How to Upgrade an HP Pavilion to Vista

Whether your HP Pavilion can be upgraded to Windows Vista depends on your current operating system and hardware capabilities. Certain minimum requirements must be met to install Vista, including 15 gigabytes of free space on your hard drive and a CD-ROM drive to read the Vista installation CD. Once you have verified that you meet the prerequisites for upgrading to windows Vista, the actual process is rather simple and does not require many steps.

• 1

  Verify that your HP Pavilion computer is capable of supporting Vista before you begin installing it. See the Tips section below for the minimum requirements. Back up your important files and data to an external storage device such as a CD or flash drive before continuing.

• 2

  Connect to the Internet and then place the Vista installation CD in your optical drive. Wait for the setup wizard to auto-start. Click "Install Now" when the prompt appears. Then, click "Get important updates for installation" and click "Next."

• 3

  Enter your Windows Vista product key when prompted to do so and click "Next." Click "I accept the license terms" on the next page.

• 4

  Select "Upgrade" or "Custom (advanced)" when prompted for which type of installation you wish to install. Choose "Upgrade" to keep your old files or "Custom (advanced)" to perform a clean install.

• 5

  Wait for the installer to finish. Set your personal preferences once Vista has been fully installed on your HP Pavilion.