upgrading Windows XP to Vista

[lesch2k]

Pentium 4 HT 2.8 Ghz, 800MhZ Bus, 2 Gig PC3200 DDR ram. Currently running windows XP.

I am really happy with my windows XP machine, used it for years and it works great. But as a grad student i was able to get a Vista Buisnes License and my question is how to install it.

I want to keep all of my Windows XP settings, and software.

Question 1 - is there a way to keep XP as is and do a vista like it would be if i did a vista upgrade. Would this require ghosting my hard drive so that i could choose to boot into XP or vista with the same programs installed in each?

Question 2 - hard drive partitioning. I have 2 hard drives. 30 GB (6-7 years old) running Windows XP. 60GB (5 years old) for data. Am i better partitioning the 60 GB drive into a vista programs drive and a data drive or leaving it as is.

Any other suggestions?

I dont want to wait for Windows 7 since i wouldnt have a full license of that one. I'm also scared to mess up my XP setup since it has software i got with undergrad site licenses (Norton AV, Office, Photoshop, MATLAB)

So what would you recommend. buying a new computer is unlikely....

 

[M0RPH]

Just do an upgrade. It won't touch your data or programs.

 

[agibby5]

WHHY do you want vista?!

 

[WiseOldDude]

Wait on Windows 7. M$ is moving fast on getting this out, already releasing RC version.

History is going to show that Vista is the Windows ME of this decade.

I also got a Academic Version ($17) and after a month, I upgraded back to XP.

 

[Itchrelief]

Originally posted by: WiseOldDude
Wait on Windows 7.

Originally posted by: lesch2k

I dont want to wait for Windows 7 since i wouldnt have a full license of that one.

 

[Itchrelief]

Originally posted by: agibby5
WHHY do you want vista?!

If he has XP Home, Vista is leaps and bounds better for using limited user accounts for day-to-day use.

After I got used to the differences, I can't say that all the Vista hate is actually justified.

 

[agibby5]

Originally posted by: WiseOldDude I upgraded back to XP.

HAHA, good point.

 

[SickBeast]

OP, I don't think you will be happy with how Vista performs with 2gb of ram, especially for gaming. I found that it needed at least 3gb to run about as fast as XP, but even then it had way slower disk performance.

Just install the W7 RC. It's great.

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: WiseOldDude
History is going to show that Vista is the Windows ME of this decade.

Yeah, except for the part where it won't. Vista is actually, you know, stable. More so than XP, that's for sure.

 

[Laputa]

Or get a new hard drive and image the old stuff on the new drive. Then do the upgrade. If you like it after running it for a while, fine. If not, you have your old XP handy to step back. And you can always use the new drive as the data backup drive if the upgrade does not work well as expected. If you build your on system, it's easier to use one of those removable hard drive racks. You can run whatever you want so long as your hardware supports it. I have Linux, Novell, 98, 2000, XP, Vista, 2003, 7, and Mac running all on different drives using one system. I love and hate each of them, but each OS gets to do what I needed. Hard drives are cheap today anyway.

 

[NYHoustonman]

Originally posted by: hans030390

Originally posted by: WiseOldDude
History is going to show that Vista is the Windows ME of this decade.

Yeah, except for the part where it won't. Vista is actually, you know, stable. More so than XP, that's for sure.

Seconded. I've had it since release, and over the past year-and-a-half or so it's been completely stable (before that I was experiencing driver issues with NVidia).

Not sure about doing the Upgrade install, I've always been warned against that, but it's worth a shot I suppose.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Wait for 7, give it some time to mature (like, SP1 or SP2) then just get the full version. Upgrades can be cumbersome and have issues. Also annoying if you reformat or install for another pc as you'll have to install xp first.

Also take an acronis image of your PC before doing any such big change, just in case you don't like it and want to go back.

 

[NaOH]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Wait for 7, give it some time to mature (like, SP1 or SP2) then just get the full version. Upgrades can be cumbersome and have issues. Also annoying if you reformat or install for another pc as you'll have to install xp first.

Also take an acronis image of your PC before doing any such big change, just in case you don't like it and want to go back.

You realize that Win7 is pretty much Windows Vista with a service pack right? I don't know how much longer you'd have to wait for it to "mature" since it was built right off of Vista by stripping out a few features and tweaking some code.

 

[Griffinhart]

I do not suggest doing an in place upgrade. If you decide to install Vista, do yourself a favor and do a fresh install. There is a significant difference between a fresh install and an in place upgrade from XP.