How to Use Windows Vista: The differences between Windows XP and Windows Vista - Vista Utilities/Tools - Page 1

This section of this website covers two long pages and is devoted to the versions of Windows Vista, which preceded the versions of Windows 7. Microsoft has provided Windows Vista with two Service Packs (SP1 and SP2) and the versions running SP2 are still receiving support. This section deals with how to use Vista, its tools and utilities and how it differs from its predecessor, Windows XP. Separate sections of this website called Repair and Recover Windows Vista and Fixing Windows Vista Problems deal with those topics. Apart from using System Restore, The System File Checker (SFC) and the chkdisk hard-drive diagnostic tool, which all remain almost the same, the other ways of repairing and recovering Vista differ from those used in Windows XP. For example, XP's very useful Recovery Console is absent from Vista. I have not provided a contents menu, because there is too much information to make it small and look good on the page, so, the best way to find out what is on offer is to scroll down the two pages reading the headings.

Windows Vista (consisting of several versions) was Microsoft's latest operating system for home and business users until Windows 7 was released on 22 October 2009. Click here! to go to the Windows 7 section of this website that deals with the different versions: how to use, install, restore, recover and repair them. The first Service Pack (SP1) for Windows 7 was released on February 9, 2011.

Since its initial release, Microsoft has issued two Service Packs for Windows Vista (cumulative updates that address security flaws and bugs) - Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Service Pack 2 (SP2). It is advisable from a security point of view to have the latest service pack installed.

In June 2010, the following MS Knowledge Base article was number 7 in the top 50 Knowledge Base articles, so many people still require information on Vista SP1, even though SP2 is available.

What you should know before you install Windows Vista Service Pack 1 -

Support for Windows Vista without any service packs installed ended on April 13, 2010. To continue receiving security updates for Windows, make sure that your Vista computer is running Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 (SP2). -

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936330/en-gb

Learn how to install Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-vista/...

This link - http://support.microsoft.com/ph/11732#tab0 - provides plenty of troubleshooting information on SP2.

Windows Vista Business edition was made available on schedule at the end of November 2006. The versions of Vista for home users were also officially released according the the final release schedule on Tuesday, 30 January, 2007. Since then, Service Pack 1 and Service Pack 2 (SP1 & SP2 ) has been released. If you are having problems with your version of Vista, installing these service packs might put them right. Further information and links to articles on these service packs are provided further down this page.

May 27, 2009. - Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) has been made available for download. The 348MB download for 32-bit versions of Vista (577MB for 64-bit versions) encompasses all of the updates released since Vista SP1 became available. Unfortunately, the download contains SP2 for both Vista and Windows Server 2008, thereby increasing the size of the download (bad news for dial-up connections). The user's computer will choose which service pack to install. A few new or enhanced features are provided by the Vista update, which include an improved Windows Search, support for Bluetooth 2.1 and the option to burn Blu-ray discs from within Windows.

Vista SP1 must be installed before installing SP2, which should soon be made available via Windows Update. It will be downloaded and installed automatically if that option has been selected under Windows Update in the Control Panel.

Click here! to download the 32-bit version.

Click here! to download the 64-bit version.

Most computers run a 32-bit version of Windows XP and Windows Vista , but many new computers are coming with a 64-bit version of Windows 7 installed.

How to determine whether a computer is running a 32-bit version or 64-bit version of the Windows operating system - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/827218

Create your own official Vista Service Pack 2 disc -

http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/news/253462/...

Vista's forerunner, Windows XP, comes in two main versions for the PC - Windows XP Home Edition for the home user, and Windows XP Professional Edition, which has additional security features and networking capabilities, for professional users. Windows Vista, however, has been made available in several different versions for the PC that are designed to meet more specific computing needs.

These are the versions commonly listed in the MS Knowledge Base as being applicable to the Vista-related articles it contains:

Windows Vista Ultimate • Windows Vista Home Premium • Windows Vista Home Basic • Windows Vista Enterprise • Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition

The 64-bit versions of Vista should be avoided. The web is littered with comments like this from knowledgeable people: "Plain, simple, and clear: Vista-64 is junkware. It is absolutely the worst, the buggiest software Microsoft has ever released."

Most computers made in the last few years have a processor that supports 64-bit software (visit the Processors section of this site for more information on them). A 64-bit operating system can access a huge 128GB of RAM compared to the less than 4GB of a 32-bit operating system, its one great advantage, but there are not much software that can utilise more tha 4GB.

If you know your way around Windows XP, you shouldn't have much difficulty finding your way around Vista, because, as with Windows XP, most of the features can be accessed via the Start => Control Panel, which, when using the Classic View, goes back to the way it looks in Windows XP.

Moreover, as with Windows XP, users can find out most of what they need to know about Windows Vista for everyday use under Start => Help and Support. Just enter a suitable search term in its Search box. For example, if you want to know how to activate Vista while online, just enter activation. You will be provided with a link to click that does the job in a few seconds on a broadband connection, and not much longer on a dial-up connection.

Home users are advised to use the Home Premium or Ultimate versions instead of the Home Basic version, which is a severely cut-down version of the Home Premium version.

The Windows Vista Business version is designed for use by small businesses, and Windows Vista Enterprise is for large enterprises.

Both the Home Premium and Business versions have the powerful search facilities, improved security (compared to Windows XP), the Aero Glass transparent graphical feature, and Windows Mobility Center, which brings together various laptop-orientated control panels.

Home Premium comes with Media Center, which provides entertainment features, such as DVD and music playback and TV recording with time-shifting (recording while viewing the program is paused so that you can restart without missing anything.) However, a PC must have a TV tuner with a remote control to take advantage of these features.

Vista Business does not have the Media Center, but it comes with powerful backup tools, which can clone/image an entire drive partition, faxing and scanning tools, and Remote Desktop Connection that allows its users to take control of the PC over a network.

Vista Ultimate combines features of Vista Home Premium and Vista Enterprise. Vista Ultimate includes Media Center, DVD Maker, and Movie Maker, which are multimedia features of Home Premium that are not in Vista Enterprise. Vista Ultimate also features BitLocker drive encryption, support for Unix-based applications, and Virtual PC Express, which Home Premium does not.

Third-party multimedia and encryption features can be added to Vista Home Premium and Vista Enterprise via downloads. However, at its launch in January 2007, Microsoft promised that Vista Ultimate would provide a feature that none of the other editions would ever have: Ultimate Extras, which are additional features. In Microsoft's own words: "Windows Vista Ultimate Extra are programs, services, and premium content for Windows Vista Ultimate. These features are available only for those who own a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate."

