Windows Vista Home Basic
* Suggested Retail price
Windows Vista Home Basic
$199.95 USD*
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Easy to set up and maintain, Windows Vista Home Basic is a good choice if you simply have basic computing needs, such as e-mail, browsing the Internet, and viewing photos. With this edition you'll be able to find what you're looking for on your PC and the Internet more quickly than ever. And you'll get automatic security features that will help you and your family use your PC more safely than you could with Windows XP. If you want more mobility and home entertainment options, you may want to consider Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate.
Easier
Easily search and find everything on your PC and the Internet
The first thing you'll notice about Windows Vista Home Basic is how easily you can find your most important programs and files—whether they're on your PC, on the Internet, or even within your e-mail. With Instant Search, you only need to type a word or two to find that funny photo of your dog, the website for your kid's homework, or a particular e-mail message from a friend.
Search anywhere, even from the Start menu.
When you're surfing the web, you can end up with a lot of open browser windows. Now you can see all your open windows on one page and use tabbed browsing to easily flip through them. Plus, web search from the toolbar in Internet Explorer 7 makes it easier than ever to find what you're looking for.
See all your open browser windows on a single page.
Keep organized
It can sometimes feel like you're constantly clicking to open the various programs and sites you use every day. You can use Windows Sidebar and gadgets to have the real-time information you care about, such as weather and news, always available at a glance on your desktop.
Organize your gadgets in Windows Sidebar.
When you created a folder name for those vacation photos three years ago, you never dreamed you would forget it. Now, rather than relying on your memory to find specific documents, music, photos, or e-mail, you can rely on Explorers. These flexible organization features make it simple to instantly find and view your files any way you want.
Get creative and show off your digital photos
You got that cool new digital camera for your trip to Hawaii and took a lot of great photos with it. But if those photos are still in the camera, take a look at how easy it is now to download your images onto your PC using Windows Photo Gallery. And then explore the fun ways you can view, edit, and share them with your friends and family.
Quickly view, edit, and share images with Windows Photo Gallery.
Enjoy easier setup and long-term peace of mind
Your move to Windows Vista will be straightforward. By using Windows Easy Transfer, you can automatically copy your files, photos, music, e-mail, and settings from your old PC to your new Windows Vista-based PC.
After you have set up your computer, you will appreciate how new performance technologies can help improve the responsiveness of your most-used applications and help decrease the time it takes you to download files.
System disruptions are kept to a minimum with little or no effort required from you. New self-healing technology automatically identifies and fixes problems, and built-in diagnostics alert you to disk failure, defective memory, and other potential issues so they can be resolved before affecting your everyday tasks.
Safer
Benefit from advanced security features
It's likely that safety is one of your top concerns. We worked hard on this area in the years since we shipped Windows XP, and the result of that work is the most secure version of Windows yet.
Explore the web with more confidence
You may have the feeling that your PC is the target of every advertiser and scammer out there. But the automatically running Windows Firewall and Windows Defender can help you decrease the number of pop-up ads and lessen the security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software.
The automatic protection of Windows Defender helps you avoid unwanted software.
More ways you'll be safer:
Help protect your family and your PC
Wouldn't you love to be aware of what your kids are doing on their PC but still be able to give them some privacy? With Parental Controls, you can manage your children's computer use by setting time limits and rules for accessing the web and PC games.
If you share your PC with your family, you probably have concerns that your kids may accidentally install malicious software or change something important, such as deleting all your favorites. With User Account Control, you can set up a user account for each family member, so a child will be prompted for a password when attempting to change system settings, install any additional software, or use certain websites or games.
Lastly, you can help safeguard your files, including music, documents, and priceless digital images, with basic backup features.