Windows Vista Business
If you own or run a small business, Windows Vista Business can help meet your needs. You can better protect the key information that your business depends on and that your customers trust you to keep confidential. Your employees can use its enhanced mobility technology to stay connected in and out of the office. They will find information more easily and collaborate better using this edition's search and organization features. And you will spend less time on technology support issues with the network management features in Windows Vista Business.
Easy
Work more efficiently
Windows Vista Business helps you navigate your open files and programs. You won't have to open a window or file to see what's in it because live taskbar thumbnails and Live Icons will show you. And you can conveniently arrange and manage your open windows to find the one you need with Windows Flip and Flip 3D.
Windows Aero helps you locate the window you need.
Spend less time looking
You can find the files and programs on your PC with a few keystrokes by using the search boxes. We call it Instant Search, and it should mean the end of your hunting days. For example, to quickly find the fifth draft of that budget report or the ninth draft of that grant proposal, just start typing in the Search box on the Start menu.
Instant Search displays results you type.
If there's a search you do often, you can save it with the Search Folders feature. Let's say you frequently need to find all the information you have about a customer named Acme. Just save your search, and then run it later to get results from all the content on your PC that includes the word Acme.
Search Folders help you save search criteria to use again.
Cruise through your day
The Explorers in Windows Vista provide consistent, streamlined menus, toolbars, and preview panes to help you view and find information and resources such as documents, photos, devices, and Internet content.
You can sort and filter information based on file type, saved date, or the name of the file creator, no matter where you may have saved it. Watch this demo to see how Windows Vista helps you organize and find information.
More ways it's easier:
Share your work with coworkers using the Sharing command on the Explorer Command Bar. You can choose names of people on your network and they can access your files.
Perform and manage all your faxing and scanning from one location with Windows Fax and Scan. Plus, support for multiple user accounts means no more generic faxes from your business because several employees sharing a single computer can log on to it and send their own faxes.
Retrieve, view, and edit photos for your business or website with tools in Windows Photo Gallery—and possibly save the expense of hiring a special vendor.
Safe
Built-in security features
Windows Vista Business helps you affordably safeguard your information, privacy, and PC security.
The Windows Backup and Restore Center provides a comprehensive backup experience in one convenient place and gives you a choice between Automatic Backup and Complete PC Backup.
The Windows Backup and Restore Center.
You can quickly retrieve and restore a previous version of a document if it becomes corrupted or is accidentally deleted. Shadow Copy automatically creates and archives copies of files as you work. To do this, right-click a single file or a whole folder and select Restore. You can also preview a read-only version of each file to determine the one you need.
If you're concerned about sensitive information and data being shared outside of your company, you can use the Encrypting File System to password-protect shared documents.
Windows Firewall helps provide protection as soon as your computers are turned on.
Add further protection with Windows Defender, which not only detects, removes, and alerts you to suspicious software but also automatically updates its definitions of spyware to keep up with constantly evolving threats.
Windows Defender helps you avoid unwanted software.
You can also lessen the risk that employees will install unauthorized software and make unapproved system changes. When you set up separate standard user accounts with User Account Control, the system will prompt users for the administrator account password if they attempt to make harmful changes to their PCs.
Windows Security Center helps you monitor security components such as your firewall, Automatic Updates, antivirus solutions, Internet security settings, and even security products from multiple companies.
Be ready
Ready to grow
Windows Vista Business gives your small business PCs a good foundation for growth. Along with being easy for you to set up and manage, the computers can be easily moved onto a larger network if necessary.
And when you're trying to grow, the last thing employees need to be doing is spending a lot of time setting up their new PCs. Windows Easy Transfer helps employees transfer data and settings from your old PCs to newly purchased PCs.
Make the move to a new PC with Windows Easy Transfer.
There are also features that help make networking easier, safer, and more reliable. And with the Network and Sharing Center, you have a central place to visually check the connection status of PCs and devices and troubleshoot connection problems without additional IT support.
You can also simplify network administration tasks with User Account Control and enhanced Group Policy capabilities that help you protect, update, and maintain your company's PCs.
Windows Vista Business is ready to grow when you are, supporting connectivity with servers and domains in multiple PC environments.
Getting connected
Your workplace unplugged
If your small business relies on mobile PCs, you'll appreciate the features that help you get connected and in sync.
When you use Remote Desktop Connection, you can access your PC remotely, whether across your company network or through the Internet from your home PC. The Sync Center helps you manage synchronization between PCs, between PCs and servers, and between PCs and devices.
You can check your battery status and manage other mobile settings in one place with Windows Mobility Center. You can also adjust wireless status, display and presentation settings, and power options for maximizing battery life.
Windows Mobility Center is where you can adjust settings for your laptop and other mobile devices.
Windows Meeting Space helps your employees collaborate and share files. You can create ad hoc wireless networks when you're meeting with small groups of colleagues or customers who are Windows Vista users. Discovering and joining sessions is easy with the built-in Sessions Near Me feature.
Work with other people using Windows Meeting Space.
You can use the Network and Sharing Center to recognize and connect to wireless networks and network devices, such as displays and projectors.
If you use a Tablet PC for your mobile computing on the job, you'll appreciate Tablet PC pen navigation and touch screen experience that lets you control, navigate, and enter information with your fingers.
Learn more about how Windows Vista Business can help your small business.
System requirements
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:
DVD-ROM drive
Audio output
Internet access (fees may apply)
Additional requirements to use certain features
Actual requirements and product functionality may 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.
While all editions of Windows Vista can support multiple core CPUs, only Windows Vista Business, Ultimate, and Enterprise can support dual processors.
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
Compare system requirements across the editions.