Chapter 2

Windows Vista Upgrades and

Migrations

Although consumers start buying and using a new operating system from the day it appears,

most large organizations take their time moving to the new technology. A consumer who

upgrades a PC to Windows Vista is already enthusiastic about learning the new ways to do old

things and exploring the limits of the new features. Organizations move slower than consum-

ers, and many will not get around to adopting Windows Vista until it has been available for

several years. When large organizations move to a new operating system, they rarely replace

their existing hardware. This means that information technology (IT) pros who support desk-

top operating systems need to be conversant with moving people from Microsoft Windows XP

to Windows Vista. The first lesson in this chapter explores the two processes by which this is

achieved: migration and upgrade.

Unlike several years ago, when a computer had to be upgraded or replaced every few years to

remain capable of running the latest productivity software, today’s computers are powerful

enough that they are likely to be capable of running the latest productivity software well into

the next decade. With this in mind, it is likely that the needs that lead a person to choose a spe-

cific edition of Windows Vista at the beginning of their computer’s life cycle might have

expanded as that person becomes more familiar with the operating system’s capabilities. The

second lesson in this chapter explores the process of moving from one edition of Windows

Vista to another.

Unfortunately, not all installations and upgrades will complete successfully. Sometimes this is

because the person performing the upgrade forgets an important fact; sometimes it is due to

an event beyond your control, such as a power failure during the installation. The chapter’s

final lesson examines methods that can be used to troubleshoot the Windows Vista upgrade

and installation process.

Exam objectives in this chapter:

■

Upgrade to Windows Vista from previous versions of Windows.

■

Upgrade from one edition of Windows Vista to another edition.

■

Troubleshoot Windows Vista installation issues.

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