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ITS Support for Microsoft Windows Vista


Windows Vista is a new operating system and major upgrade to Windows XP from Microsoft.

At this time, ITS is recommending that you NOT install Vista on your personal/home computers. In addition, ITS will NOT be installing Windows Vista on institutional computers for the fall of 2007.

ITS has been testing Vista extensively since last fall in order to develop a support model and to fully test compatibility with hardware and software used on campus. We, and other colleges, have found issues. Because this is a major upgrade to the operating system, bugs and incompatibilities are inevitable. Once sufficient testing is complete, recommendations will be developed to provide the best user experience.

In the event that you do have a computer running Windows Vista, you will find the information below very helpful.

Information for students running Windows Vista


Software Compatibility
Software developers are at various stages of preparing their respective products for Windows Vista certification and support. We recommend using the developer's web site for the most up-to-date information on Windows Vista compatibility.

Virus Protection
The current version of Sophos Anti-Virus provides virus protection for Windows Vista. Sophos is fully supported by ITS and provided free-of-charge to students of Hamilton College. Installation instructions can be found on the following web-page:
Virus Protection at Hamilton College

If you prefer to use another anti-virus product, you will have to find out if your preferred anti-virus vendor supports Windows Vista and install the software yourself.

Connecting to the Student Storage Server (SSS)
The Student Storage Server is accessible on Windows Vista. To connect to the student storage server while on-campus, refer to the following instructions:
Connecting to SSS in Windows Vista

To connect to SSS on Windows Vista while off-campus, refer to the following instructions:
SSS File Manager on the WWW

Installing Windows Updates
ITS recommends that you keep your operating system up-to-date with security updates from Microsoft. Instructions on how to enable and run Windows Update in Vista can be found here:
Enabling and Using Windows Update in Vista

Turning on the Firewall
The built-in firewall in Windows Vista should be turned on by default, but to verify this and enable the firewall if necessary, refer to the following instructions:
Verifying/Enabling Windows Vista Firewall

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