Preparing to Install Windows

Here are some tips, including suggestions from Microsoft, for a smoother installation:

• Check compatibility Run the Check Compatibility tool when you are upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista. You will see this tool when you run the Install Windows program from the Windows Vista DVD. It finds any problems with hardware and software on your computer before you even start the installation process. For software that is incompatible with Windows Vista, consider uninstalling it before you launch the installation program. After Windows Vista installs , reinstall the software and things may work okay. If not, you can check online for updates or steps to help solve the compatibility problem. In some instances, you will have to upgrade to a newer version of that program.

• Virus checking Run a virus checker on your system before installing Windows, so that no viruses interfere with the installation. You can download one of several good virus checkers from the Internet, including those from McAfee (http://www. mcafee .com) and Symantec (http://www. symantec .com). Then disable your virus checker before installing Windows.

Caution  

Some computers have antivirus programs stored in the computer's BIOS. In this case, the Install Windows wizard won't run. If you see an error message reporting an antivirus program, check your system's documentation for instructions on how to disable virus checking.

• Disk errors Run ScanDisk or ChkDsk (if you use Windows) to clean up any formatting errors on your hard disk.

• Backups Make a complete backup of your system. If that's not possible, make a backup of all of your data files.

• Program installation disks Make sure that you have the program disks (CDs or DVDs) for all the programs you want to install. If you downloaded programs, make backups of the installation files.

• Disk space Make sure that you have enough free space on the hard disk on which your Windows program folder will be stored. Windows needs 15GB of free space.

• Hardware problems If you have problems with hardware or software on your system, fix the problems first or uninstall the hardware or software.

• Other utilities Uninstall any non-Microsoft disk-caching programs, such as the caching programs that come with the Norton Utilities and PC Tools. Turn off other utilities that might interfere with installation, such as CleanSweep (which monitors software installations). Exit from all programs.

• Network information If your computer is on a network, contact your network administrator before upgrading to Windows Vista. Ask whether the computer is part of a domain and, if so, ask for the domain name and your computer's name on the domain. If your network uses static IP addresses (your network administrator will know), ask for your computer's IP address. If your computer isn't part of a domain (that is, it's a peer-to-peer network, as described in Chapter 30), ask for the name of the workgroup. Make sure that your computer is connected to the network during installation, because the Install Windows wizard can detect many LAN and Internet settings and configure your computer automatically.