We've already covered the
plethora of Windows 7 versions, starting with the gimpy Starter edition and then running all the way up to Ultimate (which, we can now confirm, will
not include a bag of chips). Microsoft's grand scheme is for users to start with what they need and pay to unlock additional functionality, upgrading their way to the top rung of the the Windows 7 ladder. But, it's now coming to light that the company will also allow downgrades -- not to simpler versions of Win 7, but to earlier operating systems like Vista and even XP. Yes, OEM manufacturers can still keep shipping XP Pro by "downgrading" Windows 7 machines through the end of April, 2010, and while HP is the only one advertising this, you can be sure they won't be alone. Interestingly these machines will still come with free Windows 7 upgrades, hopefully enticing users to give it a shot, but if they don't like it they are allowed to go back to XP on their own. Details for user-driven downgrades are a bit light at the moment, though, so don't be surprised if it requires a little fdisk action.
[Thanks, Simon B.]
Read -- Windows 7 will allow downgrades too at CNET
Read -- Microsoft allows HP to wipe Windows 7 at AppleInsider
Read -- Windows 7 upgrades for downgraders at Computer World
posted April 7th 2009 9:58AM
Microsoft have always allowed this. Mostly for buisnesses...my machine at work has a vista business license but it runs XP (although the rest of the company is still on 2000).
So this "free windows 7 upgrade" isnt free afterall...you're paying for 7.
Oh, yes, Micro$oft really sucks......
just release it already.
They are pretty much forced to for businesses - I support several offices running active directory / roaming profiles for hot desking etc - Running a mixed (XP/Vista) environment is a right pain, not to mention the need for training to use 2 platforms etc. I can imagine this to be a much greater force in larger organisations - I should imagine IT departments would want to roll out Vista (or 7) on all PCs at once (or department at once), or not at all.
That said, I found the jump from Vista to 7 to be a lot easier than XP to Vista in terms of AD / Roaming etc...
Sorry - totally lost my train of thought - the point of my comment was that Businesses don't want to be forced to run a hybrid network, or upgrade all machines and retrain every time they have to replace a few pcs.
Well, it's a win-or-win situation. All in all, you're upgrading/downgrading to a MICROSOFT product ;) so...
Does anyone remember everyone crying that they had to switch from Win 98/2000 to XP? It happens with every OS :D. Who would have thought then that people would want to stick with XP?
As I said in the comments over at Neowin: this is ridiculous. Time to upgrade, people. If you need to buy new hardware (b/c something breaks) peel that little sticker off the side and use the license code (you did pay for it, already).
By the time 7's successor drops, XP will be 12 years old, or so. Hopefully by then the XP downgrades will be over with. That would be like people complaining about XP at it's launch and opting to downgrade to Windows 3.0.
"peel that little sticker off the side and use the license code (you did pay for it, already)."
Congrats. You just broke the law.
There are still business apps that aren't compatible with anything beyond XP.
We're in a recession. Businesses don't want to spend the time and money to upgrade them to be Vista/7 compatible.
@Andir
In America maybe, but not in the free world. ;)
The free world doesn't have laws.
Drew, read the Terms of Use for Windows 2000(and newer) OEM licensing. Once you change hardware, your license is void. Microsoft will allow for hard drive failure (which will produce a different HID), but you can't transfer a license from one computer to another if you buy off the shelf (HP, Lenovo, Gateway/Acer, et cetera) because of the OEM license. If you buy the full boxed retail copy of Windows, then you can. I think you get up to three activations, after that you have to call Microsoft to tell them why you need to activate for a 4th, 5th, 432nd time...
It's not evil; it's business, and it's fair (for the cost of an OEM license compared to a retail boxed license).
@Andir3.0
Just so you know, using that license from the side of the computer is not illegal. You did already pay for it, and you are able to use it on other computers, but of course, only one computer at a time. This in no way violates any form of law or Microsoft rules.
No, it is illegal. The OEM license is tied to your mainboard. If you change our our mainboard for a non-OEM replacement board, you will be violating the terms of your license and are breaking the law. This includes the non-transferability clause of the OEM license.
If you buy a retail copy, yes. You are correct. If you bought a computer with an OEM license and a sticker on the side, it IS NOT transferal to any other machine EVER.
The whole "OEM license is tied to the mobo" may be in the EULA, but I'm pretty sure that if MS got on your case about it, you would win in court. A license is a license. Especially if the OEM license came with a PC you bought, you're not going to buy a whole new license for the same PC minus one part. I'd love to see Microsoft's legal argument.
You have apparently never seen Microsoft's Lawyers in action nor the amount of money they spend on retaining them. You'd never be able to afford going to a judge against them.
It would be nice if one day people actually understood the difference between illegal and breaking terms of agreement....the day a corporation can determine what is and isn't legal we are all pretty much fucked.
Until that day removing the license from a computer that you own is NOT illegal. As in you are not breaking a law and no the cops will not arrest you for it. this is in the same vein as breaking a NDA. You can be held liable for it, you aren't going to be arrested.
Actually Widows 7 looks really promising, From what I have been reading so far, I may be an early adopter when it comes out !!!
Already using the beta right now...and its awesome.
You are correct. It is amazing. Been running the beta for a long while now. This is the first version of Windows I'm actually excited about.
VISTA filled me with pure unadulterated rage for that entire month I put up with it before downgrading back down to XP, but 7 is really really good.
