Understanding Downgrade Rights

Example:

• Your customer's organization needs a new system running on the same platform as its existing systems—Windows Vista Business.

Downgrade rights offer a practical solution. The customer can:

• Purchase a PC with Windows 7 Professional preinstalled.
• Downgrade—at no additional cost—to Windows Vista.
• Another compelling reason to encourage customers to move to Windows 7 is the ability to downgrade to Windows XP.
• Move to Windows 7 Professional at the appropriate time. The system is licensed and ready for conversion.

Downgrade rights for:

• Windows 7
• Windows Vista
• Windows Servers

Downgrade rights for Windows 7 are an end-user right, documented in the Software License Terms that customers accept upon first running Windows software.

Note that Windows 7 end user downgrade rights will be available for approximately 18 months after the general availability of Windows 7 (April, 2011) or the release of a Windows 7 Service Pack, whichever is earlier.

Customers must:

• Purchase a PC preinstalled with Windows 7.
• Accept the Windows 7 Software License Terms.
• Perform the downgrade or authorize an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to perform it.

• See additional details and FAQ.

The Downgrade Process

Follow these steps to downgrade to a previous version of Windows:

1. Obtain genuine Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate and a corresponding product key.
   • The media should come from a prior legally licensed version from the OEM or Retail channels.
   • Additionally an end user, who is licensed separately through Microsoft Volume Licensing (VL) programs, may provide their VL media and key to their system builder to use to facilitate the downgrade on only their systems.
2. Insert Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate media in the CD drive and follow the installation instructions.
3. Type the product key.
   • If the software was previously activated, you won't be able to activate it online. In this case, the appropriate local Activation Support phone number will be displayed. Call the number and explain the circumstances. Once it is determined that the end user has a valid Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate license, the customer service representative will provide a single-use activation code to activate the software.
   • In this case, the appropriate local Activation Support phone number will be displayed.
   • Call the number and explain the circumstances.
   • Once it is determined that the end user has a valid Windows 7 Professional or Windows 7 Ultimate license, the customer service representative will provide a single-use activation code to activate the software.
4. Activate the software.
5. Also see the Step-by-Step Guide and FAQ for Windows 7 .pdf 1.5 MB for customers.

OEM Versions of Windows 7 Eligible for Downgrade

Only certain OEM versions of Windows 7 include downgrade rights:

• Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate include downgrade rights to Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate.
• Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate temporarily includes downgrade rights to Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, or Windows XP x64 Edition.
• Other OEM Windows 7 versions (for instance, Windows 7 Home Basic and Windows 7 Home Premium) do not include downgrade rights.

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Downgrade rights for Windows Vista are an end-user right, documented in the End User Software License Terms that customers accept upon first running Windows software.

Customers must:

• Purchase a PC preinstalled with Windows Vista.
• Accept the Windows Vista End User Software License Terms.
• Perform the downgrade or authorize an OEM to perform it.

• See additional details and FAQ.

The Downgrade Process

Follow these steps to downgrade to a previous version of Windows:

1. Obtain genuine Windows XP Professional or Tablet PC Edition media and a corresponding product key.
   • The media should come from a prior legally licensed version from the OEM or Retail channels.
   • Additionally an end user, who is licensed separately through Microsoft Volume Licensing programs, may provide their VL media and key to their System Builder to use to facilitate the downgrade on only their systems.
2. Insert Windows XP Professional media in the CD drive and follow the installation instructions.
3. Type the product key.
   • If the software was previously activated, you won't be able to activate it online. In this case, the appropriate local Activation Support phone number will be displayed. Call the number and explain the circumstances. Once it is determined that the end user has a valid Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate license, the customer service representative will provide a single-use activation code to activate the software.
4. Activate the Windows XP operating system software.
5. Also see the Step-by-Step Guide and FAQ for Windows Vista .pdf 930 KB for customers.

OEM Versions of Windows Vista Eligible for Downgrade

Only certain OEM versions of Windows Vista include downgrade rights.

• Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate include downgrade rights to:
  • Windows XP Professional, or
  • Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, or
  • Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

Other OEM Windows Vista versions (for instance, Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Home Premium) do not include downgrade rights.

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Downgrade rights are an end-user right, documented in the End User Software License Terms that customers accept upon first running Windows software.

Customers must:

• Purchase a PC preinstalled with Windows Server 2008.
• Accept the Windows Server 2008 End User Software License Terms.
• Perform the downgrade or authorize an OEM to perform it.

• See additional details and FAQ

The Downgrade Process

Follow these steps to downgrade to a previous version of Windows server software:

1. Obtain genuine Windows Server 2003 or Windows Small Business Server 2003 media and a corresponding product key.
   • The media should come from a prior legally licensed version from the OEM or Retail channels.
   • Additionally an end user, who is licensed separately through Microsoft Volume Licensing programs, may provide their VL media and key to their System Builder to use to facilitate the downgrade on only their systems.
2. Insert the downgrade media in the CD drive and follow the installation instructions.
3. Type the product key.
   • If the software was previously activated, you won’t be able to activate it online. In this case, the appropriate local Activation Support phone number will be displayed. Call the number and explain the circumstances. Once it is determined that the end user has a valid Windows Server license, the customer service representative will provide a single-use activation code to activate the software.
4. Activate the software.

OEM Versions of Windows Server Eligible for Downgrade

Only certain OEM versions of Windows Server include downgrade rights. See below for the eligible versions.

• Windows Server 2008 Standard includes downgrade rights to Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition.
• Windows Server 2008 Enterprise includes downgrade rights to Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition.
• Windows Small Business Server 2008 Premium includes downgrade rights to Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition or Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2.

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