In Windows Vista, Windows Media Center is no longer a separate edition of Windows (Windows XP Media Center Edition). It is integrated within the Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate editions.

If you intend to upgrade to a version of Windows Vista, you should first check to make sure that your computer's hardware and software are supported. The Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate versions have different hardware requirements. Most computers that can run Windows XP comfortably should be able to run the Home Basic or Home Premium versions, with or without its new graphical features, depending on the type of graphics card that is installed.

At the time of writing (October 2008), all of the versions of Windows Vista still suffer from serious compatibility issues, including problems with Office 2007, and the 64-bit versions suffer from a lack of applications written that can take advantage of 64-bit software's ability to address more than 4GB of RAM.

If you have elderly hardware and you want to upgrade to Vista from Windows XP, you should check its manufacturers' websites to find out if Vista device drivers are available for it.

For example, at the time of writing (December 2008), there were no Vista drivers for the popular Epson Perfection 610 scanner. (There were still no Epson drivers in July 2010, so that is the way it will remain for this for Windows Vista and Windows 7. A new scanner is required for those versions of Windows.) Most hardware manufacturers only supply Vista drivers (or the drivers for the latest version of Windows) for on their latest products, which, it goes without saying, is an excellent way to force users to replace their old equipment.

It is often possible to find third-party drivers - but usually at a cost. For example, VueScan is advertised as supporting 1200 flatbed and film scanners, including the Epson Perfection 610, and it comes with its own Vista-compatible drivers. However, at a cost of $40, which is almost the cost of a low-end scanner.

It is also advisable to search the web for any posted Vista problems with the make/model of any PC that you are upgrading. For example, if you have a Dell Dimension 3000 PC, try a search query such as: dell + dimension + 3000 + vista + upgrade + problems.

Feature: Windows XP versus Vista - Essential advice before you make the upgrade -

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=12495

You should also read this Q&A on this site: Microsoft's Vista Upgrade Advisor said my computer can run Windows Vista Ultimate but the upgrade from Windows XP always fails.

The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor is a program that you download and run on the computer that you intend to run Vista on. It recommends a version of Vista for you derived from its analysis of the computer's hardware and version of Windows XP. The program provides all of the information that you need to be able to use it. The Advisor informs you of any problems that the computer might have with Vista. The information is divided into System Requirements, Devices, and Programs. You click the See Details button under each of those categories to find out what the problems are for each of them.

System Requirements tells you if any of the computer's hardware components are inadequate, such as the processor being too slow, the RAM memory being insufficient, or that there isn't enough space available on the hard disk drive.

Devices lists the hardware components that don't appear to have Vista device drivers. You can visit the website of the manufacturer of a listed device to find out if it can provided a Vista driver for it. If you don't know what the website address is, to find out what it is, you can enter the manufacturer's name as the search query in a search engine.

Programs lists the programs that Vista might not be able to run properly. You should visit the website of the maker of any software that is listed for relevant information, such as a software patch or a Vista-compatible version. You should also be able to use Compatibility mode to make it run under Vista as it did under a previous version of Windows. To do that find the program's folder under Program Files by using Windows Explorer (right-click Start => Explore), and locate the executable file that runs the program when clicked, which usually has an .exe file extension. Right-click on the file, click Properties on the menu that comes up, and click on its Compatibility mode tab.

Note that desktop or laptop/notebook computers that can run Vista but which might not be able to use the Media Center or the new Aero graphics feature, dealt with further down this page, are labelled by Microsoft as being Vista Capable. Computers that can run all of Vista's new features are labelled as being Vista Ready. For example, you might purchase a laptop computer that come with Windows XP Professional Edition pre-installed. There will be a label on it saying: Designed for Windows XP. Windows Vista Capable or Designed for Windows XP. Windows Vista Ready.

Visit the Desktop PCs section of this site for information on how to buy, build, repair, fix, and protect the various types of desktop PCs.

Visit the Laptop/Notebook PCs section of this site for information on buying and protecting them, and fixing problems with them.

The most popular version with home users is Home Premium, which requires about 10GB of free hard-disk space. Microsoft recommends a hard drive with a capacity of 40GB for a computer running it.

Windows XP Professional can only be upgraded using the Upgrade version to Vista Ultimate or Vista Business. Moreover, customers buying and installing an upgrade version of Windows Vista on a computer running Windows XP, forfeit the right to use that copy of Windows XP on another computer.

When Windows Vista is installed, the Windows Experience Index score informs you of the speed of your computer. It tests the processor, the RAM memory, and the video/graphics card(s), enabling you to determine which of those components, if any, is slowing the PC down.

The e-mail program in Windows Vista is called Windows Mail. It looks and behaves just like Outlook Express, but is integrated with the Search index, enabling quick searching of e-mails. The default browser is Internet Explorer 7, which has the new Phishing Filter that is supposed to be able to identify sites that are able to steal personal logon information by cloning sites, and then sending users e-mails with links purporting to belong to the genuine sites. The users then visit the fake sites and enter their logon information, which is then in the hands of the fraudsters. The Phishing Filter is supposed to be able to prevent users from making use of faked sites by flagging them as such. It is enabled by default and can be disabled, but doing so is unwise.

The 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and the amount of RAM memory they can run or use

All of the versions of Windows Vista are available as 32-bit version, but these 64-bit versions are available:

Windows Vista Enterprise 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Home Basic 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit edition • Windows Vista Business 64-bit edition

Unless the computer meets certain requirements, the 32-bit versions of Vista are limited to running under 4GB of RAM memory, but the 64-bit versions can run more than double that amount.

Read this MS Knowledge Base article for more information:

"How much memory your Windows OS will recognize depends on which version of Windows you are running. 32-bit versions of Windows will see (and utilize) only 3GB or 3.5GB. To utilize more memory, install a 64-bit version of your OS. More information about OS memory maximums can be found at http://www.crucial.com/kb/answer.aspx?qid=4251."

The system memory that is reported in the System Information dialog box in [a 32-bit version of] Windows Vista is less than you expect if 4 GB of RAM is installed -

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605

Vista Workshop - Performance Boost with 8GB of RAM -

"In order to be able to utilize the entire [8GB of ] system memory, you will therefore need to use a 64 bit version of Windows Vista. In this article, we will take a look at memory usage under the 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows Vista and analyze how the operating system behaves with different amounts of RAM." -

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/Microsoft-Windows-Vista,review-30272.html

Windows Vista used to report only how much memory was available for it to use instead of the actual physical amount measured in megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB). The BIOS and device drivers can reserve memory, reducing the amount of memory available to Windows and making it report less than the physical amount of memory. However, Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed now reports how much physical memory installed on the computer. The change in Windows Vista SP1 is a reporting change only; the 32-bit versions of Vista can still only support the same amount of memory (less than a maximum of 4GB).

