5 Reasons to Stick With Windows Vista

Plus, one big reason not to

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Updated on January 6, 2022

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Windows Vista was not Microsoft’s most-loved release. People look at Windows 7 with nostalgia, but you don't hear much love for Vista. Microsoft has mostly forgotten it, but Vista was a good, solid operating system with many things going for it. If you’re considering upgrading from Vista to Windows 7 or later, here are five reasons to stick with it (and one huge reason not to).

Microsoft ended support for Windows Vista in 2017. We recommend upgrading to Windows 10 or Windows 11.

Upgrading from Vista to a new Windows version requires a clean install. You have to purchase the new operating system or a computer that runs it already.

Vista Is Similar to Windows 7

Windows 7 is, at its core, Vista. The underlying engine is the same. Windows 7 adds a lot of polish and refinement to the fundamental Vista underpinnings. That doesn’t mean the two products are twins. Windows 7 is faster and easier to use, but they have most of the same parts under the hood.

Vista Is Secure

Vista is a secure, properly locked-down operating system. One of the innovations it introduced was User Account Control. Although a pain in the neck at first with its endless prompts, UAC was a considerable step up for security and was refined over time to be less annoying.

Application Compatibility Is Not a Problem

One of Vista's main problems from the outset was the way it broke many XP programs. Microsoft promised broad compatibility and didn't deliver until later. Still, updates and service packs eventually took care of most of those issues, and software companies finally updated their drivers until just about everything worked with Vista.

Vista Is Stable

Vista was used and tweaked for years all over the world. Microsoft discovered and corrected most of the problems, leading to a rock-solid OS that doesn’t often crash for most users.

Vista Saves Money

You cannot directly upgrade to Windows 7 from XP, meaning that the upgrades come from Vista. It may be hard for many to justify the increased cost for Windows 7 or later when Vista does many of the same things and does them well.

One Big Reason Not to Stick With Windows Vista

Microsoft ended Windows Vista support in 2017. That means there won't be any more Vista security patches or bug fixes and no more technical help. Operating systems that are no longer supported are more vulnerable to malicious attacks than newer operating systems.

Ready to upgrade? Here's how to do a clean install of Windows 11.

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