Legally downgrade Windows Vista Home OEM license?

Legally downgrade Windows Vista Home OEM license? Last year I bought a laptop that included Windows Vista Home Premium, OEM version. As I bought it for my linux work and am not fond of Vista, I would like to replace it by Windows XP or make a Virtual machine that runs XP.
Asked by: Guest \| Views: 148

Total answers/comments: 2

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Guest [Entry]

"According to official Microsoft document from http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/f/4/5f4c83d3-833e-4f11-8cbd-699b0c164182/royaltyoemreferencesheet.pdf

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. Customers may not downgrade to Windows 2000 Professional from Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate. No downgrade rights are included in other Windows Vista products in the OEM channel

Translation: Legally you can downgrade OEM versions Vista Business and Vista Ultimate. Other version cannot be legally downgraded."

Guest [Entry]

Before you even think about going with XP, check whether you can find ALL XP drivers for your PC. Chances are you don't and then the project is dead in the water anyhow. And as was said earlier, who wants to wrestle with an 8 year old OS these days. Follow the advice and get Windows7.