We license our users with windows software assurance per user, do windows downgrade rights extend to all of the licensed users. What types of windows server licenses are available. Please previously i use win10 pro, few week ago on the sceen show license will expired soon. Active software assurance customers in volume licensing have the benefit to. Hpe faq for microsoft oem licensing windows server. Update enables downgrade rights between windows 10 iot and. This brief explains the options for licensing windows embedded 8 editions and key enterprise features. Downgrade rights in volume licensing agreements provide you with the right to downgrade to any prior version of the same product. As noted above, microsoft only provides the media for n2 versions of windows desktop os. Hello, i work for a medical software company and im trying to find a solution to a windows 7 pro downgrade rights issue.
Customers will continue to be allowed to attach software assurance to new devices purchased before july 1, 2014. Apr 03, 20 for a pc that has windows 8 preinstalled by an oem oem downgrade rights apply to only windows 8 pro and allow for downgrades for up to two earlier versions to windows 7 professional and to windows vista business. In summary, the windows 10 enterprise e3 in csp program is an upgrade offering that provides small and mediumsized organizations easier, more flexible access to the benefits of windows 10 enterprise edition, whereas microsoft volume licensing programs and software assurance are broader in scope and provide benefits beyond access to windows 10. Purchase windows 8 upgrades through volume licensing vl with software assurance. Discussion in windows 10 updates and activation started by andrreasandrreas, apr 12, 2020 at 5. If youve purchased a license with software assurance and you want to. Dell with a windows xp pro oem license then we do a clean. Window 7 8 pro enterprise 32bit 64bit software assurance.
Microsoft tweaks per user vda and software assurance. Downgrading windows 8 to 7 without having downgrade rights. Microsoft will allow users of windows 8 pro to downgrade their new pcs to windows 7 or even vista, according to the operating systems licensing agreement. Thanks to downgrade rights, end users who have acquired a later version of the software such as windows server 2012 r2 standard can use an earlier version. A comprehensive program that includes a unique set of technologies, services, and rights to help deploy, manage, and use microsoft products efficiently, software assurance helps keep your business up to date and ready to respond quickly to change and opportunity. The first step is to know your rights for a variety of reasons, some businesses are looking to downgrade from windows 8 to windows 7. Product activation every copy of windows 8 must be activated with a valid product key. When purchased through a when windows 8 pro is purchased through oem, sa can be added within 90 days. To get access to downgrade rights, software assurance sa is available to. Windows 10 enterprise e3 in csp windows deployment. Once youve determined that your purchase vehicle supports a downgrade, you need to ensure that you downgrade from like editions. Licenses enrolled in software assurance downgrade rights are granted in connection with all applications software licenses acquired through volume licensing, fpp, and oem and enrolled in software assurance coverage.
Active software assurance customers in volume licensing have the. Our software is currently designed for xp pro only. Oem downgrade rights apply to windows 8 pro and allow downgrading for up to two prior versions n2 to windows 7 professional or windows vista business. Downgrade rights will be critical to windows 8 s acceptance in the enterprise, but if theyre exercised by consumers, its a sign microsofts newest os has pulled a vista, analysts said today. This will give you the various benefits discussed in this article. Licenses bought through fpp and oem can be activated via the internet or. Upgrade copies of windows 8 pro dont include downgrade rights, so you cant purchase the windows 8 pro pack to get downgrade rights. Windows downgrade rights frequently asked questions. Without software assurance coverage, vl has downgrade rights to prior versions of windows with the exception of enterprise. The windows 10 enterprise per user addon is an optional subscription license that provides windows 10 enterprise per user rights for a primary user whose primary device is licensed with windows covered by software assurance, or windows per user vda rights for a primary user whose primary device is licensed with windows vda. I need windows 7 ultimate or enterprise for 20 desktop pc so bitlocker can be used. If there are no native drivers, you will have to consider returning the machine and purchasing a machine preloaded with windows 8 pro with downgrade rights to windows 7 professional.
