Your version of Windows Vista might look quite different from, and work quite differently from, your friend’s or your coworker’s version. Different versions of Windows Vista have different features, but even the same version will look and run differently, depending on the capabilities of the computer on which it’s installed. You’ll find the greatest number of tools and features in the Ultimate version. The two Home versions—Home Basic and Home Premium—provide features that are a subset of the Ultimate version, and they’re designed to work on a stand-alone computer or on a small network. Although the Home Basic version contains a subset of the Home Premium version’s features, it doesn’t include Windows Media Center, the Tablet PC tools, and the advanced graphics features such as the Windows Aero glass appearance. The two business versions—Business and Enterprise—provide features that are different subsets of the Ultimate version. They’re designed to work on a business network using a domain, and they provide high levels of file management and security.

But wait—there’s more! Once you’re familiar with which features your version of Windows has, you need to understand what your computer can do with those features. Because Windows is scalable to the capabilities of your computer—meaning that Windows will do only what it can based on your computer’s hardware—it can present varying features and appearances. The Aero glass appearance, thumbnail previews of your open windows, and 3-D effects require a lot from the graphics adapter in your computer, so many computers can’t display these features. If you have a slightly underpowered graphics adapter, you’ll see the Vista Basic color scheme—an attractive but less dramatic look, which doesn’t support either the Aero glass appearance or the 3-D effects.

So, if your version of Windows Vista doesn’t do something you expect it to, check out which version you’re running and what your computer is capable of doing with that version. To find that information, see "Checking the Status of Windows". And, if you realize that the version of Windows Vista you have isn’t the right one for you, see "Upgrading Windows Vista".