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Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 | 
| From: Microsoft Software
List Price: $339.99
Buy New: $145.00
You Save: $194.99 (57%)
New (75) Used (1) from $145.00
Rating:  100 reviews
Sales Rank: 39
Format: Dvd-rom
Platform: Windows Vista
Media: DVD-ROM
Edition: Ultimate
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Operating System: Windows Vista
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.2 x 1.6
MPN: 66R-02261
Model: 66R-02261
UPC: 882224661447
EAN: 0882224661492
ASIN: B0013O77GM
Release Date: March 19, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Mobility-based operating system meets all your computing needs whether you're working from home, working on the road, or searching for entertainment options | | • | Combines all the features of a business-focused operating system, all the efficiency features of a mobility-focused operating system, and all of the digital entertainment features of a consumer-focused operating system | | • | Remotely connect to business networks; Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption provides improved levels of protection against theft for your important business data whether you are at home, on the road, or in the office | | • | Delivers all of the entertainment features available in Windows Vista Home Premium; includes everything you need to enjoy the latest in digital photography, music, movies, analog TV, or even HDTV | | • | Ideal for both business and home entertainment use |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 1 is the choice for those who want to have it all. Easily shift between the worlds of productivity and play with the most complete edition of Windows Vista. Ultimate provides the power, security, and mobility features needed for work, and all the entertainment features that you want for fun. | Compare Windows Vista editions. | 
Use Instant Search to quickly find the information you need. View larger. | 
Windows Vista Aero provides spectacular visual effects such as glass-like interface elements that you can see through. | 
The redesigned Windows Media Center in Windows Vista lets you enjoy your media throughout your home, even on your Xbox 360. View larger. | Improved Reliability and Performance
Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 and improvements delivered by hardware and software partners increase the reliability, performance, and compatibility of Windows Vista-based PCs. With Windows Vista with SP1, many of the most common causes of operating system crashes and hangs have been addressed. Windows Vista includes new, innovative technologies that help pinpoint and diagnose issues reported anonymously by Windows Vista-based PCs from millions of users who have elected to have their PC send us system information. Windows Vista with SP1 supports a number of important new technology standards, so it will keep making your PC easier and more enjoyable to use for years to come. The most complete edition of Windows Vista--with the power, security, and mobility features that you need for work, and all of the entertainment features that you want for fun
When you want to have it all, including the ability to shift smoothly between the worlds of play and productivity, there's Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 1. You'll never have to worry about having the most advanced capabilitiesNthey're all here. This edition of Windows Vista offers an advanced, business-focused infrastructure, mobile productivity, and a premium home digital entertainment experience, all in a single offering. Specifically, Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 1 offers all of the features found in Windows Vista Home Premium, including Windows Media Center, Windows Movie Maker with high-definition support, and Windows DVD Maker. It also offers all of the features found in Windows Vista Business, including business networking, centralized management tools, and advanced system backup features. And Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 1 has all of the new security and data protection features that help take Windows Vista to a whole new level of dependability. In addition, Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 1 includes support for all of the new mobility features in Windows Vista, including Windows Tablet and Touch Technology, Windows SideShow, Windows Mobility Center, and other new, advanced mobility features. Exclusive to Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 1 are Windows Ultimate Extras. Windows Ultimate Extras are add-ons that extend certain capabilities of your operating system or just make using your PC more fun. Windows Ultimate Extras currently available include: - Windows DreamScene, an Extra that enables you to use looped, full-motion video as your desktop wallpaper instead of a static image
- Windows Hold'em, a poker game for players of all skill levels
- Language packs for Windows multi-language interface, where users can install and use multiple languages on a single PC. Great for multi-lingual households or if you are learning a new language.
- Secure Online Key Backup, where Ultimate users can store their BitLocker recovery password and Encrypting File System certificate on Windows Marketplace's Digital Locker website for access to the key anytime, anyplace, and from any computer that has an Internet connection
- BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool, an automated tool which removes the complexity of setting up your PC to use this exclusive data security feature.