If you upgrade from a retail version, it carries the rights of a retail version. Deployment and use of this software is subject to the geographic distribution restrictions. I activated sa on the very first windows 8 pro machine i bought. Microsoft will allow downgrades from windows 8 to windows. For example, an end user who downgrades to windows 7 professional may later return to windows 8. Windows embedded 8 is a trusted platform that enables enterprises to delight customers and extend the power and intuitive experience of windows 8 to specialized devices. Software assurance is an offering for microsoft volume licensing customers that provides customers with benefits such as the ability to spread payments over three years, new version rights, support, tools, and training. Adding software assurance software assurance sa can be added to windows 8 pro. Software assurance by benefit microsoft volume licensing. A lot of computers that come preloaded with windows 8 do not have native driver support for windows 7 by the manufacturer. This article describes an update that enables downgrade rights between windows 10 internet of things iot and windows embedded 8. Systems on this list were available with a windows 8 pro purchase option, windows 7 drivers may not be available. Personally i loved windows 7, it was one of my favourite versions.
Downgrade rights are an enduser right that microsoft offers to customers for certain oem products which meet the technical requirements for a windows software downgrade. If not you need purchase a copy of windows 7 and install the same on your computer. Downgrade rights for microsoft volume licensing, oem. Windows 7 professional and windows 7 ultimate customers have downgrade rights to windows vista business, windows vista ultimate, or windows xp professional. If you do have downgrade rights and decide to use them, you continue to keep the license and rights of use for your original version and may upgrade back at any time. Windows sa licensing confers the rights to use the enterprise edition of the latest windows release, as well as downgrade rights. Consumer versions of windows have no downgrade rights, but the. Downgrade rights will always apply to volume licenses, but it will depend on the product for the oem licenses. Microsoft windows 7, microsoft windows 8, downgrade from windows 8 to. Windows 8 pro oem downgrade to windows 7 pro via software assurance. Microsoft software assurance, downgrade rights, and virtualization with oem licensing specific product questions for active product families client access licenses cals and remote desktop services rdss cals reseller questions licensing 1. You can only downgrade to windows 7 professional or windows vista business, not windows xp. Windows 8 enterprise is available only as a software assurance benefit and. Our current workflow is to purchase pcs from a vendor i.
Jun 08, 2016 only the professional versions of windows desktop operating systems include downgrade rights, and the easy rule of thumb is that they can be downgraded to the pro version of the previous two major releases. For the windows 8 enterprise with sa volume you can downgrade all the way to windows 95. These licensing rules, called downgrade rights, vary by sales channel. For windows 10 pro licenses acquired though an oem, you may downgrade to windows 8. Frequently asked questions about microsoft licensing squalio.
For a pc that has windows 8 preinstalled by an oem oem downgrade rights apply to only windows 8 pro and allow for downgrades for up to two earlier versions to windows 7 professional and to windows vista business. What are downgrade rights and how would my customer benefit from them. Downgrade rights for microsoft volume licensing, oem, and. License downgrade discus and support license downgrade in windows 10 updates and activation to solve the problem. The technical steps to deploy downgrade rights to windows 8.
One of the most valuable benefits you receive through windows software assurance and windows virtual desktop access vda is flexible access to windows enterprise. The potential for counterfeit software when purchasing outside of typical reseller channels looms large. Customers will not be able to buy a windows 7 professional or ultimate pc with end user downgrade rights after windows 7 reaches the end of sales date in the oem channel which according to. Is there a ultimate or enterprise version of windows 8 or will buying windows 8 pro vl give me downgrade rights to windows 7 ultimate and or enterprise. Thanks to downgrade rights, if you have acquired a later version of the software such as windows 10 pro you can use an earlier version of the software such as windows 8. Well it certainly looks like it should according to. Windows 10 downgrade rights when will microsoft make an official statement as to what happens to my legit windows 7 key after i upgrade to rtm windows 10. Software assurance sa can be added to windows 8 pro. You may downgrade windows 10 enterprise to windows 88. Sep 03, 2012 microsoft will allow users of windows 8 pro to downgrade their new pcs to windows 7 or even vista, according to the operating systems licensing agreement. I will be surprised if after 29 july we will really have to pay full price to upgrade windows 7 8 to 10, but with ms you really dont know what theyre going to do until they do it. Software assurance benefits help you take full advantage of your investments in it. Dec 20, 2012 purchase windows 8 upgrades through volume licensing vl with software assurance. Software assurance availability and benefits vary by volume licensing program and region.
