exchange Vista for XP

[theminhb]

Is there a program offer available to exchange Vista Ultimate for a copy of
XP? I've been using Vista since its release and there is still too many
things not working or supported. I know Dell was doing something for people
who didnt want Vista. My copy came preloaded on an HP computer. I just want
to wash my hands of Vista. Sick of the headaches.

 

[Andrew McLaren]

Is there a program offer available to exchange Vista Ultimate for a copy
of XP? I've been using Vista since its release and there is still too many
things not working or supported. I know Dell was doing something for
people who didnt want Vista. My copy came preloaded on an HP computer. I
just want to wash my hands of Vista. Sick of the headaches.

If your copy of Vista came with a new PC, then you have an OEM Licence. The
only people who could exchange the Vista licence for an XP licence will be
the OEM themselves: in your case, HP. As far as I know, HP do not run such
an exchange scheme - but you'd need to check with them, to be sure. Of
course, you can just go out and buy a retail copy of XP - there should still
be plenty available in the channel.

What specific problems are you seeing with Vista? The folks in this
newsgroups may be able to suggest solutions for many/all.

(I don't believe Vista is perfect; there are definitely some major
annoyances! But generally it's usable. I have been running it okay for about
12 months now, since early beta).

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

If there is such a program, your solution is with HP since they sold
it to you.
Since it is OEM, Microsoft could probably do nothing even if there was
such a program.

If you start a new thread in the appropriate newsgroup, perhaps
someone can help you with a solution.

AFAIK, Dell does not and did not have such an exchange program.
However Dell and most probably HP as well as the other major OEMs,
continue to sell computers with Windows XP as they did with previous
versions of Windows when Windows XP was released nearly 6 years ago.

 

[Richard G. Harper]

If there is such a program you'd need to contact your computer manufacturer.
If they offer none then you'd have to buy a copy of XP, plus find all the
drives you'd need.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* NEW! Catch my blog ... http://msmvps.com/blogs/rgharper/
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* The Website - http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm

 

[Duncan]

If you happen to have a legitimate copy of XP hanging around (from an older
computer for instance) and you still have the media for it, you can probably
install that. Use the old license key for it - whatever came with the XP CD.
I'm not sure what license agreement HP has with Microsoft, but OEM licenses
permit downgrade rights usually. In other words, you can downgrade your
Vista license to an XP license. Call MS Activation when you go to activate
your XP, and speak to somebody (I think you press 0). Explain you are
exercising downgrade rights, they should know what it is. Your HP license
may or may allow it (volume licensing is usually different), but if you have
XP media, give it a go and see where you get.

 

[huwyngr]

Is there a program offer available to exchange Vista Ultimate for a copy of 
XP?

Have a look at the Microsoft pdf document on Downgrade rights. The link is to
download the pdf not to read it on-line. It's called:

Royalty OEM Reference Sheet - Windows Vista Downgrade Rights and it's about
560Kb.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164
182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf

Here are some bits and pieces from it. Note that you have to check your EULA
with the VISTA machine to see if it includes Downgrade Rights but you
apparently do not have to get anything from the PC maker, although some may
say something about Warranty -- I''m fairly sure that HP have said that
changing the OS does not invalidate your warranty in itself but if you invoke
the warranty for service you are likely to get back a machine with the
original Factory setup on it, not what you sent in.

------------------------------------------------------------

The OEM vesions of Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate include
downgrade rights to Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows XP
Professional x64 Edition, and Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

Note the bit:

Q. Can I ship media for the downgrade
software system as well as most recent
version they are using to downgrade from?

A. No – downgrade media is provided by the
end customer.

Q. What about product activation? When a
previously licensed version of Windows XP
Professional is used for the downgrade,
won’t activation fail on the new PC?

A. When an end user is using their downgrade
rights offered under the License Terms in
Windows Vista Business and Ultimate versions
and they use both Windows XP media and a
product key that was previously activated, they
will be unable to activate on-line over the
Internet, due to the hardware confi guration
change when installing on the Vista system. In
these cases the end user will be prompted to
call the Activation Support Line and explain
their circumstances to the Customer Service
Representative. Once it is determined that the
end user has a valid Vista Business or Ultimate
license, the Customer Service Representative will
help them activate their software.

and

Q. Can end users return to Windows Vista
Business or Windows Vista Ultimate software
after they downgrade?

A. Yes. End users who downgrade may reinstall
the original software when they are ready to
migrate........ End users must use the original OEM media
or recovery software on the hard disk that was
included with the PC for reinstallation.

