After purchasing the right edition of Windows Vista for your needs, you're ready to install in one of two ways:

• In-place upgrade: Insert the Vista CD while Windows is running, click Upgrade, and then follow the prompts to upgrade your current system.

Pros: All your files, settings, and applications are retained. It's a simple process in which you follow the prompts. If any potential incompatibilities between your hardware or software and Vista are detected, the Setup program lets you know before it gets too far into it to abort.

Cons: All the old stuff left over from old programs is still on your hard disk and in your Registry. If you were having problems with an application or a device before the upgrade, you might still have the same problems after the upgrade.

• Clean install: Boot from the Vista CD, optionally delete the existing partition or reformat the hard disk, and do a clean installation from scratch. Or, you insert the Vista CD with Windows running, select the clean installation option, and follow the prompts.

Pros: You can eliminate most of the system problems you've been having with your PC by doing a clean installation. No incompatibilities with leftover drivers or applications remain. Your system might run faster and more efficiently than it would with an in-place upgrade.

Cons: You lose all your old files, applications, and settings; you must reinstall them after the Windows setup completes.

Not every previous version can be upgraded with an in-place upgrade. The following table summarizes the options for various versions.

Table 1-2: Use this table as a guide to the various upgrade paths.

So what's the right answer? For people who value a quick-and-easy installation, an in-place installation is best. For users who want a system that runs most efficiently and crashes least frequently, a clean installation is the better bet.

Moving On

In this lesson, you learned about some of Windows Vista's new features, and you learned how to select an edition that's right for your needs. You learned about upgrade versus full editions, and you learned how to make a determination of whether an in-place installation or a clean installation is right for you. In Lesson 2, you'll get a closer look at the new Windows Vista interface. You'll learn how to manage files, navigate the Computer window, perform searches, and run programs. Before logging out, don't forget to do the assignment and take the quiz for this lesson, and stop by the Message Board to discuss Windows Vista with your classmates and instructor. See you there.