Whenever a new Windows Ultimate Extra is ready for distribution by Microsoft, you will see the Ultimate Extra control panel inform you that there are new extras to download. Simply download and install the Extras and begin enjoying these exclusive software and services that give your Windows Vista experience an extra lift! If you want a single PC that fulfills all of your work, travel, and entertainment needs, or if you simply want to be confident that you have the very best, Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 1 is the no-compromise edition for you. 
Windows Sidebar gives you quick access to gadgets like picture slide shows, Windows Media Player controls, or news headlines. You pick the gadgets you want to see in Windows Sidebar. View larger. | 
Use Flip 3D to navigate through open windows using the scroll wheel on your mouse. View larger. | Safety
Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 helps protect your family and your personal information from threats from malicious software and phishing scams and helps you keep your PC backed-up and running smoothly. Parental Controls help parents keep children safer while using PCs through convenient tools to manage and monitor children's computer use, access to websites, and ability to play certain games and use certain applications. PCs running Windows Vista are 60% less likely to be infected with viruses, worms and rootkits than PCs running Windows XP SP2. Windows Internet Explorer 7 helps protect your PC and your personal information against malicious software, fraudulent websites, and online phishing scams. New phishing attacks are more than 25 times as common as new viruses, and over 20,000 fraudulent phishing websites are created every month. Internet Explorer 7 is now blocking nearly one million inadvertent attempts to access fake phishing sites per week. Help defend your PC against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software with Windows Defender. Windows Defender in Windows Vista automatically scans Internet Explorer 7 downloads to help bring spyware to your attention before it can infect your computer. More easily back-up the content on your PC--including digital photos, music, movies, and documents--with Scheduled and Network Backup. If you have serious PC problems, Complete PC Backup and Restore makes it easier to restore your PC by not only backing up all your files, but also the entire operating system and all of your applications. Help ensure that the data on your computer stays confidential, even if your PC is lost or stolen. windows BitLocker Drive Encryption provides full-volume encryption and boot integrity monitoring (alerting you if someone has tampered with your PC). Entertainment
Windows Vista with SP1 is more entertaining. With Windows Media Center, you can enjoy your digital photos and music on your TV as well as on your PC. And it can turn your PC into a digital video recorder, so you can record TV and watch it on your schedule, not theirs. Sit back and enjoy recorded TV, photos, music, home videos, games and DVDs from the comfort of your couch with Windows Media Center. Access and project your TV, music, photos, and movies to any room in your house using an Xbox 360 console connected to your wired or wireless home network. It's like having your Media Center PC wherever you have an Xbox 360! Author and burn movies, photos, and music to DVDs you can play on your PC or a DVD player with Windows DVD Maker. Live the game! It's easier for you to find, play, and manage your games with GAMES EXPLORER. Games Explorer provides detailed information including when you last played, game genre, and rating of your games. With DirectX 10, play vivid and engaging games with unrivalled realism. Also, use the same game controller with both your PC and your Xbox 360 system. Ease
It's easier and faster than ever to find, use, manage and share the information on your PC or on the Web with Windows Vista with SP1. Most Windows Vista-based PCs boot in less than a minute, which can be an improvement over Windows XP boot times. The Windows Vista sleep and resume features can bring your PC to life in a snap. The vast majority of Windows Vista-based PCs resume from sleep in less than six seconds. See everything you're working on more clearly with Windows Aero and quickly switch between windows or tasks using Windows Flip 3D. Find it fast! Simply type something about a file, picture, or song, such as a word contained in a document or e-mail message, the artist of a song, or the date a picture was taken, and Instant Search will bring back any matches instantly. Organize a lifetime of photos and movies with ease using Windows Photo Gallery. Tag your photos by date, keyword, star rating or any identifying label you choose--so you can find them anytime you want them. Display live information, like weather, stocks, and news, directly on your desktop with easy-to-use Gadgets and Windows Sidebar. View multiple web pages simultaneously with Quick Tabs in Windows Internet Explorer 7. Get up and running faster than ever with Windows Easy Transfer that automatically copies your files and settings from your old PC. Mobility
With special features to help you go mobile, Windows Vista with SP1 makes computing and connecting away from home or the office easier than ever. Work the way you want with touch and digital input and handwriting. Tablet and Touch Technology makes your notebook PC experience truly personal. Set up a wireless network at home with Network and Sharing Center--so you can experience the freedom of working virtually anywhere in your home. Then easily find and join a wireless network at your favorite hotspot--so you can stay productive wherever you go. Optimize your power and mobil settings centrally with Windows Mobility Center. Easily sync and manage your music, contacts and pictures across your devices and other PCs with Sync Center. Share your desktop or any program with Windows Meeting Space. Co-edit documents, and pass notes in class, a favorite hotspot, or where no network exists.
