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Thread: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

  1. #1
    Senior Member UltraMagnus's Avatar
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    vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    ok, so i am thinking of buying a dell vostro notebook.

    what i would like to know is, i have read that M.$ is allowing people to get a cheap copy of XP from a manufacturer they bought a computer preloaded with vista business or ultimate from. does anyone know how to go about getting this from dell? or has any experience doing so?

    also, this would allow me to dual boot right?

    thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Splash
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Nope, it's an either/or choice. Also M.$ is really rather childish, hence using it without the . invokes the badword filter

    http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp...&TopicId=12525 may help
    Last edited by Splash; 18-10-2007 at 11:44 AM.

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    Senior Member this_is_gav's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Order it over the phone and specify explicitly that you want XP. They'll usually do it. If they don't say you're going to look elsewhere for an alternative and just leave it. They'll usually call back.

    Ordering over the phone usually gets you a very decent discount too, if you get someone prepared to haggle.

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    Will work for beer... nichomach's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Buy with Vista Business or Ultimate. Upon delivery, call support and state that you would like a set of recovery disks for XP Pro. There will probably be a handling charge of around £10-20. Install from the XP recovery media (which will be BIOS-locked for use on Dell machines). You can't legally dual boot, but you can switch to Vista at any time.

    edit: As an aside, I've now done this with Dell, HP and Lenovo. Dell, OK, handling charge. HP helpful, reserved right to charge for handling but didn't. Lenovo, complete pain in backside, lots of phone calls, and £39.99 ex VAT charge. No prizes for guessing who I won't be ordering from again any time soon...
    Last edited by nichomach; 18-10-2007 at 02:00 PM.

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    Senior Member UltraMagnus's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    ok, so i can just get xp now and if there are ever any directX 10 exclusive games that i want i can go to vista, sounds good, thanks

    nichomach: by "can't legally dual boot" do you mean "can't" in the same way you cannot legally rip CDs to put on a MP3 player or "can't" as in if a try WGA will scream at me and my laptop will explode?

    thanks in advance!

  7. #6
    Splash
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Quote Originally Posted by UltraMagnus View Post
    ok, so i can just get xp now and if there are ever any directX 10 exclusive games that i want i can go to vista, sounds good, thanks

    nichomach: by "can't legally dual boot" do you mean "can't" in the same way you cannot legally rip CDs to put on a MP3 player or "can't" as in if a try WGA will scream at me and my laptop will explode?

    thanks in advance!
    Your license will be valid for either XP or Vista, not both.

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    Will work for beer... nichomach's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Quote Originally Posted by Splash View Post
    Your license will be valid for either XP or Vista, not both.
    QFT; you may be able to physically do it, but I wouldn't advocate it - or should that read "You might think that, but I couldn't possibly comment..." .

  9. #8
    Splash
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Yeah, I'm fairly certain that when the license is activated as either XP or Vista it'll throw some kind of wobbler if you try to run Windows Update with the other.

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    Senior Member UltraMagnus's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    sooo... in other words no one actually knows for certain?

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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Well the Dell XP recovery media uses a generic key that is pre activated and still passes all WGA checks.

    The Dell Vista media requires that you put the key in and activate within 30 days due to microsoft clamping down on people buying Dell machines without software and using pre activated media installs.

    If the XP install did require a key then you would have to phone microsoft and use the OEM downgrade rights for Vista Business or Ultimate, which would deactivate the Vista key and they would give you a new XP key.

  12. #11
    Splash
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Quote Originally Posted by UltraMagnus View Post
    sooo... in other words no one actually knows for certain?

    I don't know for certain if it would work, I do know for certain that you would be in breach of license. The downgrade rights are a one-time choice (ie if you use your Vista license for an XP install you cannot later decide that you want to use that license for a Vista install), but by all means give it a go.

  13. #12
    Will work for beer... nichomach's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    No, the downgrade rights are NOT one-time one-way; you can install XP now, and move to Vista later on the same license, it's just not legal to have both installed at the same time. Generally, Dell's XP media does NOT require a key.

  14. #13
    Splash
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Quote Originally Posted by nichomach View Post
    No, the downgrade rights are NOT one-time one-way; you can install XP now, and move to Vista later on the same license, it's just not legal to have both installed at the same time. Generally, Dell's XP media does NOT require a key.
    hrmmm - that's certainly contrary to the way the 2k/xp deal ran. The licenses on the machines even stated this.

    EDIT - stone me, he's right according to http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...rencesheet.pdf
    Last edited by Splash; 19-10-2007 at 06:31 PM.

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    Senior Member this_is_gav's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Quote Originally Posted by young_one View Post
    The Dell Vista media requires that you put the key in and activate within 30 days due to microsoft clamping down on people buying Dell machines without software and using pre activated media installs..
    You don't have to put any key in at any time on any of the 13 Vostro's I've just set up. It comes with a key, but it doesn't do anything - it's pretty worthless.

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  17. #15
    Senior Member UltraMagnus's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    Thankyou!

  18. #16
    Senior Member this_is_gav's Avatar
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    Re: vista downgrade to XP (dell)

    No no, hang on. I meant with the included media you don't. I've installed XP on some which came with Vista, and as expected, I had to use an existing serial.

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