Vista 32 bit or vista 64 bit

You'll need an installation disk, but why would you want to invest the time and effort with Vista. Upgrade to Win7 instead (stay away from 8).

check and make sure both windows Vista and office plus 2010 are both 32-bit system. If your windows vista is 32-bit and your office plus 2010 is 64-bit then the office won't install.
this is how your check if your computer is a 32-bit or 64-bit system

1. click start
2. look for my computer
3. right-click my computer
4. click PROPERTIES
5. from the properties window you will see if your vista is a 32 bit or 64 bit operating system.

for your MS OFFICE plus 2010 brows the cd and to determine if your office is a 32 bit or 64 bit
1. you should see x86= this is a 32 bit
2. x64 = this is a 64 bit

Which do you have - Vista Home Premium or Vista Home Basic? The title of this question category and what you said you have doesn't match. I'll assume you had Home Premium 64 Bit. Yes you can upgrade to Windows 7, 64 Bit. Please be aware that there is the 64 Bit and the 32 Bit versions. Check with your OEM of the computer before you upgrade. In the upgrade process, Windows 7 will create a folder called "windows.old" once the install has completed. There you will find the data you had from the old operating system like pictures and documents. Before you do the upgrade, I recommend downloading and installing the Windows 7 Advisor to check on any software and hardware issues - the advisor will list those problems before you can upgrade so that you can make the corrections.

HP Print Diagnostic Utility was created to help users troubleshoot and correct many common problems on Windows-based computers that can prevent printing.Follow the on-screen instructions to run the utility. Details and specifications File name: HPPDU.exe [1/1, 1.54M] System requirements: No additional prerequisites Released: 2010-08-13 Version: 3.0.0.013 Compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows XP Fix/Enhancement: This version of the HP Print Diagnostic Utility provides an improved user interface in multiple languages, improved diagnostic and problem resolution capability, and support for usb and network connected devices.

TRY HP Print Diagnostic Utility was created to help users troubleshoot and correct many common problems on Windows-based computers that can prevent printing.Follow the on-screen instructions to run the utility. Details and specifications File name: HPPDU.exe [1/1, 1.54M] System requirements: No additional prerequisites Released: 2010-08-13 Version: 3.0.0.013 Compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows XP Fix/Enhancement: This version of the HP Print Diagnostic Utility provides an improved user interface in multiple languages, improved diagnostic and problem resolution capability, and support for usb and network connected devices.

Try HP Print Diagnostic Utility was created to help users troubleshoot and correct many common problems on Windows-based computers that can prevent printing.Follow the on-screen instructions to run the utility. Details and specifications File name: HPPDU.exe [1/1, 1.54M] System requirements: No additional prerequisites Released: 2010-08-13 Version: 3.0.0.013 Compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows XP Fix/Enhancement: This version of the HP Print Diagnostic Utility provides an improved user interface in multiple languages, improved diagnostic and problem resolution capability, and support for usb and network connected devices.

HP Print Diagnostic Utility was created to help users troubleshoot and correct many common problems on Windows-based computers that can prevent printing.Follow the on-screen instructions to run the utility. Details and specifications File name: HPPDU.exe [1/1, 1.54M] System requirements: No additional prerequisites Released: 2010-08-13 Version: 3.0.0.013 Compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows XP Fix/Enhancement: This version of the HP Print Diagnostic Utility provides an improved user interface in multiple languages, improved diagnostic and problem resolution capability, and support for usb and network connected devices.

HP Print Diagnostic Utility was created to help users troubleshoot and correct many common problems on Windows-based computers that can prevent printing.Follow the on-screen instructions to run the utility. Details and specifications File name: HPPDU.exe [1/1, 1.54M] System requirements: No additional prerequisites Released: 2010-08-13 Version: 3.0.0.013 Compatibility: Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Professional (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit), Microsoft Windows 7 (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Business (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (64-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise (32-bit), Microsoft Windows XP Fix/Enhancement: This version of the HP Print Diagnostic Utility provides an improved user interface in multiple languages, improved diagnostic and problem resolution capability, and support for usb and network connected devices.

You can run a 32 bit technology OS on a 64 bit technology platform.

It will run pretty fast.

You just can't run a 64 bit technology OS on a 32 bit technology platform, though the 64 bit OS is recommended on a 64 bit platform.

Love your brother, he did you no wrong.

Well, we wont know until you try. In my opinion, your 32/64 bit issues will be solved, but you would still have the normal vista/xp compatibility issues.

But that is to be expected, like when we all upgraded from win98 to XP.

So - I would recommend downgrading to Vista 32 bit, or getting the 64bit software version of the programs you want to use.

Good Luck, and let me know what you did, and how it turned out! :)