Updated: July 9, 2020 (December 4, 2006)
SidebarHow Vista Setup Works
Windows Vista Setup installs Vista on a computer. The Setup program supports two different types of installation.
A clean installation does not preserve any existing configuration or settings information and, therefore, is typically performed on new computers or computers being repurposed.
An upgrade installation retains the configuration and settings information and, therefore, is typically performed on existing computers.
(In this article, “Setup” describes the Vista installation program and “installer” describes features that are common among Microsoft programs that install software on computers.)
Installation Methods
In addition to the two different installation types, there are two installation methods:
Interactive installation relies on a user to perform certain actions, such as accepting Microsoft’s license terms or providing necessary configuration information, such as on which drive or drive partition to install Windows. Because a user must supply the installation program with the necessary configuration information, this method is useful for small-scale rollouts or individual installations.
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