Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Step1
Check if your computer is capable of running Windows Vista. To make this easy, Microsoft has a Vista Upgrade Advisor on their website that can tell you if your PC is ready for Vista. Unplug all external devices, including your USB devices. Download and run the Vista Upgrade Advisor (see resources).
Step2
Choose which version of Vista you want after you have determined it will work with your PC. Windows Vista Home Basic is for basic needs like Internet browsing, sending and receiving e-mails and viewing photos. Vista Home Premium includes the Media Center so that you can have fun with movies, music and photos. Windows Vista Business is a good choice for small businesses.
Step3
Decide on Windows Vista Ultimate if you need all the features included in the other three versions. Vista Ultimate is the most complete of the four; it is the Home Premium version paired with the Vista Business version. This will give you both the business capabilities along with tools for entertainment and pleasure.
Step4
Purchase and download your chose version of Vista by visiting the Windows Marketplace website (see resources). You can see pictures of the Vista editions on this website. Simply click on the picture of the one you want.
Step5
Click either the "Add to Cart" or the "Buy and Ship" button to go through the purchase process. Choosing the Digital Locker Download will allow you to download the product online. Alternatively, you can choose Buy and Ship and your software will be mailed to you.