Getting started with Visual Studio 2010: Downloading Visual Basic 2010 Express

Before you start with Visual Basic programming, first download the Visual Basic 2010 Express. To download Visual Basic 2010 Express, complete the following steps:

1. Open a Web browser (such as Internet Explorer), and go to http://www.microsoft.com/express.

2. Follow the instructions on the screen to download Visual Basic 2010 Express. On the Express Web site, you will also see an Express product feature chart that compares the Express product to the full versions of Visual Studio. Although there are some key differences between the full versions and Visual Basic 2010 Express, many of these differences have no effect on how you learn the essential techniques and features of Visual Basic programming. After you experiment with the Express product, you can decide whether you want to upgrade to one of the full versions of Visual Studio or not.

Hardware and Software Requirements

You’ll need the following hardware and software to install and practice the Visual Studio 2010,

-- Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008
-- Visual Studio 2010 (Professional, Premium, or Ultimate) or Visual Basic 2010 Express
-- 1.6 GHz processor
-- 1 GB RAM
-- 3 GB of available hard drive space
-- 5400 RPM hard disk drive
-- DirectX 9–capable video card that runs at a display resolution of 1024 × 768 or higher
-- DVD drive
You also need to have Administrator-level access to your computer.

After Installation is completed, learn how to start & open projects in Visual Studio 2010