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Microsoft Gives Vista 2 XP Downgrades For Free

Guest Paulo

By Guest Paulo
in Windows XP

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Guest John John (MVP)

Guest John John (MVP)

Posted
Posted

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 VanguardLH

Guest VanguardLH

Posted
Posted

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

Guest Dave Navarro

Posted
Posted

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

Guest VanguardLH

Posted
Posted

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.

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