Product Description
The most complete choice for your business just got better.Windows Vista Ultimate with Service Pack 1 helps you focus on what matters the most: you, your business, and your customers. Special enhancements and security protocols help make this Vista truly ultimate. This is the most complete edition of Windows Vista - with the power, security, and mobility features that you need for work with fun entertainment features. Windows Vista Ultimate has an advanced, business-focused infrastructure, mobile productivity, and a premium home digital entertainment experience, all in one box. It combines all of the features found in Windows Vista Home Premium (like Windows Media Center, Windows Movie Maker with high-definition support, and Windows DVD Maker) and Windows Vista Business (like business networking, centralized management tools, and advanced system backup features). It also has all of the security and data protection features that you need. Found only in the Ultimate edition are Windows Ultimate Extras, add-ons that extend the capabilities of your system including:
Windows Defender & Windows Firewall - safeguard your PC against security threats Easier use of a PC with Windows Tablet & Touch Technology - pen-and-ink functionality, improved navigation, improved handwriting recognition & built-in touch screen support Collaborate & share documents with Windows Meeting Space Enjoy Windows Media Center on your TV with Xbox 360 & other devices Business networking connectivity with Networking Center & Remote Desktop
System Requirements 800 MHz processor & 512 MB of system memory 20 GB hard drive with at least 15 GB of available space Super VGA graphics support
If you want a single PC that fulfills all of your work, travel, and entertainment needs, Windows Vista Ultimate is the system for you.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 95 more reviews...
 Recommended, but with Hardware vs. Need of Features Caution April 6, 2008
Loves Books (Maryland USA)
43 out of 45 found this review helpful
Microsoft's latest operating system Vista, replaces Windows XP.
Vista comes in 5 different versions: 2 for businesses (Business and Enterprise) and 3 for home use (Basic, Premium, and Ultimate). The Basic addition is a really stripped down version that is intended to help keep the price of new lower end PCs down. The Premium version has almost all of the same features of Ultimate except for 4 major applications. These are:
Windows PC Backup - an image based backup program for restoring everything on your computer in the case of a hard disk failure.
Windows Fax and Scanning - an app that integrates scanning and faxing (you need a scanner and a fax modem).
Remote Desktop Connection -This lets someone else work remotely on your computer (or you work on theirs). RDC is used in businesses for Helpdesk techs to diagnose or fix software problems without running to the user's computer.
Bitlocker Encryption - This encrypts the data on your hard drive so that if someone steals your computer or drive, they can't read the data. This can be a very desirable feature if you have a laptop with business data on it. In Healthcare and Finance, not encrypting data can end up costing a company a lot of money and bad publicity.
If you don't need any of the above, I'd recommend you go with Premium and save some money.
Vista has better graphics and more integration with new multimedia devices (such as iPods, MP3 players, digital cameras, etc). The new look and feel is somewhere between XP and a Mac.
The one thing it doesn't do is recommend you stay with XP. If you want the best performance from your Pentium or Celeron based computer, stay with XP. Vista is slower than XP! To get the speed , you need lots of memory (2-4GB) and a dual or quad core processor. Also Vista will disable certain features (like screen transparency, called Aero) to try to keep the performance up.
Installing Vista is where Microsoft got it right. It installs in about half the time it took me to install XP. When it couldn't find drivers, Vista used generic drivers to get the system running.
