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2007-04-27 10:23:33

How to Check for Windows Vista Compatibility

We show you how to use a free testing program to find out whether or not you should invest in Windows Vista, or perhaps a new PC

Microsoft has taken five years, and over 50 million lines of code to produce their new operating system, Microsoft Windows Vista. This operating system has been promised to advance the look and feel of how we use computers, but the program itself requires either new or relatively new PCs to run at all. In this article, we will take you step by step to test whether or not your PC will run Vista.

This test requires you to download and run Microsoft’s Vista Upgrade Advisor, which will scan and test your computer and offer recommendations as to what might be required to get Vista up and running.

Step 1.

To get the Microsoft Vista Upgrade Advisor, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradeadvisor.mspx into the address bar, and press enter. Click on the button that says ‘Download Vista Upgrade Advisor’. Then click the ‘download’ button, and run the program. A window will appear once you have installed the program as shown below. Click the ‘Start Scan’ button, and the program will begin analyzing whether your computer will function with Vista.

Step 2.

While the scan is conducted, the program will invite you to read about the various benefits and improvements allowed for by Windows Vista. Once the program is complete, it will provide you with a results box (as shown below), which will detail the various compatibilities (or incompatibilities) that your system will have with the various versions of Vista. The most likely Vista program which will function with home PCs is the Home Basic version, but you can look through the various program compatibilities with your own, all the way up to Home Premium and Ultimate.

With regards to the requirements for upgrade, the program will advise as to what might be required to perform the upgrade to run Vista. This could range from a simple component to a complete repurchase of a PC. In any case, if you were wondering whether or not you could run Windows Vista, now you know!