• Most PCs should have little trouble running Microsoft Visual Basic programs.notebook pc image by Albo from Fotolia.com
  
  BASIC is a programming language used to create computer programs for use in a Windows-based environment. Microsoft Visual Basic is a graphical programming tool used to design those same types of programs. Visual Basic is not an actual stand-alone program but is included in the Microsoft Visual Studio suite of applications. The requirements for running Microsoft Visual Basic are fairly light compared with other programs, and most computers should have little problem running it.
  
  

Operating System requirements

• Since Visual Basic is a program made by Microsoft, it should come as little surprise to anyone that it requires a Microsoft operating system to run. Visual Basic will run on the following operating systems:
  
  Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4,
  Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2
  Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
  Microsoft Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1
  Microsoft Windows Server 2003, x64 Editions
  Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2
  Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, x64 Editions
  Microsoft Windows Vista
  Microsoft Windows 7 (see Resources)
  
  

RAM Requirements

• RAM--Random Access Memory--is memory used by computer programs so as to allow them to run quicker and more efficiently. All computer programs have a minimum RAM requirement. Microsoft Visual Basic requires at least 192MB of RAM, with more being recommended to keep it operating quickly and efficiently. The general rule of thumb with RAM is that the more a computer has, the faster and more efficiently it will operate.
  
  

Hard Drive Space Requirements

• In the distant past of computing, it was possible to run programs directly off of the portable media -- CDs, floppy fisks, etc -- they were contained on. Today, however, that is not really an option given the size and complexity of the programs. So programs must now be installed to a hard drive, which in turn means that there needs to be a minimum amount of space free on a hard drive before the program can be installed. Visual Basic requires 2 GB of hard drive space.