Upgrade to a new OS without problems

The problem with upgrading an older system to a new operating system, such as Vista, is that the software that makes your hardware work with your computer, known as a driver, may not be compatible with the new OS.

I recently installed Windows Home Server to an older computer and quickly found out that the drivers for my Ethernet connections, wireless card, and USB ports all needed to be updated.

1Make sure you have your computer's original install disk. The hardware drivers will often be located on the disk. Check to see if they are compatible with the new OS you are installing. This may involved looking up driver information online.

2If the drivers aren't compatible, go to the manufacture's website and download any updated drivers. Burn the new drivers to a CD so you can install then after you've upgraded to the new OS.

3After you have installed your new operating system, go to the computer's control panel, which is usually located in the Start menu. Double-click on the system icon and select the hardware tab. Then click on the button labelled device manager. The next screen that will appear will show you all the hardware on your computer. Any hardware with a yellow exclamation point or question mark will need to have its driver updated. Good luck.