Windows Vista SP1 includes reporting of Installed System Memory (RAM) -

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946003

Visit the RAM section of this site for more information on computer memory.

There is no fax program in Vista Home Basic and Home Premium Editions

Windows Fax and Scan is only available in Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate, and Windows Vista Enterprise editions.

However, you can add a third-party fax program to Vista Basic and Vista Home, such as this shareware program that costs only $20/£10:

RKS Fax - http://www.rkssoftware.com/rksfax/overview.html

Vista's Windows Mail does not support web-based email services

Windows Mail, the replacement for Outlook Express in Windows Vista, does not support Microsoft's own web-based email service, Hotmail. Neither does it support other web-based services, such as AOL, Yahoo! Mail, and Google Mail.

Microsoft has provided a solution to this problem in this Knowledge Base article:

You cannot configure Windows Mail to use a Web-based (HTTP) e-mail account in Windows Vista - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926374

The answer is to switch from Windows Mail to a product called Windows Live Essentials (it used to be called just Windows Live).

Windows Vista email - Windows Live Essentials

The free Microsoft email program/client that can be used with Windows 7 is called Windows Live Essentials, a package of software that provides Mail and several other programs such as Messenger, Photo Gallery, Writer (web publisher), Movie Maker, Windows Live Mesh (access your data from almost anywhere) and Family Safety that can be downloaded and installed if it is not already installed on your computer. [Download link.] Note that if you are using a computer running Windows XP to obtain Windows Live Essentials, you will be taken to the page offering the version for XP, not for Vista or Win7. To download it for Windows Vista, you must be using a computer using that version of Windows.

It is very easy to set up the email client, which can also be set up to display a webmail account such as Gmail and Hotmail. Your Internet Service Provider (AOL, BT, TalkTalk, 02, Plusnet, etc.) or webmail provider will have the incoming and outgoing server addresses (which can be the same server) that you have to enter and probably also provides a tutorial. The other settings are explained by the program itself, which brings up its setup window as soon as it is run for the first time. If you want to access your Gmail or Hotmail email using it, it is easy to do, just use a search term such as: using gmail with windows live essentials. It is a good idea to use it to access your Gmail email, because Google's personalised ads that are produced using the information that Google has on you in your Google profile and by reading the content of your emails for keywords, can't be displayed.

The following Q&A on Windows Mail is available on this site: Problems with Windows Mail - can't read or delete emails and get an error message.

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How to Use the Power Options in Windows Vista

Microsoft provides an FAQ that explains Windows Vista's power options and how to change them to meet your particular needs.

Turn off a computer: frequently asked questions [Applies to all of the versions of Vista] -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/...

The various desktop PC and laptop PC manufacturers set up the power options in various ways. As with previous version of Windows, there are several different ways in which the power options can be configured in . Therefore, the only way to find out how they have been set up is to look at the settings themselves. To do that, follow this clicking path: Start button => Control Panel => System and Maintenance => Power Options.

The FAQ, the link to which is provided above does an excellent job of explaining Vista's power options, which differ from what earlier versions of Windows offered.

For example, in those PCs that support it, hybrid sleep provides the safety of "hibernation", where that programs and the data in use is written to the hard disk drive and then restored when the computer is switched on, combined with the faster wake-up of a standard sleep or suspend mode, which stores data in volatile RAM memory that loses all of the data when the computer is switched off.

If a computer set up to use hybrid sleep loses all power, no data is lost; the computer wakes up as it would coming out of hibernation. This is what Microsoft's website says about those two options: "Sleep saves any open documents and programs to memory, and then puts your computer into a low-power state. Hybrid sleep saves any open documents and programs to memory and to your hard disk, and then puts your computer into a low-power state."

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A free Windows Vista DVD customisation utility

vLite is a tool for customising the Windows Vista installation before actually installing it. Its main features are: component removal, driver integration, unattended setup, split/merge Vista installation CDs, tweaks, the creation of a bootable CD/DVD. - http://www.vlite.net/

Software Tool Strips Windows Vista To Bare Bones -

"vLite allows users to preselect numerous Vista features for automatic removal prior to installing the OS on their personal computers. Among them: Windows Media Player, Windows Photo Viewer, MSN Installer, Wallpapers, SlideShow, Windows Mail and other utilities." -

http://www.informationweek.com/software-tool-strips-windows-vista-to-ba/...

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How to improve the performance of Windows Vista: Reduce Vista's size and/or disable the unnecessary services that run constantly in the background

There are currently (January 2007) numerous Windows Vista users who are reporting their complaints on the web about Vista's sluggishness compared to Windows XP on the same hardware. (That is still the case in August 2010.)

The vLite tool referred to above can be used to reduce the size of Vista before it is installed, which, by making it much smaller, increases its performance.

One of the main reasons for Vista's slowness is that, like Windows XP, it runs many programs called services in the background. These services load when Vista starts up and then run in the background, even when the user is not using the computer. Running them consumes a significant part of the computer's memory and processing power. A user has to know which services are safe to disable, otherwise problems can arise. You can educate yourself about which services are safe to disable by reading information on the web on websites such as BlackViper, or you can use a good free utility that does the work for you, such as the freeware utility, Vista Services Optimizer (VSO).

VSO allows computer users without the required knowledge to disable unnecessary Vista services and provides information on the services that are safe to disable. Most people should use VSO's Automatic TuneUp option that asks questions about your computer. The program then reboots your computer and disables any services that it determines, based on your answers, are not required.

The program is available from http://www.snapfiles.com/get/vsoptimizer.html.

There is no lack of webpages on how to improve Vista's performance, which you can locate by entering a search query such as improve + vista + performance (as is) in a search engine. However, you may want to read the information on the following webpages before induging in any performance-tweaking yourself.

Windows tweaking and optimization: myths and reality -

http://www.edbott.com/weblog/2010/08/...

However, if you want to try tweaking your version of Windows. Here are a few relevant webpages to get you started:

TweakWin7 [Windows 7] - http://www.tweakwin7.com/

The ultimate tweaker's guide to Windows [XP and Vista] -

"Our tips, tricks and hacks will let you customize XP and Vista in a multitude of ways." -

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?...

12 Windows Vista Tweaks To Boost Your PC's Performance -

"Our tips on finding and weeding out system performance hogs, optimizing memory, and restraining Vista's features will make your system soar." -

http://www.informationweek.com/12-windows-vista-tweaks-to-boost-your-pc/...

