Manage updates with the Download AppWindows Vista Business
Manufacturer: Microsoft Part number: 66J-00002
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Windows Vista Business is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.
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CNET editors' review
Windows Vista Business price range: $65.00 - $123.15
- Reviewed by: Robert Vamosi
- Reviewed on: 01/24/2007
- Released on: 01/30/2007
The good: Windows Vista Business does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; and Windows Vista offers better built-in support options.
The bad: Windows Vista Business does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); no BitLocker drive encryption; no DVD Maker; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista.
The bottom line: Windows Vista Business is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.
User reviews
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Absolutely horrible
by jeffrayhsieh on October 17, 2007
Pros: The 'cool' box it comes in
Cons: unstable, annoying permissions,
Summary: Between my daily crashes and regularly losing my emails as they're being written, what really sent me over the edge was being asked 30 times on whether or not ...
Summary: Between my daily crashes and regularly losing my emails as they're being written, what really sent me over the edge was being asked 30 times on whether or not I would 'allow' for an application to be installed. Die in a fire microsoft.
Updated
I have to add that I've lost an average of 20 minutes a day in productivity due to the this OS. I'm going back to XP SP2.... -
Got Vista now my hardware doesnt work
by krysium on August 20, 2007
Pros: Looks neato
Cons: hardly any peripherals work with it
Summary: I am very disappointed in the performance of Vista business. I bought it on a good discount through my college. I am a professor who built my own computer for ...
Summary: I am very disappointed in the performance of Vista business. I bought it on a good discount through my college. I am a professor who built my own computer for recording and altering video files for class. The two main pieces of hardware I need are my PCI tv tuner, and my DVD burner. The ATI tuner wont work at all and no new updates are forthcoming, and NERO doesnt work. NERO wants me to buy their newest version so that I can keep burning to DVD.
So basically I built a new computer and upgraded my to Vista because they are stopping support for xp. But I had to build a backup from my old computer to do the actual work that I just built a new computer to do. In the end I am still doing most of my multimedia work on my old machine now thanks to microsoft. -
Slow to load fast to crash.
by charliemelinda on July 16, 2007
Pros: There are no pros.
Cons: Everything.
Summary: The worst OS I have ever used. Not for the average computer user. Maybe not for anyone. I am currently out of the country, when I return to the states ...
Summary: The worst OS I have ever used. Not for the average computer user. Maybe not for anyone. I am currently out of the country, when I return to the states I will have Vista completely deleted from my computer and will find Windows XP somewhere and have it installed. If Vista cannot be completely deleted I will file this Dell computer in File 13.
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Windows Actually Did Get Better, But Still Annoying
by rsvirani on July 13, 2007
Pros: Graphics & Effects, Performace, Better Advanced Features, User Account Control
Cons: RAM Hungry, Windows Media Indexes Every Folder You Browse & Slows You Down, Too Many Processes Running
Summary: Vista is better than XP. However, it requires a better hardware setup, as with any OS iteration. However, it still does not perform well enough with mediocre hardware. With so ...
Summary: Vista is better than XP. However, it requires a better hardware setup, as with any OS iteration. However, it still does not perform well enough with mediocre hardware. With so many processes running, it is as if Vista was designed only for Multi Core systems with Gigs of RAM. This should not have been the case for at least Vista Business. You cannot expect professionals to upgrade hardware to unnecessary specs just to accommodate a new OS. Also, Vista Business should have been written in such a way that if fully (100%) supports any program written for XP. Software vendors are not rewriting for Vista now, and there are not going to later. Vista has no place in the business world, and that is sad. Professionals will be stuck with more years of XP, and its flaws & instability. Home users will enjoy Vista, but they are being tempted to OS X and Ubuntu. I guess we'll see how things pan out. At the end of the day, Software vendors for Enterprise Applications indirectly control what OS we use, and that is a fact. If they don't like Vista, we won't see it.
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No complaints so far
by AXG on April 14, 2007
Pros: Fast, GUI is very attractive
Cons: None that I could find so far
Summary: I upgraded the HP DV6000t laptop to Windows Vista Business about a month ago. So far I have not any major issues. Somethings to keep in mind:
a) When installing ...Summary: I upgraded the HP DV6000t laptop to Windows Vista Business about a month ago. So far I have not any major issues. Somethings to keep in mind:
a) When installing Vista, the user account you first create is an administrative account. It is advisable to not use administrative account for daily use. Once you are done installing Vista and all initial software, create a standard user account for yourself. Use this account as your main account for using Vista. I made the mistake of using the administrative to configure my e-mail and browser settings. After all, I was using administrative account in XP also. This proved to be a mistake. With the new UAC, Vista is modeled after Unix/Linux kind of OS. The administrative account should be used only for software installs etc. Whne I created the standard user account for myself, I had to migrate all my settings from one account to another.