An understanding of both your microsoft windows downgrade rights. How the new windows 8 license terms affect you zdnet. You would not, however, be able to downgrade to windows vista home basic or. If your copy came preinstalled on your system, you may downgrade your copy to windows 7. Oem versions of microsoft office software licenses do not grant downgrade rights. Thanks to downgrade rights, end users who have acquired a later version of the software such as windows server 2012 r2 standard can use an earlier version of the software such. For the windows products, there are limitations on downgrade rights.
To license windows software assurance per user for faculty and. In addition i have updated the main software i use to the latest versions and they are still not compatible with w8. Because the multilingual user interface mui is included with windows 8. Refer to the table below for more specific product downgrade rights. Oem windows 10 customers must use genuine windows 8. Here is the text from the licensing site for windows 8. Adding sa to a windows 8 professional oem license provides, among other benefits, the right to downgrade to any prior os.
Purchase windows intune wsa subscription through vl or online services. For windows 10 licenses acquired though commercial licensing, you may downgrade to any prior version of the licensed windows edition. May 10, 2016 this article describes an update that enables downgrade rights between windows 10 internet of things iot and windows embedded 8. To get access to downgrade rights, software assurance sa is available to purchase for underlying oem office professional licenses within 90 days from the date of the oem purchase. Downgrade rights are documented in the microsoft software license terms that customers accept upon first running windows and windows server software.
Software assurance is only available through a microsoft volume licensing agreement. However, institutions may acquire windows software assurance per user rights through the windows software assurance per user addon. Sep 10, 2012 if a pc has an oem windows 8 professional license, any post windows xp version windows vista business, windows 7 professional, or windows 8 professional may be deployed. Downgrade rights for microsoft commercial licensing, oem. I have windows 7 professional and need to get to windows 8. Downgrade rights which let customers replace a newer version of windows with an. Downgrade rights for microsoft volume licensing, oem, and fpp. For full details about the access rights granted, refer to the software assurance benefits section of the microsoft volume licensing product.
Downgrade rights for windows 10 licensing howto windows. Under the peruser plans, the operating system can be installed locally, on virtual desktop. How to downgrade from windows 8 pro to windows 7 professional. Microsoft license downgrade rights why you need to know them. Cddvd of earlier microsoft products that your organization is currently licensed to use through downgrade rights, you can use these prior software. For windows 8 licenses acquired though an oem, you may downgrade to the two prior versions n2 of the licensed windows edition. A windows 8 pro oem license, not covered by sa, entitles customers to downgrade up to two releases downto windows 7 professional and windows vista business, but not to xp. So for example, windows 10 pro can downgrade to windows 8. Windows 8 pro oem downgrade to windows 7 pro via software. Windows desktop os upgrade licensing which license do i. Downgrades are key to microsoft license compliance directions. Heres a link to the licensing brief that talks about downgrade rights.