Windows XP and Vista expert tweaking guide -

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/software/11817/...

18 simple, free fixes for your Vista or XP PC -

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/desktop-pc/12762/...

5 ways to speed up your PC -

"By following a few simple guidelines, you can maintain your computer and keep it running smoothly. This article discusses how to use the tools available in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Vista to more efficiently maintain your computer and safeguard your privacy when you're online." -

http://www.microsoft.com/atwork/maintenance/...

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Windows Vista and Windows 7: User Account Control (UAC)

If you are a user of Windows XP, when using Windows Vista and Windows 7 you'll soon notice that Vista requires permission to install software, and, if you have a utility such as the free CCleaner installed and set to clean the system at startup, Vista asks your permission to allow it to perform its cleanup during startup. Vista's User Account Control is responsible for those security measures.

User Account Control (UAC) improves the security of the system it is running on by limiting software to standard user privileges until an increase in privilege level is authorised by a user with administrator privileges. In this way, only applications that the user trusts receive higher privileges, and spyware and viruses are prevented from installing themselves. In short, a user account can have administrator privileges assigned to it, but software that the user runs do not also have those privileges unless they are approved beforehand, or the user authorises it to have those higher privileges. Application software that has been installed will run without interference, but if it attempts to make unauthorised changes to the system, Vista asks the user for permission.

If you are logged into a Vista computer as administrator, and you wish to make a configuration change, a message pops up from the UAC asking 'If you started this action, continue'. You must click on that 'Continue' button before Vista completes the configuration.

You can turn UAC off if you find its nagging annoying, but it is advisable to tolerate it and to learn how to distinguish between what is safe and what is potentially dangerous. What you should never do is just click the Continue button without finding out which application brought the UAC into action, because that is how viruses and spyware can be installed.

Turning UAC off disables the protection provided by the program. The authorisation messages no longer appear, but at the price of far less security and much greater vulnerability to malware. With UAC disabled, Microsoft's browser, Internet Explorer, can't operate in its Protected Mode.

Windows 7, due for official release on October 22 2009, provides a greatly improved UAC that is much less annoying to the user. Unfortunately, there is no way to upgrade Vista's version of UAC to the one used by Windows 7, but you can obtain the most useful of Windows 7's UAC improvements by using a free utility called TweakUAC, which provides Vista users with a third UAC option. In addition to being able to turn UAC on and off, TweakUAC can run it in a less intrusive "quiet" mode.

TweakUAC for Windows Vista and Windows 7 - http://www.winability.com/tweak-uac/

Here are some webpages that provide additional information on UAC, including how to turn it off:

User Account Control - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_Account_Control

Understanding Windows Vista's User Account Control -

http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/a/windows/2007/02/06/...

User Account Control Overview -

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa906021.aspx

Taming Vista's User Account Control -

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsVista/howto-01.html

How To Tame Microsoft Windows Vista's UAC -

"Are all those Windows Vista User Account Control warnings driving you nuts? Here are seven ways to make Vista's UAC less intrusive, while keeping legitimate security threats at bay." -

http://www.informationweek.com/windows/operating-systems/...

You can find many other relevant webpages by entering vista user account control as the search query in a search engine.

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Administrative Privileges in Vista: How to activate the hidden Windows Vista Administration account

Because of its greater emphasis on security, with Windows Vista, when you're logged on as an administrator, you still don't have the rights or permissions to configure a setting. To get around that limitation, you need to know how to use the Run as administrator option, and how to activate THE (ultimate) Administrator's account. The following page provides that information.

How to activate the hidden Windows Vista Administration account -

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_administrator_activate.htm

The benefit of activating this ultimate account is that you will never be prompted by the User Account Control (UAC) dialog box.

Vista User Account Control - ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin -

"This is the situation: you are logged on at a Vista computer as administrator, and you wish to make a configuration change. Up pops the UAC (User account Control) and ask, 'If you started this action, continue'. You must click on that 'Continue' button before Vista completes your configuration..." -

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/ConsentPromptBehavior.htm

Authoring Packages without the UAC Dialog Box -

"When elevated privileges are not required to install a Windows Installer package, the author of the package can suppress the dialog box that User Account Control (UAC) displays to prompt users for administrator authorization." - http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa367800.aspx

MS Knowledge Base article on the administrator account

The changes to the built-in administrator account in Windows Vista -

"By default, the built-in administrator account is named Administrator. Additionally, the built-in administrator account is assigned the relative ID (RID) 500. In Windows Vista, the default user account type is a standard user. A standard user is a user who has limited account rights and limited Windows permissions. The following sections detail how the built-in administrator account has been changed to better reduce the potential attack surface of the built-in user accounts in Windows Vista. Note: These changes apply only to the built-in administrator account, RID 500." -

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942956

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Web searches

You can find additional information on any of the programs, utilities or features mentioned above, or in the rest of this article, by making use of a web search engine.

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Windows Vista: RAM memory and virtual memory

Most of the versions of Windows Vista requires more RAM memory to run optimally than Windows XP. A PC running the most popular version - Windows Vista Home Premium - that doesn't use memory-hungry applications, such as video-editing software, should have a minimum of 1GB of memory installed in order to run comfortably. That is twice the minimum amount of memory recommended to run Windows XP. However, the recommended minimum amount of memory for Vista Home Basic is 512MB, which is the same as that for Windows XP.

For more information on this subject these articles:

Buying a new PC? 'Windows Vista Capable' barely hits the mark - IBM'er says Vista's RAM sweet spot is 4GB -

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9011523/...

Note well that the 32-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows XP will recognise less than 4GB of memory unless the computer meets certain requirements.

Read this MS Knowledge Base article on the subject:

The system memory that is reported in the System Information dialog box in Windows Vista is less than you expect if 4 GB of RAM is installed -

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605

The way in which Windows Vista uses virtual memory, which simulates RAM memory by using storage space on a PC's hard drive when actual memory runs low, has been improved.

Windows Vista: SuperFetch and External Memory Devices -

"Windows Vista sports a new memory performance enhancement system called SuperFetch and a new way to extend the virtual memory by way of External Memory Devices (EMD)." -

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/...

Windows Vista's SuperFetch and ReadyBoost Analyzed -

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/...

More information on ReadyBoost is provided further down on this page.

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The Windows Vista hard disk drive defragmentation utility

Every version of Windows has an inbuilt defragmentation tool called a Disk Defragmenter. The following MS Knowledge Base article provides information on how to use it. It is accessed in the same way as in Windows XP: Start => All Programs => Accessories.