b) Make sure that you have Vista drivers for all hardware. You will save a lot of trouble.
c) Always do a fresh/clean install of Vista.
d) I don't know why Microsoft has done it but I find it very irritating. When I open Explorer, I see a folder with my account name. Under this folder, there are folders like Documents (this is actually a replacement for My Documents), Downloads, Favorites etc. However, there are some folders which look like links or shortcuts. When I click on them, I get "access denied" error. If Microsoft did not want me to access these folders, why show them? These are very confusing and their functionality is not clear.
d) The videos on cnet.com do not play under Vista when using IE with protected mode on. However, if i keep moving the mouse cursor, the videos will keep playing. Moment I stop moving the mouse cursor, the videos stop playing. I do not know why this is happening.
Other than these minor observations, I am satisfied with Vista performance. I get same battery life with Vista as I used to get with XP. Maybe I am just lucky but I never had any issues with Vista. Maybe it is because the HP laptop was designed with Vista in mind. -
minor problems
by stew916 on March 23, 2007
Pros: very smooth OS
Cons: Vendors not prepared
Summary: I built this comp. in DEC. of 2006, not really having Vista on my mind. was running XP Pro SP/2 1.81GHZ Sempron, 1GB memory, ATI Radeon 550 card ...
Summary: I built this comp. in DEC. of 2006, not really having Vista on my mind. was running XP Pro SP/2 1.81GHZ Sempron, 1GB memory, ATI Radeon 550 card nothing great, Not a real kick your A!! comp. but fairly good! Had an upgrade redemption form for Vista Buisness and sent it in, recieved it a week ago, was not going to install after all the horror stories I have read about vista. But since the worst that could happen would have to reformat and go back to XP, if Vista did not work on my comp. while running XP, HP software hated me as well as kodak nothing but problems. Tried all up dates patches and what knots, just hated XP. Pretty cool building a comp. and cant use your programs LOL Since the upgrade, WOW what a difference, all works great but ATI software and nero 6.. Mem at 1Gb runs about 43% 585 to 600 Mb free Areo is to cool the whole OS of vista very smooth and very impressive to me!!I guess I am lucky with only two problems that can be repaired easly. Just goes to show, dont believe what all talk about and dont like. Sure Vista is not comp. with old computers but they are history anymore. I would reccomend Vista to all that have a fairly new computer.
Neil -
Amazing performance with low configration.
by atrik23 on March 2, 2007
Pros: perfect for business users
Cons: fantastic graphics and superior programming
Summary: I installed Vista Business in my HP pavillian dv5220us laptop. It worked perfectly.
First at all I am impressed with its non freezing performance. I run about seven programmes at ...Summary: I installed Vista Business in my HP pavillian dv5220us laptop. It worked perfectly.
First at all I am impressed with its non freezing performance. I run about seven programmes at a time, but with just 1 GB ram it works perfectly and with enough speed.
Another great feature which I like is automatic diver and also software installation. When u install a new hardware to pc it will search for driver in pc and over internet if it doesnt found it will contact directly manufacture and whole software bundle will be downloaded as windows update.
Vista uses the minimum RAM from the system, unlinke XP it runs just two or three processes from system that runs whole computer very smoothly.
The next thing I noticed is that while copying or moving data it shows accurate time, unlike XP that copying or moving will be finished in exact timing which that shows.
In case of security it has amazing wireless home network management software and fantastic firewall which is hard to break by hackers. And in my suggesion if u keep the pc updated regularly, u will not need any antivirus programme.
It shows sond settings for each software,so u can setup different volume level for every software.
Graphic management is also nice. My pc shows fantastic performance on just 128 MB intel intergrated graphics. The aero style is really attractive and it uses very less video memory with higher performance.Side bar and gadgets are useful and genuine.
The direct document preview feature is also very helpful.
When u start the pc,CPU will do all must require tasks, but it gives the user a first priority, so system runs very smoothly. Thats the most appritiative feature.
Almost all XP softwares runs with vista.(if u have updated the vista) -
Windows Vista Rocks
by mrmime on February 21, 2007
Pros: Beatiful user interface,
Cons: Some Bugs need to be fixed
Summary: hey this operating is a great improvement over windows xp, yet it still has some bugs that need to get fixed, but as of right now. i am very happy ...
