Windows Vista 
In January of 2007, Microsoft released Windows Vista which is their first full operating system update since Windows XP was released in 2001. For more information on Windows Vista, visit the Microsoft Vista website.
While this exciting new product offers many enhancements, there are no systems or applications at Brown that require the use of Vista. CIS does not yet recommend upgrading or purchasing computers with Vista for the following reasons:
- A properly configured Windows XP computer works just fine in our computing environment
- CIS is in the process of coordinating the receipt of software and drivers from a variety of vendors
- Unless your computer was recently purchased, it may not have sufficient resources to achieve desirable performance
- Many manufacturers do not yet offer Vista-certified software or drivers. Devices like printers and scanners may not work properly with Vista
When and how will Vista be supported?
We are pleased to announce a general support schedule that includes a limited level of support on June 15, full support for new computers by September and upgrade support in January 2008. If you are planning to take some actions as a result of this announcement, such as buying a new computer with Vista or upgrading your department's computers, please check with the DCC/Sysadmin in your department. They will have the most up-to-date understanding about the state of compatibility in your environment, including issues with desktop applications and administrative systems. On that note, the information about what works and what doesn't work is highly dynamic. Many of our vendors are working hard to test their software on Windows Vista, fixing any bugs. Currently, compatibility issues exist in many critical applications and systems, for example:
- Host Explorer (VM, PCICS, TSO, FRP, HRS, MAR, BRU, PARKING, SPA, ZSP, POP, PEN, Cashnet)
- Novell
If you still have questions, you can contact the CIS Help Desk. Note: CIS will continue to support Windows XP. This page will be updated as we have more information about the project schedule.
What do I need to do?
- Upgrading a computer that is currently running Windows XP is significantly more complicated than buying a new computer with Windows Vista. Please refrain from upgrading for now. The upgrade process may improve by January of 2008.
- Keep in mind that several people on campus will have Windows Vista in 2008.
Talk to your DCC or to CIS
The best practice is for departments to upgrade in a coordinated manner. CIS works closely with DCCs (Department Computing Coordinators) to be fully informed about best practices and issues regarding this software release. Your DCC can help your department to coordinate the upgrade. If you do not have a DCC, please consult the CIS Help Desk.
Which version is the best for our environment?
CIS will deploy Vista Enterprise to faculty and staff once Vista is supported.
Do not purchase the Home Basic or Home Premium version as functionality is very limited. Our network infrastructure is more complex than a home network, and options such as joining a domain are not available. Please refer to the Official CIS statement concerning any version of Vista: http://software.brown.edu/support/ossupport.html
Current state of compatibility
We are actively testing the Vista Operating System on software commonly used at Brown, especially those products that we support. We have also tested Vista on our standard hardware configurations. At this stage, we have found some incompatibilities with the software applications that we support and also found that the hardware requirements exceed many of the computers in use at Brown. Drivers for peripherals are only available from a limited number of vendors.
Internet Explorer 7
Most web browser applications that work with Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) for Windows XP will work similarly on IE7 for Vista. Browser-based applications testing for Windows Vista is nearly complete. The test results may be reviewed here.
If you need to use a browser-based application that does not work properly with IE7, try another web browser such as Firefox http://software.brown.edu/dist/tw-www.html
Should you experience problems with your browser-based application on IE7:
- Confirm that your browser is correctly configured per vendor specifications.
- Report unusual behavior to your DCC
- Report any workarounds to your DCC or to the Help Desk
For a complete listing of our testing result, please visit our Vista Compatibility page.
Microsoft has prepared a page that lists applications that are certified to work with Vista at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933305. In the upcoming months, many of our software vendors will be sending product updates to their products to make them compatible with Windows Vista.
Notes for early adopters
Do not connect a Windows Vista computer to Brown's network without antivirus software. Doing so violates Brown's Network Connection Policy. and exposes you to the risk of having your computer compromised by malicious code. We have a supported version of Symantec Antivirus which works on Windows Vista available at http://software.brown.edu/dist/tw-av.html.
If you must use Vista now, CIS recommends using 32-bit Vista Business or Ultimate editions. (Ultimate has all of the features available in the Enterprise Edition.) Vista Home Premium may be acceptable for students and home users, but there are limitations for departments and students needing to use resources in departments. Home Premium does NOT support domain login.
Recommended minimum hardware baseline
- at least a 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 (or compatible) processor
- 1 GB of RAM or higher
- 60 GB hard disk or higher
- 64 MB video RAM or higher
Note! When running Windows Vista, the more RAM and video RAM you have available, the better your experience will be.
If you would like to see if your computer meets system requirements, run the Windows Upgrade Advisor.