How-To Geek
Find Out If Your Computer Can Run Windows Vista
With the release of Windows Vista around the corner, I started wondering if my laptop will even run Vista. Thankfully Microsoft provides a utility to examine your system and let you know if you need to upgrade anything.
You can download the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor here.
Download and start the install:
Once you launch the application, click the Start Scan button.
You’ll be sitting on this screen for at least a few minutes, while you get to read some of Microsoft’s marketing crap:
Well, it looks like my computer can run Vista:
But it also looks like I have a few recommended upgrades:
It looks like my video card won’t support the Aero user interface… so even though I can run Vista, I won’t be able to use the cool new GUI:
Oh well. I plan to get a new desktop PC in the next few months anyway, and by that time maybe it’ll be bundled with Vista.
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Comments (6)
Programmer by day, geek by night, The Geek, also known as Lowell Heddings, spends all his free time bringing you fresh geekery on a daily basis. You can follow him on Google+ if you'd like.
- Published 11/30/06
Sweet! You think Windows Vista will run on a AMD 601Mhz Processor? I can overclock it easily to 1Ghz+ I’m getting a few new upgrades (4GB Ram, 2x 7950 NVidia GeForce Gfx Cards, new processor) But that won’t be for awhile. I have 640MB of Ram, and a 30GB HD. Think it’d run on that?
Is there an advisor that runs in W2K, so that I can know whether the PC’s hardware is Vistable without first installing XP (or Vista) on it ?
Ok, how do you “upgrade” your laptop’s video card.
what a piece of crap of software Vista is.
why other OS can do the same “fx”, without upgarding hardware.
i and useing windows xp, can i dowload windows7 home premium on my computer???
When i go to the link, it says” windows vista upgrade advisor is not availabe”
and shows windows 7 upgrade advisor instead. helP!
Yeah, the Vista Upgrade Advisor has been removed. I had a version I’d already downloaded, but it no longer runs because Microsoft have disconnected the Vista Upgrade Advisor Service on their servers.
I want to upgrade my laptop from XP but I know it can’t run Windows 7. I ran the Vista Upgrade Advisor when it first came out, but never got around to upgrading to Vista. I now can’t remember what I had to upgrade before I could install Vista, and now Microsoft have stopped the one thing that was actually useful.
The manufacturor of my laptop confirmed that I can’t run Windows 7, but provided NO useful help on upgrading to Vista.
Great customer service from Microsoft – very typical. An upgrade advisor for Windows 7 is fine, if your computer will run 7, but if it can’t you’re stuffed. Microsoft might as well put out a press release telling the rest of the world what they really think of their customers.
Does anybody know how I can find out what I’ll need to check and upgrade before installing Vista?
Or, if I try installing it and it fails, will I be able to do a clean install of XP to get my computer working again?