Running the Vista Upgrade Advisor

• Open the Upgrade Advisor program using the shortcut on your desktop or through the Start menu.
• Select Start Scan to begin the process.

• The program begins scanning your system for hardware specifications, available disk space, and compatibility issues. This process can take up to ten minutes on some systems. Be patient while it completes the process.

• While waiting on the scan to complete, you can review the available Windows Vista Operating system editions and what they each offer.

• Once the scan completes, click the See Details button to view the version of Windows Vista suited to your computer’s configuration. As the image below illustrates, the computer that ran the upgrade advisor is capable of running the most advanced Vista version – Vista Ultimate.

The previous example illustrates the ideal situation – your system can run the most advanced Vista edition. However, most, if not all, XP computers experience less than ideal results. The Upgrade Advisor’s best features are revealled when the system cannot handle an upgrade. The program then advises the user what needs to be changed, altered, or upgraded in order to handle the new, advanced Vista operating system. Let’s take a look at some of those examples.

Upgrade Advisor Issues

The Vista Upgrade Advisor lists the Vista edition you can run, and if you scroll down the page, you can see the list of problems associated with your current configuration. You can review the following information regarding an upgrade to Windows Vista:

• System Requirements
• Devices
• Programs

If you have a late generation Windows XP machine, then you will likely see a green checkmark next to each of these compatibility tests. Many XP computers experience some problems with compatibility. Whether the problem relates to an installed program's incompatibility with Vista or a too slow processor, the advisor informs and gives details on how to make the system more Vista friendly.