Vista Academic Upgrade

That's upgrade disk only for the 32bit version of Home Premium. To use that you first have to clean install a previous version of 2000 or XP in order to run the installer. A full install version on the other hand is simply booted with in order to replace or perform a clean install on it's own. The full version also includes drive partitioning tools and the ability to format a partition in the optional tools included on the dvd type disk.
 
I already am running 2000, so I should be fine with regards to that.... right? And what exactly are the drive partitioning tools? Isn't stuff like that built into Windows?
 
As far as 2000 that will be dropped support wise by Microsoft at any time. With Vista there's some new hardware requirements that have to be considered. MS has a tool you download and run to see if you can run the new version of Windows on your system. The Vista upgrade advisor is seen at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/buyorupgrade/upgradeadvisor.mspx

If you have never installed Windows before on a bare drive you first have to understand what partitioning and formatting is. A drive has to be partitioned before Windows can even be installed onto it. With the older versions you also had to boot up with a floppy and format as well as partition. With 2000 if not preinstalled you would have 3 1/2" boot floppies prepared for that. With XP and Vista now the Windows installer will automatically format the primary type partition you install Windows onto.

The installation idisk for both of the newer version includes a drive partitioning tool for separate use. You can delete as well as create partitions. Unlike XP however you can now format and resize existing partitions with the extra drive tools on the Vista installation disk and even see startup problems with Windows automatically repaired. That's provided the problems are rather minor.
 
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