Features of the Windows Vista hard disk defragmentation utility -

"In Windows Vista, there are many improvements in the defrag engine and in the manageability of fragmentation. By default, Windows Vista uses Task Scheduler to automatically keep the hard disk defragmented. This automated defragmentation does not affect the performance of the Windows Vista operating system. The performance is not affected because hard disk defragmentation only occurs when the computer is idle. The task that runs the defrag engine runs as a low-priority task. Therefore, defragmentation does not affect the performance of other tasks that the user performs on the computer." - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/942092

If you enter the search term vista + defrag (as is) as the search query in a search engine, you will find links to sites that provide superior third-party defragmentation tools for Vista.

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The Windows Memory Diagnostic installed as a startup option by Windows Vista, or run from the Vista installation DVD

Windows Vista installs the Windows Memory Diagnostic as a startup option that is available as an option on the Windows Boot Manager screen that presents itself automatically on a multi-boot system in which more than one version of Windows or another operating system, such as Linux, is installed.

If a system only has Windows Vista installed, you can bring the Windows Boot Manager up by following these instructions:

1. - With the computer switched off (not in Standby), press and hold the F9 key.

2. - Switch the computer on while continuing to press the F9 key. Only release the F9 key when the Windows Boot Manager menu appears. If Windows Vista starts, or come out of Standby, select Shut Down from the Start menu, and repeat steps 1 and 2.

3. - You press the Tab key to highlight the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool, and then press Enter. The Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool should start checking the computer's RAM memory. You can press the F1 key to review or change memory test options, and press the ESC key to interrupt the memory test. After the memory test has been completed, Windows Vista will start automatically. An error report appears in the System Tray/Notification Area. Click on it to read the results of the memory test.

It is possible to run Windows Memory Diagnostic without installing Windows Vista. To run the memory diagnostic, insert the Vista installation DVD into the computer's DVD drive and reboot. When you get the prompt "Press any key to boot from CD or DVD..." press and hold the space key or tap it multiple times. This should bring up the Windows Boot Manager screen that lists Windows Memory Diagnostic as an advanced tool. Press the Tab key to select Windows Memory Diagnostic and then press the Enter key to run it. After the Windows Memory Diagnostic has finished running, the computer continues booting the Vista installation DVD, which you can abort.

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Windows Vista: Upgrade or clean install/installation?

If you are using Windows XP or Windows 2000, both of which qualify for the Upgrade version, and it is working well, it's advisable not to upgrade but to wait until most of the support and device driver issues with Vista have been sorted out. Only the Upgrade versions of Vista can build themselves over an existing version of Windows XP. A clean installation of a new version of Windows is always the best option, because the upgrade program of an Upgrade version builds the new version over the old version and is more likely to be a source of incompatibilities, programs that refuse to function, and other problems. A clean installation installs a completely fresh copy of Vista on a PC. A clean installation takes much more effort than an upgrade, but it usually well worth that effort. An upgrade is performed by merely running the Windows Vista Upgrade DVD of the version that you have.

Although the Upgrade versions of Vista come on bootable DVDs, they will not accept the Product Key unless they are started from a previous version of Windows, so, if you have a Windows XP installation CD, you could also perform a clean installation of it and upgrade that to Vista. In that way there would be fewer potential incompatibilities because no software would be installed.

Upgrade installation keys are blocked when you start from the Windows Vista DVD -

"You purchased an upgrade license and key for Windows Vista. When you start from the DVD and then try to install Windows Vista by using this upgrade key, you will be blocked from continuing. This problem occurs because Windows Vista does not check upgrade compliance. Therefore, you cannot use an upgrade key to perform a clean installation of Windows Vista. To resolve this problem, use one of the following methods. Method 1 - Start the installation from a compliant version of Windows, such as Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows XP, or Microsoft Windows 2000. After you have started the installation, you can select Custom at the installation choice screen to perform a clean installation. Method 2 Purchase a Full Product License. This license will let the installation continue after you start from the Windows Vista DVD." -

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/930985/en-us

However, there is a workaround that can be used to perform a clean installation of Vista using the Upgrade version. The following article tells you how to do it.

How to Clean Install Windows Vista with Upgrade Media -

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_upgrade_clean.asp

The Vista setup installation program can boot straight from its installation DVD. If the computer that you're installing Vista on has the boot hard drive set as the first boot device in the BIOS setup program, you may have to set the CD/DVD drive as the first boot device and the hard disk drive as the second boot device. Your brand-name computer's or the motherboard's user manual has a section devoted to the BIOS that you can consult if you don't know how to enter the computer's BIOS or set those settings. If you don't have a copy of the manual, you can download one in the PDF format from the computer or motherboard manufacturer's site.

If you don't know the make and model of the motherboard installed in your computer, the Belarc Advisor creates an analysis of the hardware and software on a personal computer. Look under FREE DOWNLOAD from belarc.com. Another utility that can identify a motherboard's make and model is CPU-Z from cpuid.com.

Remember to change the settings back to the hard drive as the first boot device and the CD/DVD drive as the second boot device after Windows has been installed.

If you're using an Upgrade version of Vista to perform an upgrade of Windows XP, or performing a clean installation of Vista from one of the full versions, you should back up any files that you don't want to lose or any settings that you want to transfer to Vista.

To do that , you can use a program on the Vista installation DVD called Windows Easy Transfer, which can copy all of the files that you want to back up to an external hard drive, USB flash drive, or recordable CD/DVD.

There is more information on Windows Easy Transfer further down this page.

How to uninstall Windows Vista and go back to Windows XP

If you need to go back to Windows XP after installing Windows Vista, the following article tells you how to go about it.

How to restore a computer to a previous Windows installation after you install Windows Vista - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927522

How to dual-boot Windows Vista and Windows XP on a new Vista PC

The following article provides instructions on how to add Windows XP to a PC that already has Windows Vista installed. It also tells you how to set Windows XP as the default operating system instead of Windows Vista.

Make your computer dual-boot Vista and XP -

"It's getting harder to buy a new computer with Windows XP installed and - after Microsoft stops selling XP on June 30, 2008 - it will become nearly impossible..." -

http://windowssecrets.com/2008/02/14/...

Windows Vista no longer starts after you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system in a dual-boot configuration -

"After you install an earlier version of the Windows operating system on a Microsoft Windows Vista-based computer in a dual-boot configuration, you may experience one of the following issue..." - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919529

Note that if you dual-boot Windows XP and Windows Vista, XP deletes Vista restore points in System Restore and Vista backup files. Fortunately, there is a fix that is provided in the following article.

