Installation choices for consumer versions
This article discusses the installation choices for consumer versions of Windows Vista. This article does not include information about Windows Vista Starter, about Windows Vista Enterprise, or about versions of Windows Vista that you install by using Microsoft Volume Licensing. The method that you use to install Windows Vista depends on the answers to the following questions: Do you have an upgrade license of Windows Vista or a full product license? Does the version of Windows that is installed support an upgrade to the version that you purchased? Do you want to preserve your personal files, settings, and programs? Or do you prefer to perform a clean installation of Windows Vista?

---

32-bit and 64-bit Windows: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows. What is the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows? How can I tell if my computer is running a 32-bit or a 64-bit version of Windows? Can my computer run a 64-bit version of Windows? Can I upgrade from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version of Windows? Can I run 32-bit programs on a 64-bit computer? Would I benefit from using a 64-bit computer? If I'm running a 64-bit version of Windows, do I need 64-bit drivers for my devices?

---

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista
This article discusses the installation choices available to you for upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista. How you upgrade depends on your answers to these three questions:

---

You cannot upgrade certain language versions of Windows XP to Windows Vista
This article describes the versions of Microsoft Windows XP that you cannot upgrade to Windows Vista because of language pack issues between the two products. This article also describes how to perform a custom installation of Windows Vista to work around this issue.

---

Upgrading from Windows 2000 to Windows Vista
This article discusses the installation choices available to you for upgrading from Windows 2000 to Windows Vista. Here are some things you should know:

---

Troubleshoot Windows installation problems
Here are solutions to some common problems with installing Windows. I do not have a product key. I get a message saying there is a problem copying files. My computer won't start from the Windows installation disc. My computer stops responding during installation and displays a blue or black screen or a screen that doesn't change. An error message appeared during installation. A program or a device doesn't work since I upgraded to Windows Vista. I need help installing or upgrading to Windows Vista. My computer loses power during installation. My monitor does not display a clear image, or has no image, since I installed Windows. My computer cannot play sound since I installed Windows. I can't upgrade to Windows Vista from my language version of Windows XP. I can't find the answer to my problem in this topic.

---

How to Extract Files from the Vista Installation DVD
This will show you how to extract original files from the retail Vista installation DVD. You can then use these extracted files to replace missing or corrupted system files in your current Vista installation.

---

Restore personal files after custom installation
This article describes how to restore personal files after you perform a custom installation of Windows Vista.

---

Browse, stream, and download digital media from Online Media in Windows Media Center
Windows Media Center offers a number of partner programs in Online Media to enhance your entertainment experience. For example, you can play games on demand, share pictures, find digital music and radio programs, download movies, and watch videos over the Internet. Some of these programs will be pre-installed on your Windows Media Center computer, some require installation, and others will work over the Internet without installation.

---

Install a program
You can do a lot with the programs and features that are included in Windows, but you'll probably want to install other programs. How you add a program depends on where the installation files for the program are located. Typically, programs are installed from a CD or DVD, from the Internet, or from a network.

---

Where do I find my Windows product key?
You can find your product key on your computer or on the installation disc holder inside the Windows package.

---

Start Windows from a CD or DVD
You need to start Windows from the installation CD or DVD if: Your computer has no operating system installed. You want to reinstall Windows. You need to access system recovery options.

---

Learn about Windows games
Windows comes with a small set of games that you can play whenever you're in the mood for a bit of fun. This article gives a brief overview of each game. For more specific instructions, click View Help on the game's Help menu.

---

The Start menu
The Start menu is the main gateway to your computer's programs, folders, and settings. It's called a menu because it provides a list of choices, just as a restaurant menu does. And as "Start" implies, it's often the place that you'll go to start or open things. Use the Start menu to do these common activities: Start programs; Open commonly used folders; Search for files, folders, and programs; Adjust computer settings; Get help with the Windows operating system; Turn off the computer; Log off from Windows or switch to a different user account.

---

Change the colors and fonts used for webpages
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7 and Windows Internet Explorer 8. Internet Explorer lets you pick which fonts and colors will be used to display webpages. These settings will only affect webpages that do not specify colors and fonts within the page. If you want to use your color and font choices on all webpages, regardless of whether they've been specified by the website designer, you can override website font and color settings.

---

Change desktop theme
Windows Vista includes two themes: Windows Vista and Windows Classic, which is similar to the look and feel of earlier versions of Windows. Each person who has an account on the computer can choose his or her own theme .

