Vista Beta 2 - A few questions about the install

[Guest]

I am about to install Vista Beta 2 from the CD and have a few questions.

1. Upgrade / Separate Install

In the installation notes there is the following sentence: - ".....This
pre-release version of Windows Vista will only support installation upgrade
from Windows XP....."

Does this mean that one has to upgrade XP? I did not want to do that. I
wanted to install Vista in a separate partition and run it totally
independently from XP. When you start the install from the CD does the UI
provide for either an upgrade or a separate install?

2. 32-bit & 64-bit

I would like to install both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions (in separate
partitions) with a view to determining software support in both. Can both
versions be installed simultaneously on the same disk? If "yes" will the
Vista boot loader be able to see all installed OS's (XP-32; Vista-32;
Vista-64) and provide these 3 options for booting? (If possible I DON'T want
to install a separate 3rd-party boot manager).

3. 64-bit driver support

Is there a link to supported hardware under 64-bit? If one's graphic card
was not supported that could result in a little problem

4. Walk-through

I would like to "walk-through" the installation before actually doing it. Is
there a link to a step-by-step walk-through?

5. AntiVirus & Firewall

Most of the "big-name" AV vendors are not supporting Vista 64-bit as yet.
Are there any reliable vendors who are providing a satisfactory AV product
for Vista 64-bit?

I assume Vista has a built-in Firewall like XP?


Thanks for your time and advice.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

Keep in mind that the terminology has changed.

A "clean installation" of Vista is done by Setup laying down an image and
then installing device drivers. All installations of Vista are clean
installations.

"Upgrade" is a clean installation of Vista followed by a reinstallation of
the programs and files you were running on XP. Setup moves programs and
files out of the area on the hard drive to be used for the Vista istallation
and then lays down an image, installs devices, and then installs your
programs and places your files. This is a change from the meaning of
"upgrade" in previous versions of Windows. An image file was not used.
You cannot upgrade to the x64 edition. (Unlike previous versions of
Windows, an upgrade takes quite a bit longer than a custom installation.)

"Custom" is a clean installation of Vista that wipes the hard drive first
and so does not preserve anything from your previous Windows system. This
is the old meaning of "clean installation." This is the only way to install
x64.

It makes no difference how you install Vista, upgrade or custom, as far as
the quality of the resulting Vista installation is concerned, but it makes a
lot of difference if you upgrade and you do not pay close attention to the
compatibility report Setup gives you prior to proceeding with the upgrade.

Follow Jimmy's advice on using a separate drive.

 

[Chad Harris]

You should also check out Extended 64 as you work with Vista 64--good
resource.



Extended64 | http://www.extended64.com

Windows Connected | http://www.windowsconnected.com
Blog | http://www.extended64.com/blogs/andre
http://spaces.msn.com/members/adacosta

CH