Note that if you have a dual-boot Windows XP/Windows Vista system, when you start up in Windows XP, it wipes the restore points and backups made and stored by Windows Vista. The following MS Knowledge Base article addresses this problem.

No restore points are available when you use Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008-based operating systems in a dual-boot configuration together with an earlier Windows operating system [Windows XP] -

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/926185

Dual-booting XP deletes Vista restore points [and backup files] -

http://windowssecrets.com/newsletter/...

Multi-boot problem: How to remove Windows Vista from multi-boot Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 (Win7) setup

The following Q&A on this website deals with the problem of removing Windows Vista from a multi-boot system: I want to remove Windows Vista from multi-boot Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 (Win7) setup.

Can Your PC Really Handle Vista? - Even Low-Budget PCs Can Run Windows Vista -

"We equipped our Celeron and Sempron test systems with a fast and affordable 160 GB hard drive and one gigabyte of RAM, and the systems did a great job in Windows XP. But how do they perform with Windows Vista? And do you really know how your PC would perform with Vista?" -

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/...

Hands On: The Essential Vista Upgrade Guide -

http://www.computerworld.com/action/...

Windows [Vista] Help and How-to - http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/

The following page is part of the Windows [Vista] Help and How-to section of Microsoft's site:

Troubleshoot Windows [Vista] installation problems -

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-NZ/help/...

Installing Windows Vista: A How-To Guide - Make a clean install of Windows Vista with Computer Shopper's step-by-step guide -

http://computershopper.com/howto/...

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Original Equipment Manufacturer - OEM - Windows Vista

A version of Windows Vista that has a Product ID such as this one - 76588-OEM-0032903-02827 - is called an OEM copy that has been pre-installed by the computer's manufacturer. It can only be used on the same computer. If, say, a significant component, such as the motherboard, is changed, the PC cannot be used, because Microsoft's Product Activation deems that it is installed on a different computer. You would then have to buy a new licence for that computer.

However, it is known that some users have got around this limitation by calling Microsoft (find out how to do that at microsoft.com) and reporting that their motherboards had died, so they had to replace them. It is Microsoft's policy to allow motherboard swaps in instances where a system is defective or has suffered a hardware failure. However, if you are really just an upgrader taking advantage of that policy, you shouldn't rely on it, because Microsoft may rule that you have to install the same make and model of motherboard so that none of the other components need to be upgraded. In that way, Microsoft can be reasonably sure that you have not just upgraded the computer.

Windows XP/Vista OEM/FPP volume licensing

Full Windows XP/Vista operating system licences (US: licenses) for desktop PCs can be acquired only either preinstalled on a new PC by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), or as a retail product, which is also known as full packaged product (FPP).

Click here! to download a 52K MS Word document that covers Microsoft Volume Licensing - "Microsoft Operating System License Requirements: Initial Operating System, Transfer of License, and Reassignment of License".

Buying OEM versions of Windows Vista: the facts -

"Today Vista launches. I've received a number of e-mails from readers looking for more information on the black arts of the OEM edition, so here it is: my brief introduction to everything you need to know before going OEM." - http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070130-8730.html

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Transferring files and settings from Windows XP to Windows Vista: Using Windows Easy Transfer to save files and settings on a PC before you install Windows Vista (and Windows 7)

Note well that if you have a desktop or laptop computer that is running an OEM version of Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 ( Win7 was released on October 22, 2009 and Windows 8 is expected to be released in the last quarter of 2012), you cannot remove its boot hard disk drive (the drive that it boots Windows from) and install it in another desktop or laptop computer, because of Windows Product Activation, which does not allow an OEM copy to be installed on a computer other than the one it came preinstalled on. Product Activation will run as soon as the new computer boots, will detect that its hardware is different from the old one and will stop working until reactivated. An OEM version has those letters in its Product Key. If you have a retail version installed from an installation CD/DVD, you can install it on as many computers as you like as long as it is only active on one computer at a time. The retail Windows licence only allows a copy to be used on on computer at a time. You will have to get a new activation code from Microsoft every time you change computers.

Note that retail version of Windows 7 Home Premium comes in a Family Pack that has three licences, allowing it to be installed on three computers at the same time - desktop or laptop computers. This pack was available for limited periods, but, at the time of revising this page (July 2012) was not available.

Instead of the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard that is used with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 provide the Windows Easy Transfer, which allows you to copy all your files and settings automatically to an extra hard disk drive or other storage device and then install Windows Vista. It saves the files and settings on your upgraded PC and then reinstalls them after Vista has been installed. Unfortunately, all of your applications will have to be reinstalled from their CD/DVDs in order to register then with the Windows Registry.

You can use a crossover network cable to connect to another computer, or make use of an existing network connection to perform the transfer. You can also transfer the files and settings from the existing computer to a recordable DVD, flash drive, etc.

To run Windows Easy Transfer, start up your computer and insert the Vista installation DVD in its CD/DVD drive.

The installation setup program loads. After that happens, you should be able to see an option called Transfer files and settings from another computer. Clicking on it runs the program. You aren't transferring the files and settings to another computer, so click on the option called Use a CD or other removable media. Depending on what you're using, insert a blank CD/DVD disc in the optical drive, connect a flash drive to a USB port, or connect an external hard drive, and then click on the type of device that you're using.

When the next screen comes up, make sure that the correct drive letter is selected for the backup destination. If you don't know which drive letter has been allocated to a particular drive, look in My Computer.

Note that you can set a password for the data that should prevent anyone from accessing it if there is a time gap between when you recorded it and when you restore it back to the computer after Vista has been installed.

Click Next and select everything that you want to back up. Note that it's possible to back up the personal files and settings for all of the users for whom User Accounts have been set up, or the files and settings for just a single user, or you can select what you want to transfer by clicking the Advanced options button.

When you've done that, the next screen displays a summary of everything that has been backed up. You should also be able to see an estimate of how how much space the backup requires in the bottom right corner of he window. If the backup runs out of space, the program can span across different volumes of the same type, so it asks you to add extra space in the form of a new CD/DVD disk, or to connect a different flash drive, etc.

You simply click the Transfer button when you're ready, and click Close when the process is finished. If you used more than one volume, make sure that you label them so that you can restore them in the correct order.

If you performed a clean installation of Vista, you'll have to install any applications that the Vista Upgrade Advisor passed for installation and restore the files and settings that you backed up.