I've been running different versions of Vista for about a year. I have yet to get a complete system lockup (blue screen). It`s very stable. But it can also be annoying. Whenever you go to do things, you get message boxes asking you if it's OK to do it. Then it might tell you that an administrator has to do it (even though you are an administrator account). It drives you nuts. However, it's easy to turn off. Go to the Help menu and search for "Turn off UAC" (User Access Control). There's a checkbox you uncheck to disable UAC. If you have multiple users set up on your computer, you need to do it for each one.
I like Vista, but in my opinion I wouldn't upgrade an existing computer unless I had a compelling reason (like needing encryption). The cost of the Vista upgrade plus any hardware upgrades could reach the cost of a low end dual core computer that is made for Vista. However, when I buy a new computer I would definitely get Vista.
 Rather flawed, may want to skip unless it comes pre-installed March 25, 2008
Mary Jo Sminkey (Carlisle, PA USA)
17 out of 31 found this review helpful
I'm a long, long time Windows user, since the very first days when it was released and we could finally move away from DOS. I've reformatted my computers and installed various OS's up to Windows XP. The early days of XP were certainly not easy either, but with SP2 we finally had a fairly stable, solid, reasonably secure operating system. I seldom jump on new operating systems, letting other users be the ones to find all the bugs and problems. And there's no doubt, Vista had its share of them. When I recently bought a new high-end system, I specifically asked that XP Pro be installed instead of Vista as I did not want to be bothered with software that didn't work or drivers that weren't compatible.
But given the opportunity to review Vista Ultimate with the new service pack, I figured it was worth checking out. I ran the Vista Upgrade Adviser on my secondary development box and it didn't find any problems, so I figured I was good to go. It was a slightly older system, but still had plenty of memory and space and should handle Vista fine. However, after reaching the product key screen, entering my number, and continuing to the next screen, boom! The installation throws an error about the install.wim file being missing. I'm installing right from the Windows Vista CD, how can it be missing? Researching this error on the Microsoft support site brought up nothing, doing Google searches found it to generally be caused by people downloading an install and burning it to a CD. This is a packaged version I am using though, so what now?! Several calls to Microsoft support totally fail to bring any resolution and after routing me through to several people they tell me it's an activation problem and the key I have is invalid. This just doesn't make sense to me in terms of the error I was getting.
So I started doing some detective work on my own. After a couple hours of diagnostics I was sure the disk itself was fine. I disconnected everything from my computer but my hard drive and the DVD-Rom and tried again, still getting the same error. So my best guess was that it had some problem with the DVD drive. There were no firmware updates available from the manufacturer so I did some more searching and found a site offering upgrades for these drives to newer firmware versions (mainly for the purpose of flashing a newer version with more burn capabilities). So figured I'd give that a shot and see what happened. And wouldn't you know it, that allowed Vista finally to install properly.
More on the software later, but this install problem really threw me for a loop. The error was totally unhelpful as was the support at Microsoft. I found reports of people having problems with this error with boxed versions, so it's definitely not unknown yet there was nothing at all in their knowledge base about the cause. The Upgrade Advisor seems pretty useless to me if it can't even find a problem that would result in the software refusing to install! I'd really highly caution anyone that purchases Vista *other* than as part of a new computer system to really be sure they are ready for it. With new computers, the vendor has done all the work of making sure the hardware is compatible, all the drivers work with it, etc. As a home user, you are totally on your own with any problems you run into. Microsoft does give you free support for a short time if you run into problems with the install, but I must say, I found that help to be completely worthless in trying to resolve my own issues, so have little faith in how helpful they are for anything other than typical inexperienced user issues. If you run into serious problems and decide to go back to your previous OS, you most likely will not be able to return the software, or if you can, it will often be with a significant price hit. So be sure to check the return policy on software wherever you purchase it, be it here at Amazon or elsewhere, before making a decision to purchase or not. And if you do decide to install on an existing system, do whatever you can to make sure all your hardware is Vista-ready.