Summary: hey this operating is a great improvement over windows xp, yet it still has some bugs that need to get fixed, but as of right now. i am very happy with this product. and for those apple haters if apple was making their operating system available for all pc users. people would be having the same hardware problems microsoft is experiencing or even worse so please keep your stupid comments to yourself.
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Good product
by redkardinal1 on February 10, 2007
Pros: Stable enough to use
Cons: Not all software programs will run with Vista still.
Summary: Windows Vista is stable and easy to use. If you follow there upgrade wizard you should have no problem installing product. Make sure to investigate the software programs you use ...
Summary: Windows Vista is stable and easy to use. If you follow there upgrade wizard you should have no problem installing product. Make sure to investigate the software programs you use most frequently to see that they will be compatible with Vista. Had to spend $350.00 to make sure Quickbooks would work with Vista. Graphics are a great improvement from XP. All in all I am impressed with the stability range of new social networking improvements added to Vista. I give it a 7.
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worth the upgrade
by spazzyjazzy on February 2, 2007
Pros: much faster and more reliable than xp; features
Cons: security pop ups may be a little annoying; total cost may be too much for some
Summary: I recently put together a new computer running a dual core AMD Athlon 64 4200+ and a fairly decent nvidia graphics card. I decided to try and see how vista ...
Summary: I recently put together a new computer running a dual core AMD Athlon 64 4200+ and a fairly decent nvidia graphics card. I decided to try and see how vista would run on this computer and I was surprised at how smoothly everything went. The upgrade from XP to Vista went smoothly and finished in less than an hour. All my programs and files transferred over saving me the trouble of reinstalling everything. The Aero graphics engine is a nice upgrade from the old xp style and is appealing to the eyes. The change to the explorer and path bar is much simpler and easier to use than XP. Almost all of my programs worked with the exception of my ancient networking card which was easily replaced with a 10 dollar gigabit card. Vista is definitely a step up from XP in terms of use and reliability, but some annoying features and monetary issues may keep people from upgrading.
Windows Vista comes in a variety of flavors from Basic to Ultimate Edition. I would suggest going with the Home Premium Edition to get the most out of your money. In the months before Vista came out there was a stir that its steep hardware requirements were just too much for some too handle. While this may be true for those who have computers that should be upgraded anyways, most can do very well with just upgrading their RAM to 1gb or better.
Now to address the downfalls. Since this is a new OS and not many vendors have updated their drivers for Vista, some may find that their old hardware may not work correctly or at all in Vista. If you are worried about your stuff crapping out in Vista then I suggest waiting a few months before upgrading to give some time for the Vista drivers to show up. Most XP drivers work with Vista so there isn't too much to worry about anyways. The only other annoyance I had with Vista were the continual security pop-ups before any software was installed or changes made to system settings. Though this is a good form of security and helps the user know exactly what they are about to do, most will find this an annoying feature that just adds another extra step to certain processes. There are ways to turn these alerts off but Vista comes with them turned on.
Other than those few things I find Vista to be a very viable upgrade from XP and worth the money.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Microsoft
- Part number: 66J-00002
- Description: Windows Vista Business is the first Windows operating system designed specifically to meet the needs of small businesses. You'll empower your entire business to work more efficiently with a stunning and improved, simple-to-use interface that makes it easier to search and find the information you need quickly and easily, both on your PCs and on the web. With powerful new safety features, you're in control and can better protect the key information that is the life of your business and that builds the trust of your customers. And, for the growing business that always seems to be on the go, the mobile computing enhancements make it easier to stay connected to the rhythm of your business, both in and out of the office. Windows Vista Business makes all of this work for you while helping you spend less time on technology support-related issues - so you can spend more time making your business successful. Windows Vista Business simply makes it easier to manage how your employees connect to your network and to ensure that they get more out of their PCs, both in and out of the office. Be future-ready and lay the IT foundation that your business needs for today and tomorrow.
General
- Packaged Quantity 1
- Operating System Microsoft Windows Vista Business
- Language(s) English
- License pricing Standard
- Localization English
Operating System
- License Type Complete package
- License Qty 1 PC
- License Pricing Standard
- Media DVD-ROM
- Package Type Retail
System Requirements
- Min Processor Type Intel x86 - 1 GHz
- Min RAM Size 1 GB
- Min Hard Drive Space 40 GB
- Peripheral / Interface Devices Sound card,
DirectX 9.0 compatible graphics card,
DVD-ROM,
128 MB video memory,
Internet connection
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Microsoft products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Microsoft
- Address:
One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052 - Phone: 1-425-882-8080
- Fax: 1-425-706-7329