To do that, access the first CD/DVD that you backed the files up to (or access the backup files in a flash or external drive). Locate for the Easy Transfer, which will have a name such as IMG0001 and Migration Store as its file Type, and double-click on it. A pop-up window comes up. Click the Continue in it. You will be given the choice of using the same user name as under Windows XP or a new one. Clicking Next brings up a window showing a list of the files and settings that Windows Easy Transfer can restore.

You just have to click on Transfer to begin the process. When it is done, a summary screen displays a list of everything that has been restored. Now just click Close and restart the computer.

Windows Easy Transfer for Windows XP -

"Download Windows Easy Transfer for your Windows XP-based PC so you can automatically copy your files, photos, music, e-mail, settings, and more to your new Windows Vista based PC. This software enables you to transfer data with Easy Transfer Cables or across a network, external drive, or CD/DVD." - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=7349

Windows Easy Transfer [Windows 7] -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer

You can find more information on it by entering windows easy transfer as the search query in a search engine such as Bing.

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Automatic Updates in Windows XP becomes Windows Update in Windows Vista

Automatic Updates in the Control Panel is where the way in which updates are received is set in Windows XP. The feature remains in Windows Vista. It is called Windows Update and it can be found under the Security and the System and Maintenance sections of the Control Panel.

Microsoft Update and other services: Frequently asked questions -

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/update.mspx

Visit the Security pages on this site for information and tips on PC security.

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Power management: Shutting down, sleep, and hibernation modes in Windows Vista

To read about where the Shut Down button and where the sleep and hibernation options are located, click the link to read the Windows Help and How-to page called Turn off a computer: frequently asked questions - Applies to all editions of Windows Vista.

"An independent study carried out by PC Pro Lab has compared energy usage between Windows XP and Windows Vista and clearly showed that the power management features in Windows Vista could help massively reduce the carbon dioxide generated by an organisation, equal to 45 tonnes per year for a business with 200 desktop PCs. In addition, these features could also deliver savings on energy bills of up to L46 per desktop PC per year."

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Parental Controls in Windows Vista

"The parental controls built into Windows Vista are designed to put parents' minds at ease and give them confidence in their ability to manage exactly what their children can do on the computer. These controls help parents determine which games their children can play, which programs they can use, and which websites they can visit and when. Parents can restrict computer use to specific times and trust that Windows Vista will enforce those restrictions, even when they're away from home..." -

Here is an illustrated tutorial on how to set the controls up:

Setting up Windows Vista Parental Controls -

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial139.html

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The Aero desktop and Flip 3D

The major difference between the Home Basic and Home Premium versions is that only the Home Premium version features the new Aero desktop, which is a transparent 3D interface that allows users to stack and navigate through webpages and folders. Vista Ultimate also features the Aero desktop.

The Aero desktop uses what is termed Glass technology. All of the windows that you bring up on the desktop allow you to see through their menu bars. For example, if you bring up a non-maximised window, you can see through its menu bar to another windows under it, or the icons on the desktop, but the areas that you need to see properly are not transparent. Moreover, if you place the mouse pointer over a minimised window on the taskbar, Aero displays a small thumbnail image of it instead of just its file or webpage name.

Microsoft recommends that a Windows Vista Ready computer should have a graphics card with 128MB of dedicated video memory (not an integrated graphics chip on the PC's motherboard that uses 128MB of system memory) that supports DirectX 9.0 and Pixel Shader 2.

In Windows XP, pressing the Alt and Tab keys allows you to switch between open windows. In Vista, the switcher has been improved. Called Flip 3D, it uses the same thumbnail images that appear on the taskbar, thereby allowing you choose the window you want to open.

You hold down the Windows key (the one with a Windows flag on it), and press the Tab key. All of the open windows appear in a curving line from the top left to the bottom right of the Desktop. You can scroll through them.

Since most graphics cards use graphics chips made by Nvidia or AMD, Wikipedia lists their specifications and the versions of DirectX and OpenGL that they support on these two pages:

Comparison of ATI/AMD Graphics Processing Units -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_ATI_Graphics_Processing_Units

Note that the video/graphics card manufacturer, ATI, which was purchased by AMD, is now called AMD.

Comparison of NVIDIA Graphics Processing Units -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_NVIDIA_Graphics_Processing_Units

Windows Aero -

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/...

Windows Vista AERO Graphics -

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_aero.htm

Graphics Hardware and Drivers for Windows Vista -

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/gg487320.aspx

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Using Start Search in Windows Vista

Read the following article for more information on using the new Start Search feature in Vista. It can now be used to run commands instead of the Run... box that not longer appears in Vista.

Where is the Vista Run Command? -

http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_run_command.htm

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The Security Center in Windows Vista

Microsoft is touting Windows Vista as the most secure operating system yet devised. True or not, the devil is always in the detail.

The Security Center in Windows Vista is accessed via the Control Panel, which is accessed from the Start (button's) menu. Click on Security to open it.

Windows Security Center -

"Windows Security Center [in Windows Vista] helps make your PC more secure by alerting you when your security software is out of date or when your security settings should be strengthened. The Security Center displays your firewall settings and tells you whether your PC is set up to receive automatic software updates from Microsoft. Other improvements over the version of Windows Security Center that debuted in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 include showing the status of software designed to protect against antispyware, your Internet Explorer 7 security settings, and User Account Control. In addition, Windows Security Center can monitor security products from multiple companies and show you which are enabled and up to date." - Microsoft.com

Windows Vista Security and Data Protection Improvements -

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905073.aspx

The Devil's Guide to Windows Vista Security -

http://www.computerworld.com/action/...Basic&articleId=9005492

Windows Vista Security Guide [technical guide for IT professionals] -

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/security/guide.mspx

How To Create a Windows Vista Password Reset Disk -

"Creating a Windows Vista password reset disk can really come in handy if you forget your account password. With it, you can easily reset your password and get right in to Windows Vista. While there are ways to recover lost passwords without a password reset disk, they are often complicated and time consuming..."

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsvista/ht/vistapwdisk.htm

Windows Vista Security Guide 1.2 -

http://www.download.com/Windows-Vista-Security-Guide/...

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Using ReadyBoost with a USB 2.0 flash drive in Windows Vista to improve performance

Using Windows Vista's ReadyBoost feature (also available in Windows 7) with a USB 2.0 flash drive was said to improve its performance. However, flash drives wear out after a certain number of write operations, so it is no doubt not a good idea to use flash drives in a high-wear activity such as supporting a virtual-memory pagefile. Moreover, real-life tests have shown that there is little or no performance benefit provided by the use of ReadyBoost.

