Windows Vista Business

The definitive choice for your business—today and tomorrow

Windows Vista Business is the first Windows operating system designed specifically to meet the needs of small businesses. You can help your business to work more efficiently with the improved, simple-to-use interface, which helps you find the information you need quickly and easily, on a PC or on the Web. With powerful new safety features, you're in control and can protect the key information that is important to your business and that builds the trust of your customers.

And, for growing businesses, the mobile computing enhancements make it easy to stay connected, both in and out of the office. Windows Vista Business can help 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 easy 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.

Note: If your system features a 64-bit processor, you can take advantage of its advanced design in this edition of Windows Vista. Read more.

Getting it done just got easier

Find information easily. Instant Search helps you locate information on your PC—even within e-mail. Also, use the save functionality in the new Search Folders feature to run your favorite searches with a single click.

Improved Explorers help you organize things your way. You can organize your content based on file properties, such as "tags," so you can easily find them later—no matter where you've saved them on your PC.

You can more conveniently share your work with co-workers on your network. With a simple file-sharing tool, you can choose only the people with whom you want to share files.

Enhanced Windows Fax and Scan provides flexible, integrated faxing and scanning in one location on your PC.

Work in a more simple and intuitive way. With the Windows Aero user experience, which includes glass-like visuals, you can easily navigate open files and programs.

Get the most from digital images and video. Easy-to-use tools within Windows Photo Gallery help you retrieve, view, and edit photos for your business or Web site—without costly outsourcing.

Built-in peace of mind

Use Windows Complete PC Backup and Restore to back up critical documents, files, system files, and programs—everything on your hard disk drives—to the device of your choice.

Shadow copy automatically archives previous versions of your files. If you accidentally save a change to a document, or if a document becomes corrupted, you can easily recover by restoring a previous version of the document.

Encrypting File System helps protect sensitive information and data from being shared outside of your company by allowing you to password protect shared documents.

Help protect your PCs before they're infiltrated. Windows Defender detects, cleans, and blocks spyware and other unwanted software.

Better protect your PCs. Allow most users to run as standard users with User Account Control.

Provide the critical first line of defense. A smarter, more easily configured, and automatically running Windows Firewall helps protect you against many types of malicious software.

Help keep your PCs up to date with a genuine, licensed copy of Windows Vista Business that will provide you with automatic updates throughout the life of your PC through the enhanced Windows Update feature.

Ready to grow when you are

Get new PCs up and running right away. Quickly transfer data and settings from your old PCs to newly purchased PCs running Windows Vista, with the help of Windows Easy Transfer.

Spend less time managing your PCs. User Account Control and enhanced Group Policy capabilities allow you to simplify network administration tasks so you can protect, update, and maintain your company's PCs.

Manage your network easily. Use Network Center to check the connection status of PCs and devices, and troubleshoot connection problems from a single interface and without additional IT support.

Windows Vista Business is ready to grow when you are, supporting connectivity with servers and domains in multiple PC environments.

Your workplace unplugged

Conduct business when and where it's convenient. Use Remote Desktop Connection to access your PC remotely, whether across your company network or through the Internet from your home PC.

Keep your information synchronized. With Sync Center, you can synchronize PDAs, mobile phones, and other devices all from one place.

Manage mobile settings with ease. With Windows Mobility Center, you can quickly adjust wireless status, display and presentation settings, and power options for maximizing battery life—all from one easy-to-find location.

Collaborate with others by using Windows Meeting Space to create ad hoc wireless networks when you're meeting with colleagues or customers.

The Network Center helps you recognize and automatically connect to wireless networks and network devices, such as displays and projectors.

Enjoy Tablet PC enhancements that include better pen navigation and the new touch screen experience that lets you control, navigate, and enter information with your fingertips.

Windows Vista Business
Recommended system requirements

• 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

• 1 GB of system memory

• 40 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space

• Support for DirectX 9 graphics with:

  • WDDM Driver

  • 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum)

  • Pixel Shader 2.0 in hardware

  • 32 bits per pixel

• DVD-ROM drive

• Audio Output

• Internet access (fees may apply)

Additional requirements to use certain features

• Windows Tablet and Touch Technology requires a Tablet PC or a touch screen

Actual requirements and product functionality might vary, based on your system configuration. Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor can help you determine which features and edition of Windows Vista will run on your computer.

Windows Vista Business
Minimum supported system requirements

Certain product features are not available with minimum supported requirements.

• 800 MHz processor and 512 MB of system memory

• 20 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space

• Support for Super VGA graphics

• CD-ROM drive