The next piece in building a reliable trading system is choosing the right software. With 95% of brokers and market makers requiring a Windows based platform, Windows is the only logical choice in my opinion.

You may be asking what version of Windows is right for me. My answer to this question is quite simple, for computers with less than a 1GHz Pentium 4 processor and less then 1 gig of RAM; I would recommend sticking with Windows XP Professional. Computer’s with higher specs then this should be able to run Vista.

The first thing to do for anyone considering upgrading to Vista is a compatibility check. On this front Microsoft should be commended as they have released a tool that allows for quick and easy compatibility checking it is called Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor and can be downloaded from the Microsoft website.

A report will be generated letting you know if there are any potential conflicts with hardware and software that will be associated with upgrading to Vista. The software will also provide a recommendation on the version of Vista it thinks is most suited to your needs. It is of paramount importance that you choose the right version of Vista for your needs. Vista comes in four editions:

• Windows Vista Home Basic
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• Windows Vista Business
• Windows Vista Ultimate

The above image shows a recommendation generated by upgrade advisorIf you are still unsure about what edition is right for you after running Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor, you should have a look at the compare editions web site.

The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor will also advise of any issues that you might have with hardware before carrying out an upgrade. As the image above shows this Ethernet card is not supported, you will also be advised on specific action that needs to be taken.

I have evaluated my needs and determined Windows Vista Business to be the best choice for my trading system. I only need to back up my trading files and Expert Advisors therefore I will undertake a clean install rather then an upgrade.

Final Note
Although the upgrade advisor is a very useful tool it is important to ensure the recommended software fits your needs. As I am setting up a dedicated trading system Windows Vista Business meets these requirements as it does not have too many excess features and is very stable.