However if you want to try using it you should know that data kept in flash memory is usually retrieved much more quickly than it can be retrieved from a PC's hard disk drive. ReadyBoost technology is safe, because it is designed to protect any data stored on a USB flash drive. The flash drive can be removed at any time without any loss of data or harm to the flash drive. However, you have to remember to plug the drive in every time you switch the PC on. You can also use a flash memory card of the kind that digital cameras use. Just plug the memory card into the reader's slot on a desktop or laptop PC and Windows Vista and Windows 7 will automatically check if it is fast enough for ReadyBoost to use. If it is, select the "Speed up my system" link in the AutoPlay dialog box that comes up. You can set how much space ReadyBoost can use on the card. It is best to buy a dedicated card for the feature to use and allow it to use all of its space.

Crucial's Gizmo! products are ReadyBoost-compliant and are currently available in densities ranging from 256MB to 4GB.

"Windows ReadyBoost introduces a new concept in add-on system memory. You can use nonvolatile flash memory devices, such as universal serial bus (USB) flash drives, to improve performance without having to add memory "under the hood." The flash memory device serves as an additional memory cache - that is, memory that the computer can access much more quickly than it can access data on the hard disk drive."

ReadyBoost - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReadyBoost

Windows Vista's SuperFetch and ReadyBoost Analyzed -

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/...review-2069.html

ReadyBoost application performance -

It was discovered that using ReadyBoost from a USB flash drive can make some applications launch faster, the improvement is much less than occurs after increasing the system's RAM memory. - http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/analysis-vista-ready-boost,1891-2.html

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Windows Vista: Data storage and ReadyDrive

Windows Vista has an improved file system, support for hybrid disk drives (H-HDDs), volume shrinking and volume extending, drive-encryption features, and support for the new large-sector hard disk drives.

Five things you'll love about Vista's storage -

http://www.computerworld.com/action/...Basic&articleId=9004513

Windows Vista: ReadyDrive -

"Windows ReadyDrive is a new feature in Windows Vista that enables PCs equipped with a hybrid hard disk - a new kind of hard disk that adds flash memory to a standard mobile PC hard disk drive - to enjoy better performance, greater reliability, and longer battery life."

Windows Vista support for large-sector hard disk drives -

November 28, 2006. - "Hard disk drive manufacturers will soon start producing hard disk drives that contain physical sector sizes that are larger than the traditional 512 bytes per sector. For example, sectors may be 1 kilobyte (KB), 2 KB, or 4 KB. This change will enable manufacturers to improve the capacity, the performance, and the reliability of their hard disk drives. This article discusses Windows Vista support for large-sector hard disk drives." -

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923332

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Direct Memory Access (DMA) in Windows Vista

Windows [Vista] Help and How-to - Turn Direct Memory Access (DMA) on or off -

"Direct memory access (DMA) is usually turned on by default for devices such as hard disks and CD or DVD drives that support DMA. However, you might need to turn on DMA manually if the device was improperly installed or if a system error occurred." -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-NZ/windows-vista/...

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Windows Vista: Startup Repair and the Windows Recovery Environment

Windows Vista has a new startup recovery tool called Startup Repair that can be used as well as System Restore, which has been available in Windows since Windows Me.

Click here! to go to the detailed information on Startup Repair, which is part of Vista's Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).

If you want background information on Startup Repair, the following webpages should meet your needs.

"Startup Repair is a Windows recovery tool that can fix certain problems, such as missing or damaged system files, that might prevent Windows from starting correctly. When you run Startup Repair, it scans your computer for the problem and then tries to fix it so your computer can start correctly. If you experience problems while trying to run Startup Repair, or if your computer does not include Startup Repair, your computer manufacturer might have customized or replaced the tool. Check the information that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website..."

Startup Repair: frequently asked questions -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Startup-Repair-frequently-asked-questions

Windows Vista Repair Options -

http://vistasupport.mvps.org/windows_vista_repair_options.htm

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Windows Vista does not have the Recovery Console

Note that Windows Vista does not have the Recovery Console that Windows XP has. It only has System Restore and Startup Repair. However, you can still run many of the Recovery Console commands from Vista's Command Prompt. Click here! to go to the information on this site about which of the commands are still available.

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Using Complete PC Backup and Restore in some versions of Windows Vista

Available in Windows Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions, Complete PC Backup and Restore allows a user to create a restorable image of a hard drive's partitions in case they need to be restored, in the same way as third-party tools such as Norton's Ghost do.

After a backup has been created, you can use the System Recovery options from the Windows Vista installation DVD to restore an image, or the restoration can be initiated from within Windows Vista itself. However, note that you cannot restore individual files, folders, or settings.

If you want to restore a file or folder that has been deleted and also removed from the Recycle Bin, In Windows Vista and Windows 7 you can still recover it by using its Restore previous versions feature, which is linked to the System Restore feature, which can only create as many daily restore points as it has been allocated reserved hard-disk space. Windows deletes old restore points to create new ones when the reserved disk space runs out, so you can only recover a previous version of a file or folder if a restore point exits that contains the version that you want to restore. System Restore allows you to set the amount of reserved disk space it can use. The more disk space it has, the more daily restore points it can create.

Previous versions of files: frequently asked questions -

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/...

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Windows Vista: Backing up to a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device

Note that Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows 7 Home Premium versions cannot be used to back up to a NAS device, because those versions of Windows can't be used to back up to a network share. You can only use Vista Business and Ultimate and Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate versions. (The Enterprise versions of both Vista and Win7 can be used, but it is the version for big business, not the home user.) However, you can use free third-party software. Here are two suitable programs I found:

Freebyte Backup - http://www.freebyte.com/fbbackup/

Microsoft SyncToy 2.1 - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=15155

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Windows Vista: Networking and Internet options from the Start menu and in the Control Panel

In Windows XP, the networking settings are accessed via Network Connections in the Control Panel.

In Windows Vista, you can access a window that provides access to the Network and Sharing Center and an option called Add a wireless device from the Start (button) => Network. You can also access it under Network and Internet in the Control Panel the gives you access to all of the Windows networking and Internet options.

Introducing Vista's Network Center -

"If you've been working with Windows for a long time, you probably remember the Network Neighborhood from Windows 95. The Network Neighborhood eventually evolved into My Network Places. Vista changes the name once again. The new name is simply Network. The Network option is available directly from Vista's Start menu..." -

http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles-tutorials/windows-vista/...

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Microsoft Knowledge Base articles on Windows Vista

Click here! to go to the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles on the Diagnostics section of this site.

Click here! to enter your own searches in the MS Knowledge Base.

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Web searches

You can find additional information on any of the programs, utilities or features mentioned above, or in the rest of this article, by making use a web search engine.