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I need to plan downgrading from Windows 7 Professional to Windows XP Professional.

I have gone through the links: http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/downgrade_rights.aspx#fbid=M8oYed8_Y3m and http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/what_to_do_downgrade_rights.aspx#fbid=M8oYed8_Y3m

I have a few questions unanswered, so need help of experts who have gone through the downgrade process before..

  1. The site mentions that during first time activation of the downgraded OS, the microsoft call centre executive will give a one time use activation code. But if I need to reinstall the downgraded OS (XP) - say format and clean install, what activation key or code do I give at the time of reinstall?

  2. Can downgrade be done for both OEM and Pre-Loaded versions of Windows 7 Professional? And in each case, the installation media for Windows XP should be OEM or Full Pack, or can be any legal media?

  3. During downgrade, will Microsoft issue a new key?

Note: I am planning to buy a Lenovo Desktop, and need to plan whether to buy pre-loaded Windows 7 or buy the machine with DOS and purchase Windows 7 OEM pack separately. The final objective is to be able to downgrade to Windows XP without paying anything extra, as there are some business critical apps which will run only on XP.

Thanks!

EDIT 1: 4. The article also mentions: "To downgrade Microsoft Windows 8 or Windows 7 software, customers must: Purchase a PC preinstalled with Windows software".

So if I purchase a PC with only DOS installed and buy Windows 7 Professional OEM license separately, am I not eligible for downgrade?

AllSolutions
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2 Answers2

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Here are where the answers generally came from: http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/licensing/sblicensing/Pages/licensing_faq.aspx#fbid=Ea6S5dihcdH

1: For the first time activation it will work the same way as any first time activation. Online activation should work but if not the one time key will be displayed to you to provide to the telephone automated system or operator. If activated more than once though more than likely you will need to use the telephone system.

Q. Will the downgraded software require product activation? If so, what product key should be used to activate the software?

A. Once the downgraded software is installed, the PC will prompt for a product key in order to activate the software. The product key associated with the original Windows software should be used for activation. If the product key has been previously activated, which is likely if the media came from a prior legally licensed version that has been activated in the past, the software may be unable to activate over the Internet, due to the hardware configuration change when installing this media onto the Windows 8 or Windows 7 system. When this happens, the appropriate local Activation Support phone number will be displayed, and the person performing the downgrade will need to call the Activation Support Line and explain the circumstances to a customer service representative.

2: Yes. It can be done with any legal media except OEM. OEM media is tied to the specific workstation since the license is "tied" to the motherboard of the workstation

Q. Can a PC with an OEM Windows operating system have its motherboard upgraded and keep >the same license? What if it was replaced because it was defective?**

A. Generally, an end user can upgrade or replace all of the hardware components on a computer—except the motherboard—and still retain the license for the original Microsoft OEM operating system software. If the motherboard is upgraded or replaced for reasons other than a defect, then a new computer has been created. Microsoft OEM operating system software cannot be transferred to the new computer, and the license of new operating system software is required. If the motherboard is replaced because it is defective, you do not need to acquire a new operating system license for the PC as long as the replacement motherboard is the same make/model or the same manufacturer's replacement/equivalent, as defined by the manufacturer's warranty.

The reason for this licensing rule primarily relates to the End User Software License Terms and the support of the software covered by those terms. The End User Software License Terms are a set of usage rights granted to the end user by the PC manufacturer, and relate only to rights for that software as installed on that particular PC. The system builder is required to support the software on the original PC. Understanding that end users, over time, upgrade their PCs with different components, Microsoft needed to have one base component "left standing" that would still define the original PC. Since the motherboard contains the CPU and is the "heart and soul" of the PC, when the motherboard is replaced (for reasons other than defect) a new PC is essentially created. The original system builder did not manufacture this new PC, and therefore cannot be expected to support it.

3: No. MS will not issue a new key because there is no need. The activation key may be different but the actual product key is what is used for the downgrade.

Community
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Travis
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  1. You would just call again and they will walk you through it.

  2. This type of licensing question is off-topic here and should be directed to Microsoft.

  3. Yes.

  4. This type of licensing question is off-topic here and should be directed to Microsoft.

Seriously, just use Windows XP Mode. It's a Windows XP virtual machine. Unless your application has some weird hardware dependencies, it will work.

longneck
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