Guest Paulo Posted June 10, 2008 Posted June 10, 2008 I see from the link here... http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/06/04/ballmer_you_can_buy_vista_and_downgrade_to_xp_for_free.html ....that MS will downgrade your copy of Vista to XP at no charge. What a Deal!
Guest John John (MVP) Posted June 10, 2008 Posted June 10, 2008 Re: Microsoft Gives Vista 2 XP Downgrades For Free Paulo wrote: > I see [snip] ...that MS will downgrade your copy of Vista to XP at no > charge. What a Deal! and how much did the Vista licence cost? John
Guest PA Bear [MS MVP] Posted June 10, 2008 Posted June 10, 2008 Re: Microsoft Gives Vista 2 XP Downgrades For Free <pft> Define your concept of "free" and "at no charge". Paulo wrote: > I see from the link here... > > http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/06/04/ballmer_you_can_buy_vista_and_downgrade_to_xp_for_free.html > > ...that MS will downgrade your copy of Vista to XP at no charge. What a > Deal!
Guest VanguardLH Posted June 10, 2008 Posted June 10, 2008 Re: Microsoft Gives Vista 2 XP Downgrades For Free "Paulo" wrote in <news:#LWVUFzyIHA.4476@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl>: > I see from the link here... > > http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/06/04/ballmer_you_can_buy_vista_and_downgrade_to_xp_for_free.html > > ...that MS will downgrade your copy of Vista to XP at no charge. What a > Deal! Wow, Apple Insider is really on the ball. It only took them a year and half to report this. Yep, that's one really updated info source, for sure, uh huh. They had to wait until Ballmer told them about it instead of watching the other news sources. So you can BUY Windows XP to start with. OR you can BUY Windows Vista and then downgrade to Windows XP. Which one of those routes did you see would get you to a "no charge" install of Windows XP? You don't get to use both versions. You get to pick ONE, because ONE license is what you paid for. http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf You can even downgrade Windows XP to Windows 2000. Gee, "What a Deal!" Note WHICH versions of Windows Vista include downgrade rights. Yep, not all of them, just some of them.
Guest Dave Navarro Posted June 11, 2008 Posted June 11, 2008 Re: Microsoft Gives Vista 2 XP Downgrades For Free In article <ZtednbTIhJhPk9LVnZ2dnUVZ_vKdnZ2d@comcast.com>, V@nguard.LH says... > "Paulo" wrote in <news:#LWVUFzyIHA.4476@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl>: > > > I see from the link here... > > > > http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/06/04/ballmer_you_can_buy_vista_and_downgrade_to_xp_for_free.html > > > > ...that MS will downgrade your copy of Vista to XP at no charge. What a > > Deal! > > Wow, Apple Insider is really on the ball. It only took them a year and > half to report this. Yep, that's one really updated info source, for > sure, uh huh. They had to wait until Ballmer told them about it instead > of watching the other news sources. > > So you can BUY Windows XP to start with. OR you can BUY Windows Vista > and then downgrade to Windows XP. Which one of those routes did you see > would get you to a "no charge" install of Windows XP? You don't get to > use both versions. You get to pick ONE, because ONE license is what you > paid for. > > http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf > > You can even downgrade Windows XP to Windows 2000. Gee, "What a Deal!" > Note WHICH versions of Windows Vista include downgrade rights. Yep, not > all of them, just some of them. That's a little confusing... So, I can purchase a new system with Vista on it. Then request the OEM provide me a downgrade? Or do I get the downgrade from Microsoft? Do I get a key for XP or will the Vista Key work?
Guest VanguardLH Posted June 12, 2008 Posted June 12, 2008 Re: Microsoft Gives Vista 2 XP Downgrades For Free "Dave Navarro" wrote in <news:MPG.22b9bb1535adadfd989684@msnews.microsoft.com>: > In article <ZtednbTIhJhPk9LVnZ2dnUVZ_vKdnZ2d@comcast.com>, V@nguard.LH > says... >> "Paulo" wrote in <news:#LWVUFzyIHA.4476@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl>: >> >>> I see from the link here... >>> >>> http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/06/04/ballmer_you_can_buy_vista_and_downgrade_to_xp_for_free.html >>> >>> ...that MS will downgrade your copy of Vista to XP at no charge. What a >>> Deal! >> >> Wow, Apple Insider is really on the ball. It only took them a year and >> half to report this. Yep, that's one really updated info source, for >> sure, uh huh. They had to wait until Ballmer told them about it instead >> of watching the other news sources. >> >> So you can BUY Windows XP to start with. OR you can BUY Windows Vista >> and then downgrade to Windows XP. Which one of those routes did you see >> would get you to a "no charge" install of Windows XP? You don't get to >> use both versions. You get to pick ONE, because ONE license is what you >> paid for. >> >> http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf >> >> You can even downgrade Windows XP to Windows 2000. Gee, "What a Deal!" >> Note WHICH versions of Windows Vista include downgrade rights. Yep, not >> all of them, just some of them. > > That's a little confusing... > > So, I can purchase a new system with Vista on it. Then request the OEM > provide me a downgrade? Or do I get the downgrade from Microsoft? > > Do I get a key for XP or will the Vista Key work? If Windows XP was the target OS on my host, I wouldn't bother buying Vista and then have to figure out how to downgrade. I don't buy pre-built computers although I have purchased generic OEM versions of Windows. Yes, support for Windows XP is ending (or will end). I haven't a clue why consumers are suddenly clamoring that they won't be able to buy copies of Windows XP after support has stopped. The inventories of Windows XP install CDs is not going to suddenly vaporize. Only users that buy pre-built computers where they get stuck with Windows Vista (which would be an OEM version) will get stuck with have to use the downgrade right. Since this only applies to OEM versions of Windows Vista (and which are already pre-installed), the scenario of a fresh unformatted hard drive in a pre-built computer is not when the downgrade right will get exercised. The user will have the pre-built computer with the pre-installed OEM version of Windows Vista and then exercise their downgrade right to move down to Windows XP. However, since it is an OEM version, and because Microsoft doesn't support OEM version (because you didn't pay for support and neither did the OEM pay for support on your behalf), you'll be stuck going to the OEM to find out how they intend to provide that avenue for downgrade. