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Introduction

Windows Vista Home Basic is the edition of Windows for basic home computing needs. If you only want to use your PC for tasks like browsing the Internet, using e-mail, or viewing photos, then Windows Vista Home Basic may be the right edition for you. While it won't provide as many benefits as Windows Vista Home Premium, it will help you use your PC more easily and more safely than you could with Windows XP.

The first thing you'll notice about Windows Vista Home Basic is how easy it is to find the programs and files you're looking for. The instant desktop search feature looks across all of your documents, e-mails, photos, and other files, organizing the results in the way that you want to view them. When coupled with the built-in web search of Windows Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista, you'll spend less time looking for the things that you need and more time on the activities that you care about.

With automatic defenses against malicious software and fraudulent websites, Windows Vista Home Basic enables you and your family to use your computer with greater confidence. Plus, parents can use built-in controls to help ensure their children's computer use is protected and appropriate.

Windows Vista Home Basic makes it easier than ever to set up your new PC, with features that easily transfer all of your data and settings from your old PC to your new one. What's more, you can have peace of mind for years to come with technology that keeps your system running quickly and reliably over time.

Simply put, Windows Vista Home Basic provides you with just the essentials you need for home computing.

Features

	Features	Home Basic	Home Premium	Business	Ultimate
Security & Manageability	Windows Defender	X	X	X	X
	Domain Join			X	X
	Improved User Account Control	X	X	X	X
	Group Policy			X	X
	Encrypting File System			X	X
	Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption				X
Reliability	System Image Backup			X	X
	Windows ShadowCopy backup			X	X
	Data backup and restore	X	X	X	X
	Built-in diagnostics tools			X	X
Setup & Compatibility	Windows Easy Transfer	X	X	X	X
	Subsystem for Unix-based applications				X
Search & Organize	RSS feed support in Internet Explorer 7	X	X	X	X
	Windows Aero - new, efficient and attractive user interface		X	X	X
	New ways to organize your information	X	X	X	X
	Instant Search	X	X	X	X
Easy & Effective	Small Business Resources online information and tools			X	X
	Windows Photo Gallery	X	X	X	X
	Windows Fax and Scan			X	X
Performance	Windows ReadyBoost	X	X	X	X
Mobile PC	Tablet PC capabilities		X	X	X
	Windows Mobility Center	X	X	X	X
	Sync Center	X	X	X	X
	Remote Desktop client and host			X	X
	Windows Meeting Space collaboration tool		X	X	X
	Windows SideShow		X	X	X
Networking	Network diagnostics and troubleshooting	X	X	X	X
	Improved wireless networking	X	X	X	X
	Support for new wireless security protocols	X	X	X	X
	Ability to easily set up a network projector		X	X	X
	Offline file and folders			X	X
	Client-side caching			X	X

Recommended System Requirements

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.

Minimum Supported Requirements

Certain product features are not available with minimum supported requirements.