<PAGE>   1
                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                   FORM 10-K/A
                                 AMENDMENT NO. 1


(X)ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
                                    OF 1934
                    For the fiscal year ended April 30, 1997

                                      OR

 ( )TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
                               ACT OF 1934 For the
                  transition period from          to 
                                        ---------    --------- 

                         Commission file number: 1-14192


                               VANSTAR CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

           DELAWARE                                             94-2376431
  (State or other jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)                             Identification No.)

                               1100 Abernathy Road
                            Building 500, Suite 1200
                             Atlanta, Georgia 30328
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (770) 522-4700

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 (b) of the Act:
             Title of each class      Name of each exchange on which registered
             -------------------      -----------------------------------------
      Common Stock, $0.001 par value           New York Stock Exchange
              ("Common Stock")

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12 (g) of the Act:  None

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was
required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes (X) No ( )

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of Registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. ( )

The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the
Registrant on June 30, 1997 (based on the closing New York Stock Exchange sale
price on such date) was $337,945,342 using beneficial ownership rules adopted
pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to exclude stock
that may be beneficially owned by directors, executive officers or 10%
stockholders, some of whom might not be held to be affiliates upon judicial
determination.

The number of outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Registrant as of June
30, 1997 was 42,903,179.

                       DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the definitive Proxy Statement for the Registrant's 1997 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders (the "1997 Proxy Statement") filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, are incorporated by reference into Part III of the
Annual Report on Form 10-K.



<PAGE>   2



                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Form 10-K/A Amendment
No. 1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                            VANSTAR CORPORATION
                                                (Registrant)


Dated:  October 14, 1997                    By:      /s/ William Y. Tauscher
                                                     -----------------------
                                                     William Y. Tauscher
                                                     Chairman of the Board and
                                                     Chief Executive Officer


<PAGE>   3


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

EXHIBIT NO.                       DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
-----------                       ----------------------
<S>               <C>
*10.31            Amendment No. 15, dated as of March 28, 1997, to Distribution 
                  and Services Agreement between the Registrant and ComputerLand
                  Corporation
</TABLE>


*  Confidential portions of this Exhibit have been omitted and filed separately
   with the Secretary of the Commission pursuant to the Registrant's Application
   Requesting Confidential Treatment under Rule 24b-2 under the Securities
   Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.