Q. Where do customers get the CD to install
the downgrade software?

A. End users must use a legally licensed version
of the specifi ed previous version of the Windows
desktop operating system to install the
downgrade software. The downgrade software
may be from the retail, OEM/System Builder, or
volume licensing channels.

-----------------------------------------------------------

As you will see there are limitations in both which VISTA versions you can
downgrade and to which versions of XP you can end up.

Hope that helps. You may find more by searching the Microsoft VISTA site for
[Downgrade rights +VISTA] since this actually began with versions before VISTA
came in -- there just wasn't the same interest in downgrading then <g>

 

[huwyngr]

Note the interesting MS document I've cited to "theminhb" -- nice
glossy color pdf presumably addressed to OEMs but very clear, to me
anyway, that all you need to do is see if Downgrade Rights are in the
specific EULA for your machine and then you do it all yourself -- don't
even have to get a retail copy of XP since they say you can use OEM!

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

"changing the OS does not invalidate your warranty"
That is true not only for HP but for all OEMs.
However since many have the customer perform some troubleshooting, you
may need to install the original operating system at your own time and
expense before troubleshooting can proceed.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org

Theminhb
wrote:

Is there a program offer available to exchange Vista Ultimate for a
copy of
XP?

Have a look at the Microsoft pdf document on Downgrade rights. The
link is to
download the pdf not to read it on-line. It's called:

Royalty OEM Reference Sheet - Windows Vista Downgrade Rights and
it's about
560Kb.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164
182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf

Here are some bits and pieces from it. Note that you have to check
your EULA
with the VISTA machine to see if it includes Downgrade Rights but
you
apparently do not have to get anything from the PC maker, although
some may
say something about Warranty -- I''m fairly sure that HP have said
that
changing the OS does not invalidate your warranty in itself but if
you invoke
the warranty for service you are likely to get back a machine with
the
original Factory setup on it, not what you sent in.

------------------------------------------------------------

The OEM vesions of Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate
include
downgrade rights to Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft
Windows XP
Professional x64 Edition, and Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC
Edition.

Note the bit:

Q. Can I ship media for the downgrade
software system as well as most recent
version they are using to downgrade from?

A. No - downgrade media is provided by the
end customer.

Q. What about product activation? When a
previously licensed version of Windows XP
Professional is used for the downgrade,
won't activation fail on the new PC?

A. When an end user is using their downgrade
rights offered under the License Terms in
Windows Vista Business and Ultimate versions
and they use both Windows XP media and a
product key that was previously activated, they
will be unable to activate on-line over the
Internet, due to the hardware confi guration
change when installing on the Vista system. In
these cases the end user will be prompted to
call the Activation Support Line and explain
their circumstances to the Customer Service
Representative. Once it is determined that the
end user has a valid Vista Business or Ultimate
license, the Customer Service Representative will
help them activate their software.

and

Q. Can end users return to Windows Vista
Business or Windows Vista Ultimate software
after they downgrade?

A. Yes. End users who downgrade may reinstall
the original software when they are ready to
migrate........ End users must use the original OEM media
or recovery software on the hard disk that was
included with the PC for reinstallation.

Q. Where do customers get the CD to install
the downgrade software?

A. End users must use a legally licensed version
of the specifi ed previous version of the Windows
desktop operating system to install the
downgrade software. The downgrade software
may be from the retail, OEM/System Builder, or
volume licensing channels.

-----------------------------------------------------------

As you will see there are limitations in both which VISTA versions
you can
downgrade and to which versions of XP you can end up.

Hope that helps. You may find more by searching the Microsoft VISTA
site for
[Downgrade rights +VISTA] since this actually began with versions
before VISTA
came in -- there just wasn't the same interest in downgrading then
<g>

 

[huwyngr]

That is true not only for HP  but for all OEMs.

I doubt that anything is true for all OEMs <g>

I made the point: << but if you invoke the warranty for service you
are likely to get back a machine with the original Factory setup on it,
not what you sent in. >>