Introduction

The Microsoft Windows Vista operating system offers several changes and improvements over its predecessors. It not only brings a new and redesigned interface, but also improves on many administrative utilities and management consoles, as well as enhancing the system s reliability, performance, and problem-solving tools. Needless to say, the 3-D interface, Aero, is the most attractive feature of Windows Vista. But that s for users. For you, as administrators, Vista will sometimes look like its predecessor, Windows XP, and at other times, look like an all-new operating system. By the end of this chapter, you should have a solid idea of all the important changes and improvements the new Microsoft Vista has to offer. You will also understand the different versions of Microsoft Vista and their hardware as well as license requirements.

We will go over the installation and upgrade process step by step so you are ready to install or upgrade your own Microsoft Vista. In this chapter, and throughout this book, you will find step-by-step instructions on how to successfully work with different administrative tools available in Windows Vista.

Here, we will first take a look at various Windows Vista editions, the features available in each edition, the attended and unattended installation of Windows Vista, and procedures to migrate from earlier versions of Windows such as Windows XP. Toward the chapter s end, we will look at running Microsoft Vista in a multiboot environment as well as in a virtual operation system.

Introduction to Windows Vista

Let s first take a...