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Vista-XP-Downgrade-Rights-Hot-Microsoft-Subject-57931.shtml "They can use any legitimate Microsoft media that they own including FPP, OEM or Volume Licensing media and will need to use the appropriate key for the appropriate media." Clear as mud. Does it mean you will still need a copy of Windows XP to do the downgrade and use the Vista product key? Or does it mean you use the Vista install but use the Windows XP product key? Well, I really doubt that the Windows Vista install CD is going to have a separate install available for Windows XP. You get just one version of Windows on the install CD. So the user will still need a Windows XP install CD to do the install and then probably gets to use the Vista product to activate the license for the Windows XP installation. But where is the user going to get that legitimate Windows XP install media? What they got was pre-built hardware with a pre-installed OEM version of Windows Vista. Not only do they not have a copy of Windows XP but they probably don't even have an install CD for Windows Vista (unless they go through the steps of creating the CD which is probably an image or restore CD and not an install CD). My guess is that a lot of users are going to pass around an illegal copy of Windows XP to do the install and then use the product key from their legitimate Vista license to activate and legitimatize that Windows XP installation. As the article says, "they need to source the media and key themselves". Just where is the user of a pre-built computer with a pre-install of an OEM version of Windows Vista going to get the installation CD for Windows XP? Duh! Yeah, they could buy a copy of Windows XP but then they don't have to exercise any downgrade right as they'll then have 2 licenses of Windows, one XP and one Vista, for that computer. In some Microsoft FAQ is the question (to the OEM'er), "Can I ship media for the downgrade software system as well as most recent version they are using to downgrade from?" Answer: "No - downgrade media is provided by the end customer." So somehow the *customer* has to come up with the installation media for Windows XP. Gee, now I wonder how they'll get it. You think they're really going to buy a pre-built computer which includes a pre-install of an OEM version of Windows Vista and then go buy a copy of Windows XP to do the downgrade? Microsoft wants to pretty up their image but the downgrade path they provide requires users to commit near-piracy. Install Windows XP from an illegally distributed install CD, don't use the key and just keep Windows XP as the trial version, and use the Vista product key to activate the Windows XP install. The other scenario will be those customers that still have their own Windows XP install CD lying around, had upgraded to Windows Vista (OEM version), and then want to downgrade back to Windows XP. They'll still have the old Windows XP install CD on which the Vista upgrade was based. Everyone is still guessing at what the hell they are supposed to do to downgrade to from Vista to XP without buying a copy of XP. Oh, yes, you can downgrade but you'll need to provide the XP install CD yourself. I think most of this downgrading will have to be done at the point of sale. The customer buys a computer that comes pre-configured with Vista. The customer will request that the vendor downgrade to XP. The vendor complies by simply shoving an image of XP that he has used before. The licensing is valid because of the downgrade right. However, I bet the vendor will charge a "nominal fee" for performing the downgrade. Although Microsoft says the user must provide the XP installation media, the users won't have it unless they steal it. To cite from http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9040318: "How do I downgrade? Install a copy of Windows XP Professional with the product key that came with the copy, and then when you hit the activation screen -- which is near the end of the installation process -- select the activate by phone option rather than the online method. You'll likely end up talking with a live rep; tell him that you're downgrading from Vista to XP, and give him the Vista product key. The rep is supposed to walk you through the rest." Uh, and just how does that customer get a copy of the Windows XP installation media? They steal it. If not there already, guess what will show up at the Torrent nodes? It really depends on what the OEM'ers do regarding providing their customers with installation media for Windows XP. If you have a Dell, HP, or other brand pre-built computer with Vista, go ask them how they're handling it. What is going to bite a lot of customers of pre-built computers is that downgrading could result in loss of hardware or loss of full functionality of their hardware. Some pre-build makers that are now distributing their hardware with pre-installed Windows Vista only have drivers for Vista. That is, that hardware was designed to have Vista installed on it and the vendor only provides Vista drivers for that hardware. When downgrading to Windows XP, there may be no appropriate drivers for the hardware for it to function properly under Windows XP. That is why a retailer may warn a customer that downgrading to (or doing fresh install of) Windows XP could render some of the hardware unusable. Yeah, they could do a fresh install of Windows XP (whether as its own license or as a downgrade) but the host won't work right.
Recommended Posts