Windows Licensing Question

[dan^uk]

The organisation that I work for is planning on purchasing 70 laptops that have OEM Windows XP Pro pre-installed. However because of software requirements, we require Windows 2000. We have been told that we can exercise our downgrade rights and install a copy of Windows 2000 instead of XP. However we would require a Windows 2000 product key to actually install it, which we can get by purchasing the Windows 2000 media.

Do we need a unique product key for every laptop (meaning that we would have to buy media for each laptop)? Or does the fact that we have a valid Windows XP licences with which we are using our downgrade rights mean we are legal? Any links to back this up?

Thanks.

 

[Baz]

I don't think you can use the same CD key for all of the laptops..


Not seen any apps that Xp doesn't like that 2000 does


Try your reseller, they should have a licensing department who are more than qualified to answer your questions.

 

[Burnsy2023]

Yes you can use the same key, it'll most likely be a VLK, which is used in this case. You'll obtain the VLK with the media though your reseller as you said.

You are perfectly legal and licenced through exercising your downgrade rights.

Who ever you are talking to is correct. I can't be arsed to post links, but I am 100% certain this is right.

Burnsy

 

[stoofa]

If I may just quote from the VLK Brief - For your own sanity:

Q. Can I downgrade my OEM version of Microsoft Windows XP Professional to Windows 98 (Second Edition)?

A. Yes. OEM Downgrade Rights for desktop operating systems apply to Windows XP Professional only. Please note, OEM downgrade versions of Windows XP Professional are limited to Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional, Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0, and Microsoft Windows 98 (Second Edition). End users can use the following media for their downgrade: Volume Licensing media (provided the end user has a Volume Licensing agreement), Retail (FPP), or System Builder hologram CD (provided the software is acquired in accordance with the Microsoft OEM System Builder License). The downgrade operating system is governed by the Windows XP Professional EULA, and the end user cannot use both the downgrade operating system and Windows XP Professional. However, there are no downgrade rights granted for Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.

A few people seem to think that downgrade rights for OEM OS's has been around for a while.
This isn't actually the case.
You couldn't for example use OEM 98 licenses to run 95 - it was actually specifically prohibited.

 

[Baz]

Yes you can use the same key, it'll most likely be a VLK, which is used in this case. You'll obtain the VLK with the media though your reseller as you said.

You are perfectly legal and licenced through exercising your downgrade rights.

Who ever you are talking to is correct. I can't be arsed to post links, but I am 100% certain this is right.

Burnsy

Aah, I forgot about VLK's...

 

[Burnsy2023]

A few people seem to think that downgrade rights for OEM OS's has been around for a while.
This isn't actually the case.
You couldn't for example use OEM 98 licenses to run 95 - it was actually specifically prohibited.

They have been around for ages, just only on business products. I'm pretty sure NT4 had downgrade rights.

Burnsy

 

[stoofa]

I'm mainly going by the information in the link I quoted from.
That indicates that only WinXP Pro 32bit OEM offers any kind of downgrade rights with regards desktop OS's.
If this is the case, that would mean Win2k OEM doesn't give you downgrade rights, let alone NT4.

 

[Burnsy2023]

I'm mainly going by the information in the link I quoted from.
That indicates that only WinXP Pro 32bit OEM offers any kind of downgrade rights with regards desktop OS's.
If this is the case, that would mean Win2k OEM doesn't give you downgrade rights, let alone NT4.

I know 2000 has downgrade rights, and I'm fairly confident NT4 also has.

The link was just trying to get the point that XP home doesn't.

Burnsy