XP and Vista License

arfur

arfur

arfur

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Is it true that you can use a Vista Home (basic or Prem) and install XP home? if so does it matter which version of vista license I have?
 
not sure what you mean by "valid license for both", does this mean I have to buy both licenses? theres no point in doing this, or do you mean as long as I have a vista license I can install XP on 1 machine only for that license?
 
If you are talking about OEM licenses then no - you have no downgrade rights.
With OEM Vista both Business & Ultimate can be downgraded to Windows XP Professional.
There are no downgrade rights for Home Basic or Home Premium.
 
sorry to be a bit dense but if a pc is bought with Vista Business but downgraded to XP is the one licence valid for both?

Also if the OS were to be changed back to Vista at a future date would that be possible as well with the licence?

Thanks
 
daisyanne said:
sorry to be a bit dense but if a pc is bought with Vista Business but downgraded to XP is the one licence valid for both?

Also if the OS were to be changed back to Vista at a future date would that be possible as well with the licence?

Thanks
Click to expand...
The Vista Business license would become the XP license (and you wouldn't have the right to use Vista anymore unless you decided to remove XP and upgrade back to Vista).

As far as I remember it's your responsibility to source an XP CD and it's product key and it can be the Retail or OEM version of XP. Also the XP product key you want to use can be in use already for the existing XP license so effectively the same product key will be used twice but that isn't a problem and you will be allowed to activate your downgrade from Vista to XP license (you might have to explain when phoning for activation should that be necessary).

You can find out more in a PDF from Microsoft:

http://download.microsoft.com/downl...cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf
 
Last edited:
daisyanne said:
sorry to be a bit dense but if a pc is bought with Vista Business but downgraded to XP is the one licence valid for both?

Also if the OS were to be changed back to Vista at a future date would that be possible as well with the licence?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes, but not if they are both installed at the same time (i.e. dual boot)
 
feriso said:
Yes, but not if they are both installed at the same time (i.e. dual boot)
Click to expand...

The OEM license for Vista Business & Ultimate specifically says you cannot run both OSs at the same time.
Your license is good for either Vista Business/Ultimate or XP Professional - not both at the same time.
 
I'm getting slightly confused so please bare with me, basically a customer of mine has purchased 2 laptops with Vista Home basic, but his software doesnt work with it, therefore he needs XP and what I'm trying to work out is does he need 2 new XP home licenses or not.
 
arfur said:
I'm getting slightly confused so please bare with me, basically a customer of mine has purchased 2 laptops with Vista Home basic, but his software doesnt work with it, therefore he needs XP and what I'm trying to work out is does he need 2 new XP home licenses or not.
Click to expand...

Yes, he needs to new XP licences as he cannot downgrade from Vista Home Basic. Alternatively, he could buy Vista Business or Ultimate and invoke the downgrade rights to use XP Pro.

Burnsy
 
arfur said:
I'm getting slightly confused so please bare with me, basically a customer of mine has purchased 2 laptops with Vista Home basic, but his software doesnt work with it, therefore he needs XP and what I'm trying to work out is does he need 2 new XP home licenses or not.
Click to expand...

Yes, see stoofa's comment

There are no downgrade rights for Home Basic or Home Premium.
Click to expand...

But there are downgrade rights for higher versions of Vista (business)
 
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