Windows 7 is the r0x0r. I've been running the beta for a couple of weeks and it is head and shoulders above Vista.
Why does Engadget make me feel dirty for liking Vista. I know I'm not the only one. IMO it far exceeds XP.
I went back to xp from vista only because I needed to run software that didn't work in Vista. After a few months I started to really miss using vista. Yes it sucks that I can't use some software in vista, but some companies are taking way too long to adapt to the new os.
The fact that they are allowing downgrades just shows a complete lack of confidence with Windows 7.
Perhaps you should have read Nero3000's post above before you started trolling.
To summarise: he's right, you're wrong.
yeah, all that jazz... and what happens to vista ultimate owners? Are they written off after paying for MS' little vista ultimate experiment?
Car analogy time: You bought a car w/ a V6 and leather interior and now the company updates the model w/ a new sportier look a V8 and even nicer interior a year or two later for the same price. Do believe you're entititled to a free upgrade to the new model even though you felt that the previous model was worth what you paid?
Car analogy time: You bought a car w/ a V6 and leather interior which is slower than a V4 ("Because it's new and uses more resources. Why? Because it's new.) and now the company finally fixes it a year or two later for the same price. Do believe you're entititled to a free upgrade to the new model even though you felt that the previous model was shit?
has there been a car built with a V4 since the 60's? How about this, get off of all forums and stop trolling, spend that time learning about cars or computers... then you can know at least something about one of them. I've never had a problem with Vista and can't help but think that this is a PEBKAC situation when I hear you whiners bitching all the time.
Does anyone even make a V4 engine anymore?
@loban plenty of bikes, not so much on cars.
OK, those were some utterly pointless car analogies that failed to address the issue that was being raised (correct me if I'm wrong, darkmax). The point is that Windows Ultimate was sold on the understanding that you got everything available in both the Vista Home Premium and Vista Business Premium versions plus your Ultimate Extras, or whatever they were called, and these extras essentially failed to materialise. There was never any statement that said that Microsoft would provide specific Extras but the understanding was that the customer would get something worth knowing about. That customers didn't really get anything worth the extra money is pretty ridiculous and I don't blame people for feeling like they were taken for a ride (possibly in a V8, I don't know...).
Microsoft should have been clearer about what people were getting for their money and I'd suggest that people don't spend their money with Microsoft in the future without knowing that. At least then you will have an enforceable complaint if the company fails to deliver what you paid for.
The only real point of buying Vista Ultimate was because Home Premium comes with some extra random stuff like Media Center but can't join domains or be RDC'd to, while Business has RDC, the ability to join a domain, etc (I think it has fax and scan while home premium doesn't as well), and then ultimate has all of that. Personally I think the inability to join a domain is a crock of shit as I run my own domain at home for AD controls and it annoys me that just to do that I need "business" licenses and can't try media center.
Loban: About...95% of them, yeah.
Lobhan: Yes. Mostly for motorcycles.
superhobo: No. You're thinking of an inline 4.
Car analogies about engine, interior, etc changes cannot apply to computers because they are physical hardware changes.
Your car analogies are like saying i have a Core 2 Duo with 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive and the company comes out with a new computer in the same case with a Core 2 Quad, 4GB RAM, and a 500GB hard drive and i want to upgrade to the Core 2 Quad computer free cause its better components in the same case
Car =/ Computer in terms of software analogies.
Sounds like a good deal to me. "Downgrade" to xp pro then set up dual boot with 7. You get the best of both worlds.
I might well be way off the mark here, but does the upgrade back to Vista not de-genuinize your XP serial?
but you don't want to install stuff like microsoft office twice on the same computers, just for 2 different OS...
dual booting won't work for long term... it's like you say monday you run XP and tuesday you use 7 -- you'll have to stick with one OS eventually.
Windows 7 is awesome, i have it on my Dell Mini 9 and it runs great. Just as fast as XP. After roughly 9 years XP will be shelved from all new systems hopefully, i really do hate that archaic OS.
Its still doesnt match OSX in my opinion but its a great effort by Microsoft. They have to deal with so many more variables and whingers which makes drastic changes to their OS almost impossible without causing chaos.
Now lets see an official pricing table, and maybe a potential release date besides "maybe Q3 09. Maybe 2010.. We're not... sure, yet." Come on, stop BSing us, and give up the goods already. Even a good hint would quell the masses into submission.
Agreed. They need to do something sooner than later..
Windows 7 really is great. I'm shocked the beta is as stable as it is. The only issue I had was with the original version of IE8 that shipped with the beta but that's since been fixed. I hope the release version isn't drastically different from the beta becuase it is awesome.
I find it ironic latest Microsoft ads knife at Apple for being expensive "in this economy", but then require hundreds ( thousands? ) of dollars in hardware upgrades to use Windows 7.
Which is it Ballmer? The economy dictates that you shouldn't spend money on frivolous things like a $700 graphics card -- or -- "It's 2009, time to leave XP in the past"?
Ok... Has this not got a little old by now?
I forget how long XP has been out by now, but it is sure as hell archaic. The whole point of windows 7 is that its not meant to be quite so resource hungry as Vista - hell my NC10 runs it like a dream.
"it's 2009, time to leave XP in the past -unless you don't want to..."
Please show me an operating system that requires a $70 much less $700 graphics cards.