I've only been using the software for awhile but so far am fairly underwhelmed. Yeah, it looks nice and there are some neat features, but there's so much that I just shake my head in frustration at. The main problems with Vista are pretty well documented elsewhere. Performance generally slower than on XP (particularly copying files over the network), constant security pop-up messages, common tasks often taking longer to do or setup options being harder to find, all the different versions and the high price, etc. It does seem to put a lot more emphasis on things looking pretty than on getting things done quickly and efficiently. I've mainly been using the Media Center features and it's not been a particularly great experience so far, it's locked up a couple times on me and several times the visualizations stop running for some reason (and tell me I need to restart the computer. Huh??) I had to find a different way to copy over DRM-protected files as it wouldn't move them from my other networked system (I can understand not playing them until I download the rights, but not allowing me to even copy them?? Come on!) I do get frustrated at the things that take me more mouse clicks than before...as someone that suffers from repetitive strain problems, more mouse clicks not only slows me down, it simply is not good from an ergonomic standpoint. The new start menu is a good example...I love the look of it, the integrated search, etc. But why can I not do a cascading programs menu?? I have to click on each submenu to open it, rather than being able to just mouse over. Things like this seem to be an unnecessary step backwards in usability and makes you wonder when Microsoft lost site of keeping their operating system elegant and intuitive to use, in favor of something that "looks cool". Keep in mind as well, that you don't get any kind of user manual, etc. with this software (as is typical for a lot of software these days, particularly MS products)...you have to figure stuff out using the built-in and online help, or purchase a book on Vista to get more step-by-step information on using it. The average user, particularly one moving from XP or older systems, will certainly find themselves a bit lost at times.
Hopefully I'll get used to this new monster and appreciate all the new tools it has. But for the high price, it's really hard for me to recommend it unless it comes packaged with a new system. And even then, it's really debatable if it's worth moving to over the tried-and-true XP. I left this one-star review initially on it when I had spent almost 2 days trying unsuccessfully to install it, and I would have to say my overall experience would still come in at a 1-star so far. It definitely has not been a smooth ride. As for rating the operating system portion alone, I'd probably bump that up to 3-stars, it definitely has some very nice graphic improvements, if you have the hardware to handle it, and some improvements and new features that no doubt many people will appreciate. Many of these though are just as easily available for XP (desktop search and gadgets for instance) so you need to really judge whether it's worth moving to Vista with all its other flaws.
 Some New Form, Little New Function - Not Worth Upgrading April 4, 2008
diljs
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
For having taken Microsoft over 5 years to build since XP, Vista has surprisingly little to offer that XP can't do with a few tweaks. There are a handful of useful new features, and Aero Glass is certainly attractive (if it works on your machine, it doesn't for many). But most of these, even the eye candy, are unnecessary and can be added to XP if you want them that badly.
I'm reminded of the "upgrade" from Windows 98 to the ill-fated Windows Me. Windows 98 was a "perfect" OS for its time, and while Windows Me was meant to bring exciting new features, what it really brought was a myriad of bugs, and actually took away features from Windows 98, which some die-hards still use. Although Vista is much more different from XP than Me was from 98, the situation is similar. There are no absolute must have features in Vista, but there are plenty of bugs, incompatibilities, and upgrade nightmares.
When it comes to upgrading by installing over your old operating system, my advice is this: don't. Move all your data off your hard drive, wipe it, and do a clean install of Vista, or don't upgrade at all. With today's complicated operating systems, installing over your old OS is bound to be a hassle. Even if it does work correctly, your system still won't be as fast, and will have a lot of junk left over on your hard drive from your old operating system. A clean install is always best.
This brings me to my final problem with Vista: performance. Despite its lack of hot new features, it does consume vastly larger amounts of resources than XP. Your old machine may not be able to handle it, and even if it can, it will still be much slower than if you keep using your old operating system. The best approach to buying Vista is to just buy a new machine with it preinstalled. It's not like you have the choice anyway, most new computers give you Vista whether you want it or not.
Overall Vista is okay, but not worth buying if you're happy with XP. As always, do your research and be ready for a big hassle if you choose to upgrade.
