Lesson 2: Installing Windows Vista

25

It is possible to change which operating system you want to boot by default in the System

Properties dialog box. To configure which operating system to boot by default, perform the fol-

lowing steps.

1. Click Start.

2. Right-click Computer, and then click Properties. This opens the View Basic Information

About Your Computer window.

NOTE

Alternative methods

It is also possible to get to this window by opening System in Control Panel. You will find that

there are many ways to access important Windows Vista tools. There is no right way to do it;

just find what works for you.

3. On the Tasks pane, click Advanced System Settings.

4. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.

5. In the Advanced tab of System Properties, click the Settings button in the Startup And

Recovery area.

6. Use the Default Operating System drop-down list, shown in Figure 1-12, to select the

default operating system for Windows startup.

Figure 1-12

Configuring the default startup operating system

Practice: Installing Windows Vista Business

Select Practice 1 or 2, depending on whether you want to install Windows Vista on a computer

with or without an existing operating system. If you have a fresh computer or are installing on

a virtual machine, you should select Practice 1. If you want to configure Windows Vista in a

dual boot configuration with Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003, do Prac-

tice 2. Practice 2 assumes that you have a fresh unpartitioned hard disk drive available.