista requires a powerful PC with cutting-edge parts. Windows Vista usually runs well on computers purchased within the past three or four years.

Upgrading to Vista from Windows XP is a one-way street. You can’t return to Windows XP once you’ve installed Vista. Don’t upgrade unless you’re sure you’re ready for Vista.

  1. Make sure your computer is ready for Vista.

    Before upgrading, run through the following checklist:

    • Compatibility: Check out Vista’s Upgrade Advisor (on the left). The program alerts you beforehand what parts of your computer may not run well under Windows Vista.

    • Security: Turn off your antivirus software and other security programs. They may innocently try to protect you from Windows Vista’s upgrade process.

    • Backup: Back up all your important data on your Windows XP PC.

  2. Insert the Windows Vista DVD into your DVD drive and choose Install Now.

  3. Choose Go Online to Get the Latest Updates for Installation (Recommended).

    This step tells Vista to visit Microsoft’s Web site and download the latest updates — drivers, patches, and assorted fixes — that help make your installation run as smoothly as possible.

  4. Type your product key and click Next.

    The product keyusually lives on a little sticker affixed to the CD’s packaging. Don’t click the check box called Automatically Activate Windows When I’m Online. You can do that later, once you know Vista works on your PC.

    No product key? You’re stuck. You can’t install Windows Vista without a product key. (If you’re reinstalling a version of Vista that came pre-installed on your PC, look for the product key printed on a sticker affixed to the side or back of your PC.)

    Write your product key on top of your Windows Vista DVD with a felt-tip pen. That way, you’ll always have your valid product key with your disc.

  5. Read the License Agreement, click the check box next to I Accept the License Terms, and click Next.

    Although it takes an hour or so to read Microsoft’s 25-page License Agreement carefully, you’ll need to select the I Accept the License Terms check box option before Microsoft allows you to install the software.

  6. Choose Upgrade and click Next.

    Upgrading preserves your old files, settings, and programs. If this option’s grayed out, one of the following could be a problem:

    • You’re trying to upgrade an incompatible version of Windows XP. You can’t install Windows Vista Home version on Windows XP Professional, for example.

    • Your copy of Windows XP doesn’t have Service Pack 2 installed. You can fix this by visiting Windows Update and downloading Service Pack 2. If the site refuses, you probably don’t have a genuine copy of Windows XP installed. Call your PC’s vendor, be it a store or the kid down the street who built it for you.

    • Your hard drive isn’t big enough. Your hard drive needs up to 15GB of free space to install Vista.

    When you click Next, Vista copies files onto your PC’s hard drive and then installs itself. It usually restarts your PC a few times during the process.

  7. Choose your country, time and currency, and keyboard layout, and click Next.

    Vista looks at how your Windows XP PC is set up and guesses at your location, language, time, and currency. If it guesses correctly, just click Next. If it’s wrong, however, set it straight on your personal information by using your keyboard.

  8. Choose Use Recommended Settings.

    Vista’s recommended security settings keep Vista automatically patched and up-to-date.

  9. If you’re connected to a network, choose your PC’s location.

    Vista gives you options: Home, Work, or a Public Location.

    If you choose Home or Work, Vista eases up on the security a bit, letting the PCs on the network see each other. If you’re in a public setting, though, choose Public Location. Vista keeps your PC more secure by not letting other PCs share any of its files.

  10. When Windows Vista appears on the screen, run Windows Update.

  11. Make sure that Vista recognizes your software.

    Run all your old programs to make sure that they still work. You might need to replace some with newer versions. Drop by the manufacturer’s Web site to see whether they offer free updates.

  12. Check the user accounts.

    Make sure that your PC’s user accounts work correctly. If you want to make changes, go to Start→Control Panel→User Accounts and Family Safety to make any necessary changes.

  13. Click the Activate Windows now icon in the Systems area of the taskbar.

    Windows Vista’s Activation feature takes a snapshot of your computer’s parts and links it with Windows Vista’s serial number, which prevents you from installing that same copy onto another computer.

Welcome to Windows Vista!