Works better than I expected March 28, 2008
M. A. Ramos (Florida USA)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
I must admit I was one of those that avoided Windows for years. I finally tried it with Windows ME that came with a computer I bought. I heard a lot of bad, but since all I did was check web sites, e-mail and play games; it was perfect for me. I did not change again until I went to Windows XP Pro years later. And my brother fought with me to drop ME, though I still have the OS stored in its jewel case. Now onto the OS we are reviewing.
Once again with all I have heard I was nervous to install this; I would normally wait until Vista had its SP2 release before trying it normally if at all. So I decided to do a clean install. Vista does want the hardware it wants, and is not happy with all my XP hardware. Even though I far exceed XP requirements because I game so much. I have a very good video card and 1GB of Ram. But I do not have a dual-core system, though one is on the way with 2 GB of memory. But it had no trouble installing at all.
With XP Pro everything ran great and fast. On this computer Vista is running bit slow. But this I attribute to my computer so will not blame the software for this since I expected it. But I do love the Media Center functions of Windows and the Aero interface. Plus it allows you to place Widgets; I guess Windows calls them Gadgets, on the sidebar to allow better control of projects or various options on hand. Actually too many options for me, but I am sure many will love the options. I mean I do not really need to know the temperature outside. I live in the tropics where it is always hot. But it does let me use all the keys on my new keyboard and that is nice. Though I usually forget they are there and try to load things the old way. I guess I will learn.
What I do not like of Vista on this computer is that performance is slower than on XP Pro and that your everyday tasks often taking longer to perform and the setup options seem harder to find. This I think will just take getting use too and the new computer should speed everything up. What I cannot stand the constant security pop-up messages. If I have installed a program and ran it should know I will continue to want to run it at other times. I prefer the way XP handled my Pics, but that may be because I have not used Vista enough yet. I cannot figure out how to change the size of my photos yet. I would stay with XP Pro until you have to upgrade or if you are really into new technology and/or Multimedia networking.
But what everyone says is true; Vista wants the hardware it wants. So if you do not have the recommended hardware, do not get this software. If you have all the requested hardware then go ahead and get this. I did not have all the loading problems of those I read on various threads. But I would like to say once I again I did a clean install from CD. I do like the new look with Vista Ultimate and will take some more time to get use to it, but so far so good. May be trivial but I also like using the full-motion video as my desktop wallpaper. And I look forward to connecting it to me TV.
 Vista Still Works Fine for Me April 5, 2008
Kesha Dylan (Washington, DC)
10 out of 19 found this review helpful
I have XP running on a bootcamp partition on my MacBook and it is doing just fine. I spend most of my working time in Word, hardly ever using any of the other programs in the Office suite. However, I use the Adobe products Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator a whole bunch. Other than that I play solitaire, watch videos and, of course, use both Explorer and Firefox when I go online. That's about it for me, software wise, and XP handles it all without fail, without crashing and without giving me any headaches.
And I will miss it when I upgrade to Vista, however my machine can handle the upgrade, so I'm giving it a try.
Okay, I like the look and feel of Vista, however it's not as snappy as XP or even System X. I like the AERO bit, quite snazzy and one of the reasons my machine runs a bit slower, I suspect, however I'm loath to turn it off as it's so cool.
Word works fine and that's to be expected. My Adobe software runs well too. The browsers, no problem. I did have to upload a printer driver, but that only took a few minutes and I was good to go.
I've read a lot of reviews by people who are having problems with Vista and I'm getting the SP1 upgrade any day and I'll instal it, but I'm not experiencing the problems others appear to be having. Maybe because it's because I only use four or five programs on my Machine. I don't use iTunes or Windows Media as I still listen to my CDs the old fashioned way and only then if I don't have the phonograph record.
I've just installed the SP1 upgrade and I have to saw that I do notice a difference. Things just seem snappier now. For the last week I've had my MacBook running Vista and no crashes, not even in Photoshop, which used to happen before the upgrade. I'm not saying it's going too, but it has not happened yet. So now I'm running Vista Ultimate on my MacBook and I just got a nifty new MacBook Air, oh so thin, oh so cool running with Vista Home Premium. Vista on way cool Macs, way cool that is.
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