From PC (XP) to laptop (Windows Vista Ultimate Edition)

Currently I have PC running XP but I am waiting the delivery today of a new laptop with the operating system Windows Vista Ultimate Edition. Jumping ahead, past the set-up process and updates, it is my intention of downloading the latest edition of Firefox as this is something I have been using of late, and wish to continue. Is there anything anyone would like to advise at this stage please?.

Downgrade the new PC to XP and only re-install Vista when SP2 is available

any particular reason and what is SP2?

SP2 = Service Pack 2

Plenty of people are using Vista - the downgrade is probably only worth it for a small number of people, if just a normal email/web browsing person then Vista should do fine.

A lot of people are having various problems with Vista and companies are still buying PCs with XP. For example Dell will supply a new PC with XP loaded and a VISTA CD to allow you to upgrade at the right time. Have a read around in various forums and you will see plenty of comments.

SP2 is Service Pack 2 which will contain all the bug fixes and upgrades ... it will appear sometime in the future.

Obviously, you may find it works fine for you and if you are not confident of doing such a change, then do not risk it.

Companies will still be buying XP as they are waiting on IT departments to get all their apps to run under Vista, or just big company inertia

One useful application that is in XP and Vista is the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard. That will let you copy all of your personal settings from your old PC to the new one automatically.

In XP it can be found:

Programmes
Accessories
System Tools
Files and Settings Transfer Wizard

I think corporates are holding off because the cost of change to Vista is huge with little perceived benefit in return, despite what Microsoft say. I think many will skip Vista entirely and wait for Windows 7 which is only supposed to be a year or two away anyway.

Regards,
Steve

Corporates move slowly with good reason...there are hundreds of often bespoke applications that need rewriting, users to train, machines to upgrade...and as you say there is very little benefit until support is withdrawn from the OS.

My largest client has just started their upgrade from Win2K to WinXP....as they have 15,000 machines to upgrade the decision to do this was not taken lightly.

and as you say there is very little benefit until support is withdrawn from the OS.

In my experience that is the main driver for any sort of OS or application upgrade in the corporate world. Corporates don't usually need cutting edge features and only upgrade when the vendor pulls support for older versions.

Regards,
Steve