Volume license customers who purchase software assurance contracts from microsoft will continue to have downgrade rights on systems they. Microsoft will allow downgrades from windows 8 to windows 7. Can i add software assurance to my windows 10 pro license. To obtain a more favorable and expanded set of use rights than provided by oem licenses, including downgrade rights, many customers supplement their oem windows professional licenses with purchases made through volume licensing programs, the two most prominent being the windows professional upgrade license and software assurance sa. Downgrade rights windows 8 to 7 i have had my optiplex 3010 for two weeks now and just cannot get on with windows 8 professional. There are no downgrade rights to windows 7 ultimate 5. Sep 03, 2012 hi jay in case you hadnt discovered the answer elsewhere, see question 4 in the september update to the downgrade rights brief. Downgrade rights for microsoft commercial licensing, oem, and. What may i downgrade to if i have windows 8 enterprise. Adding software assurance software assurance sa can be added to windows 8. Microsoft will allow downgrades from windows 8 to windows 7, vista. Each time you purchase a machine with an oem license of windows 8, attach sa via volume licensing at a cost of around. Mar 14, 2017 downgrade and downedition rights are an enduser right that microsoft offers to customers for certain oem products that meet the technical requirements for a windows software downgrade.
Mar 30, 2018 the server products after 2003 typically do include downgrade rights, and the windows operating systems from windows vista through windows 10 professional do include downgrade rights. Jun 09, 2014 for oem licenses, downgrade rights are documented in the microsoft software license terms that customers accept upon first running windows and windows server software. New benefits are provided for devices covered by software assurance for windows embedded 8. While the windows 8 pro license allows for a downgrade to windows 7, there is no assurance that windows 7 drivers will be available either from dell or the component manufacturer. Downgrade rights are available for windows for embedded systems products. To downgrade eligible windows software, end users must. With windows software assurance per user licensing, all of the users.
Explains the downgrade rights for the most commonly acquired systems license terms granted by volume licensing programs and how they compare with original equipment manufacturer oem and fullpackage product fpp license rights. Consumer versions of windows 8 pro that come preinstalled on pcs have downgrade rights to a previous version of windows example. Windows 8 will not include right to downgrade to xp. Your ability to downgrade windows 8 to an earlier version of windows depends both on the version of windows 8 that you have and on the method by which you obtained windows 8. Downgrade rights are only available on computers that come with windows 8 pro.
Read the fine print before downgrading to windows 7 infoworld. The new peruser sa and vda plans are restricted to using windows 7 or windows 8 8. Windows 8 7 volume license version ms licensing spiceworks. Downgrade rights windows 10 pro retail to windows 7 pro. Oem downgrade rights apply to windows 8 pro only and allow downgrades up to. The following oem versions of windows software are eligible for downgrade rights. Software assurance through vl volume licensing provides the greatest flexibility, allowing for downgrades to all prior versions and editions besides windows 7 ultimate and vista ultimate editions. Mui is only available for windows 7 in the windows 7 enterprise edition, which requires software assurance. Windows 8 enterprise which comes with software assurance may be downgraded to windows 7.
Though downgrade rights, customers with a valid license for windows embedded 8. Microsoft license downgrade rights why you need to know. Software assurance sa through volume licensing provides the greatest downgrade rights, allowing for downgrades to additional prior versions and editions, including notably, windows 7. Steps for an end user to downgrade windows software.
Sorry, but windows xp downgrades wont be available. Dont assume microsoft license downgrade rights apply universally. Before you install this update, see the prerequisites section. A windows 8 enterprise edition purchased with sa, provides downgrade rights down to windows nt. It is important, though, to read through the eula or oem license terms document that ships with the product to understand the specific downgrade rights offered. Microsoft volume licensing microsoft software assurance.
With windows software assurance per user licensing, all of the users devices receive the same downgrade rights as they would if they were covered by windows software assurance per device. Does anyone have a link to the windows 8 downgrade rights document. Downgrade rights are granted with all server software licenses acquired through the select license and open license programs. Read the fine print before downgrading to windows 7 new report explains in straightforward language what you need to know to stay in compliance with microsofts licensing rules. For this you have to use the gparted software that is a linux based application that will allow you to delete and format your. I now have a mak key for my windows 7 wds deployments. An understanding of both your microsoft windows downgrade. Mar 01, 20 for the windows products, there are limitations on downgrade rights.
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