On October 22, 2009, Microsoft made available to consumers worldwide their new operating system called Windows 7, the successor to Windows Vista. While this new product offers several enhancements and features to the Windows computing interface, at this time there are no systems or applications at Princeton that require the use of Windows 7.

The following information was used for the OIT migration and implementation project to Windows Vista across campus. Please use it for reference purposes only. As the Windows 7 project team formulates correlating information for Windows 7, it will be updated here.

Vista Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Should I upgrade my computer to Vista?
2. What are the OIT minimum hardware recommendations for Vista?
3. What are the computer vendor minimum hardware recommendations?
4. Tools to determine hardware compatibility for your computer
5. What version of Vista should I have installed if I'm buying a new computer now?
6. What version of Vista can I buy through the University?
7. What is the timeline for rolling out Vista to DeSC computers on campus?
8. When can I expect Vista support from OIT?
9. What training opportunities will OIT offer?
10. Antivirus Software: How to install McAfee on your Windows Vista computer
11. Vista: Help files (.hlp extensions) do not work and are no longer supported

Should I upgrade my computer to Vista?
Please read the next section about OIT minimum hardware recommendations before considering an upgrade to Vista. In many instances, for the full Vista Aero experience, a recently purchased computer is required. Please make the decision carefully, and if necessary, obtain input from an OIT technical support representative.

• Unless your computer is a recently purchased model, it may not have sufficient resources to achieve desirable performance. OIT minimum hardware recommendations for running Vista can be found below.
• Many manufacturers do not yet offer Vista-certified software and drivers, including peripheral devices like printers and scanners, which may fail to work with Vista.
• Depending on the manufacturer of your computer and its hardware limitations, support may be on a "best effort" basis during OIT integration of Vista into the Princeton computing environment.

What are the minimum hardware recommendations for Vista?
For acceptable performance for users who mainly use their computers for Internet browsing, using Microsoft Office, sending e-mail, and listening to music, the following are computer hardware minimum recommendations:

• A Dell Optiplex GX280; Dell Latitude D610; Lenovo X41 notebook and tablet
• 1 Ghz Intel Pentium M, Core Duo, Core 2 Duo; or AMD Athlon 64, Turion 64
• 1GB of RAM
• 128 MB ATI or nVidia graphics card (or integrated video)
• 40 GB hard drive
• CD-R/RW/DVD combo drive
• Some models may or may not be able to run the Aero interface. Refer to the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor tool results for more information.

For optimal performance and those who want to take advantage of the full Vista experience (including the new Aero desktop interface), the following are the hardware minimum recommendations:

• A Dell Optiplex GX 520, GX620 or 745 desktop; Dell Latitude D420, D520, D620, or D820 notebook; Lenovo T43, X60, T60 notebook with the specs below (if specs are lower, experience may be that of the minimum HW requirements above).
• Intel Pentium M, Core Duo, Core 2 Duo; or AMD Athlon 64, Turion 64
• 2GB RAM
• 256 MB ATI or nVidia graphics card
• 80 GB hard drive
• CD-R/RW/DVD combo drive

Vendor minimum hardware recommendations and tools to determine hardware compatibility

• Microsoft
• Dell
• Lenovo

Note: For Dell computers, it is recommended that both the Microsoft upgrade advisor tool and the Dell Vista Assessment tool be run as they both supply good information.

When can I expect Vista support from OIT?
Full support of the Windows Vista operating system began on July 11, 2007. For a breakdown of how OIT will be supporting Vista see: kb.princeton.edu/9883.

What Vista training opportunities will OIT offer?
Informative workgroup sessions for the entire campus community will begin during the first week of June, and will run three per month through the summer. Formal hands-on end user training will begin in September. Times and dates will be posted on the www.princeton.edu/training web site. Beginning in January of 2008, OIT will begin the extensive effort of upgrading all DeSC computers to Vista and Office 2007.

Additional Help
Early adopters of Vista at Princeton are invited to collaborate regarding their finding at blogs.princeton.edu/vista - you will be asking to authenticate with your University netID and password. If you have any questions or comments, please contact your local support provider or the OIT Help Desk at 285-HELP, or helpdesk@princeton.edu.

Related Links:

• Microsoft Office 2007: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)