Microsoft Vista System Requirements

By Nicole Williams
Published on Thursday, February 01, 2007
ARTICLES

Requests from many SPN members have asked whether it makes sense to upgrade to Microsoft Vista, the new Windows operating system. This system offers features such as:

Improved search and organization tools
A desktop RSS reader
"Gadgets" - in response to Apple's Widgets
Windows Flip and Flip 3D, which allow users to rotate through open documents and preview the first page

Many institutes will consider upgrading to Windows Vista, but this decision should not be made lightly. An organization's computers need to be ready to run the robust new operating system. A partial upgrade within the organization will add network administration and maintenance time. Employees will have to learn to use the system. Most importantly, the first six months of most operating system releases include major bug fixes. Thus, waiting could greatly reduce your IT headaches.

If you want to upgrade to Windows Vista, follow these simple steps and the process should go smoother.

Talk through the deployment process with your network administrator to determine if there are reasons not to upgrade.
Assess the organization's computers. Each should have:

1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor.
1 GB of system memory.
Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM driver, 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum), Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32 bits per pixel.
40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.

Research what other network administrators are saying about Windows Vista.
Evaluate the timing within your organization's production schedule. If it is high production time, schedule the upgrade for later. This will allow employees to learn the new system and still meet deadlines.

Detailed information on Windows Vista can be found at www.microsoft.com. Questions? Please contact me at williams@spn.org.

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