Windows Vista Security: Praxisorientierte Sicherheit für Profis

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Chapter 1: Getting Started with Windows Vista

• A Windows Vista Capable computer will deliver the core experience. To be

Windows Vista Capable, a computer must have an 800 MHz or faster proces-

sor, 512 MB of RAM, a graphics processor that is DirectX 9-capable, and a CD-

ROM drive. DirectX is a technology for enhancing a computer’s multimedia

capabilities, allowing more realistic 3D graphics and more immersive sound.

• A Windows Vista Premium Ready computer will deliver an enhanced experi-

ence. To be Windows Vista Premium Ready, a computer must have a 1 GHz or

faster processor, 1 GB of RAM, an enhanced graphics processor with at least 128

MB of RAM that supports DirectX 9 graphics with a Windows Display Driver

Model (WDDM) driver, at least a 40 GB hard drive with 15 GB of free space, a

DVD-ROM drive, a sound card with audio outputs, and either a modem or a

network card for connecting to the Internet.

Some computers have graphics processors that share memory with the

operating system. With shared memory, no additional graphics mem-

ory is required beyond the 1 GB of RAM.

Thanks to Microsoft’s like-named logo programs with computer manufacturers,

you’ll find new computers have the Windows Vista Capable logo, the Windows

Vista Premium Ready logo, or both. If your computer doesn’t have one of these

logos, it doesn’t mean Windows Vista won’t run on your computer. You can still

install Windows Vista as long as your computer meets the Windows Vista Capable

hardware requirements.

Other features of Windows Vista may require additional hardware. For example, to

watch or record live TV, your computer needs a tuner.

Navigating Windows Vista Editions

Continuing the trend started with Windows XP, Windows Vista combines the previ-

ously separate home and business products into a single product family. Unlike Win-

dows XP, Windows Vista editions aren’t organized by hardware type or processor

architecture. Instead, Windows Vista comes in several distinctly different editions,

including:

• Starter

• Home Basic

• Home Premium

• Business

• Enterprise

• Ultimate

Navigating Windows Vista Editions

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Each edition has a different set of features. Windows Starter Edition is a budget edi-

tion for emerging markets. Windows Vista Home Basic and Home Premium are the

standard editions for home users, and as such, they include various home entertain-

ment features. Windows Vista Business and Enterprise are the standard editions for

business users, and as such, they include various business and management features.

Windows Vista Ultimate is for those who want the best of both home and business

features.

You can quickly determine which version of Windows Vista you are using by clicking

Start

➝ Control Panel and then clicking Get Started with Windows under System and

Maintenance. As Figure 1-1 shows, this starts the Welcome Center. The Welcome Cen-

ter also runs at startup automatically, unless you clear the “Run at startup” checkbox.

When working with the various Windows Vista editions, keep the following in mind:

• While Windows XP had a separate edition for Media Center, Windows Vista

includes Media Center as a standard feature. Both Home Premium and Ultimate

include Media Center.

• While Windows XP had a separate edition for Tablet PCs, Windows Vista

includes support for Tablet PCs as a standard feature. Home Premium and

higher editions all support Tablet PCs.

Figure 1-1. Getting started using the Welcome Center