---

Install Java in Internet Explorer
Java is a technology used to create interactive or animated web content, such as games or advanced financial applications. Java programs are downloaded automatically to your computer when you use them and don't usually require special installation. To run Java programs in Internet Explorer, however, you must install special Java software. When you install Java, it is enabled by default and configured with safety settings at their highest.

---

Remove icons from the system tray
The notification area is located on the taskbar and contains program icons that provide status and notifications about things like incoming email, updates, and network connectivity. When you install a new program, you can sometimes add an icon for that program to the notification area.New computers often come with icons already in the notification area, and some programs automatically add an icon to the notification area during installation .

---

Get a new Windows product key
If your Windows product key is not valid, if you don't have a Windows product key, or if you lost the product key that came with your copy of Windows, you'll need to buy a new one to activate Windows. You must activate Windows online or by phone within 30 days after installation to use every feature of Windows.

---

Change the Start menu to Classic view
The Classic view of the Start menu might be familiar if you've used earlier versions of Windows.

---

Change Control Panel to Classic view
The Classic view of Control Panel might be familiar if you've used earlier versions of Windows.

---

Restore files from a backup
You can restore backed-up versions of files that are lost, damaged, or changed accidentally. You can restore individual files, groups of files, or all files that you have backed up.

---

Why don't some websites display correctly in Internet Explorer 8?
Websites that were designed for earlier versions of Internet Explorer might not display correctly in the current version. However, you can often improve how a website will look in Internet Explorer by using a new feature called Compatibility View.

---

Tips for solving problems with USB devices
Here are solutions to some common problems with universal serial bus (USB) devices, including installation problems. My USB device is not working. I get a message that a "Hi-speed USB device is plugged into non-hi-speed USB hub." How can I tell if my computer has a USB 2.0 port? My USB 2.0 ports don't appear to be working. I get a "Bandwidth Exceeded" message. When I plug in a device, AutoPlay automatically opens a program I don't want to use.

---

What's new with the Start menu?
The Start menu has a new search feature so you can easily find the programs or folders you're looking for. The information is organized more efficiently than in previous versions of Windows, and there are new buttons for locking your computer or putting it into a low-power state called sleep mode. Of course, the Start menu is still the place to find and organize your program shortcuts and links to favorite places. It's also still the place to turn your computer off or log off.

---

Reset Internet Explorer 8 settings
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 8. By resetting Internet Explorer settings, you return it to the state it was in when it was first installed on your computer. This is useful for troubleshooting problems that might be caused by settings that were changed after installation. When you delete personal settings, some webpages that rely on previously stored cookies, form data, passwords, or previously installed browser add-ons might not work correctly. Resetting Internet Explorer to its default settings does not delete your favorites, feeds, Web Slices, and a few other personalized settings. See the table below for a complete list of all settings and information about whether they are reset or maintained.

---

Reset Internet Explorer 7 settings
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 7. By resetting Internet Explorer settings, you return it to the state it was in when it was first installed on your computer. This is useful for troubleshooting problems that might be caused by settings that were changed after installation. When you restore Internet Explorer's default settings, some webpages that rely on previously stored cookies, form data, passwords, or previously installed browser add-ons might not work correctly. Resetting Internet Explorer to its default settings does not delete your favorites, feeds, and a few other personalized settings. See the table below for a complete list of all settings and information about whether they are reset or maintained.

---

What are the system recovery options in Windows Vista?
The System Recovery Options menu in this version of Windows contains several tools that can help you recover Windows from a serious error. You can perform repairs to the files that Windows uses to start itself, perform a restore operation using System Restore, and restore your entire computer and system files using backups that you have made previously. The System Recovery Options menu is on the Windows installation disc. The menu might also be installed on your hard disk if your computer has preinstalled recovery options.

---

Networking home computers running different versions of Windows
If you've previously set up a home network using computers running Windows XP, you'll find that setting up a network with a mix of computers running Windows XP and Windows Vista will be similar. There are a few important differences though, and understanding what's different will help you avoid some common problems. This article also covers the settings needed to set up file and printer sharing on your network.

---

Installing and reinstalling Windows
In this article you will find instructions for: Upgrading to Windows Vista when you already have a version of Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional on your computer and you want to keep your files, settings, and programs. Installing a new, or clean, version of Windows when: You want to replace your current operating system. You want to install Windows Vista on a separate partition of your hard disk, and you have an operating system on your computer and an available partition. You have a computer with no operating system installed. Reinstalling Windows Vista when you want to restore default Windows settings or when you are having trouble with Windows and need to reinstall it by performing a clean installation.

---

What is program compatibility?
Program compatibility is a mode in Windows that lets you run programs written for earlier versions of Windows. Most programs written for Windows XP also work in this version of Windows, but some older programs might run poorly or not run at all.

---

Windows Mail: Setting up an account from start to finish
Setting up your email is a bit like setting up a new computer: You do it only once. After you configure your email accounts in Windows Mail, you never have to hassle with it again unless, of course, you open a new email account.Windows Mail allows you to send and receive messages from multiple email accounts. You can set up Windows Mail to work with many types of providers, from the biggest, most popular email services all the way down to the smallest Internet service provider (ISP).

---

Rip music: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about ripping CDs in Windows Media Player. What is ripping? What happens if I decide to copy protect music that I rip? Where do I find the files that I ripped? Can I rename or move files that I have already ripped? Can I change the format or bit rate of files that I have already ripped? Can I listen to music while ripping? Can I copy the contents of a video DVD onto my computer using the Player?

---

System Restore: frequently asked questions
How does System Restore work? How do I start System Restore? Can I undo the changes System Restore makes? What files are changed during a system restore? Why doesn't System Restore protect FAT32 disks? How do I choose a restore point? How often are restore points created? How do I create a restore point manually? How much hard disk space does System Restore require? How long are restore points saved? How do I turn System Restore on or off? I have an earlier version of Windows on my computer, but when I switch between versions, my restore points disappear. Why? What if System Restore doesn't fix the problem?

---

Folders: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about using folders in Windows. What is a folder? Where should I save my files? Is there a way to see all of my files in one place instead of opening different folders to see different kinds of files? What is the Search box and how do I use it? What is the Address bar and what kind of information does it display? What is the purpose of the Navigation pane? Why does a folder's content change when I click within the Navigation pane? Shouldn't the folder only have one set of files? Where are the menus that used to appear at the top of folders in previous versions of Windows? Where did the folder tree go? Where did the task pane go?

---

How to keep your information in sync
Keeping track of all your information can become a chore if you keep your files in different locations. Perhaps you store some files on a computer, others in folders on a network server, and still others on mobile devices such as portable music players, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or mobile phones. How can you be certain you're working with the most recent versions of your files when you have copies scattered everywhere? And how can you make sure you have all the files you want on the computer, server, or mobile devices you use without spending a lot of time copying files manually? The easiest and most efficient way is to sync your files automatically using Sync Center.

---

Turn Windows features on or off
Some programs and features that are included with Windows, such as Internet Information Services, must be turned on before you can use them. Certain other features are turned on by default, but you can turn them off if you don't use them. In earlier versions of Windows, to turn a feature off you had to uninstall it completely from your computer. In this version of Windows, the features remain stored on your hard disk, so you can turn them back on if you want to. Turning off a feature does not uninstall the feature, and it does not reduce the amount of hard disk space used by Windows features.

---

Rip music from a CD in Windows Media Center
You can rip (or copy) tracks from your audio CDs to your computer using Windows Media Center. After that, the tracks that you rip become digital media files on your computer. Settings such as the format of the file for example, Windows Media Audio (WMA) or MP3and bit rate for the files are determined by the settings specified in Windows Media Player.

---

Customize your Favorites bar
The information in this Help topic applies to Windows Internet Explorer 8.The Favorites bar replaces the Links toolbar from previous versions of Internet Explorer, and hosts not only your favorite links, but also feeds and Web Slices. You can drag linkseither from the Address bar or from webpages onto the Favorites bar so that your favorite information is only a click away. You can also rearrange the items on your Favorites bar or organize them into folders. And you can use feeds and a new feature called Web Slices? to check for updates to content on your favorite websites without navigating away from your current page.

---

Resolving sync conflicts: frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions about resolving sync conflicts. What is a sync conflict? What's an example of a common sync conflict? Will I be notified if I have a sync conflict? How do I resolve sync conflicts? Do I have to resolve sync conflicts? When I resolve a sync conflict between files in two locations, how do I know which version to keep? Can I reduce the number of sync conflicts I'm getting? Could a file ever be removed from my computer when I resolve a sync conflict? Can I keep both versions of a file that has a sync conflict? What's the difference between a sync conflict and a sync error?

---