Windows 7 with xp professional downgrade (xp downgrade)

Did a search and couldn't find this info, wondering if anyone might have run across this situation.

I found some laptop candidates in the Dell Small Business Outlet where the OS is listed as Windows 7 Professional with XP Downgrade. Being outlet products, I'm assuming there's no way to select a different OS, so I'm wondering whether it can be used as Windows 7 without the XP Downgrade feature.

AFAIK, when configuring a new system, choosing Windows 7 Professional with the XP Downgrade doesn't cost more than plain vanilla Windows 7 Professional. But since I'm not a company that has a problem with older software running on XP, I don't need it. I just want to buy a laptop from the Small Business Outlet and run it with Win 7.

Did anyone run into this and know how it works? Can you activate it just as Windows 7? Or if you have to activate it as it is, does the XP Downgrade intrude in some way, or can you just ignore its existence?

 

I order the computers for my employer like this all the time, albeit new. Here's what the deal is. It comes with XP installed. You receive a license for XP and Win 7. Yours may or may not come with actual Windows discs, but when I order the computers for work they do. I think on the refurb side the item description shows whether or not the media is included - I could be mistaken on this though.

If you want Windows 7 on it, you have to wipe the machine and use the Windows disc they provide to install Windows 7 - that's assuming they include the discs. If you want Windows XP, you can just leave it as is and enjoy.

 

Why would you ever want an XP downgrade when Windows 7 Professional (which you indicate this ships with) already contains XP mode?

 

Wow, that seems completely backwards to me. I would expect "Windows 7 Professional with XP Downgrade" to indicate the system ships with Windows 7 installed and a license (& media, drivers, official support, etc.) is provided to downgrade the system to Windows XP.

The scenario you describe is what I expect from an upgrade. The system ships with Windows XP installed, and a license (& media, drivers, official support, etc.) is provided to upgrade the system to Windows 7.

Way to get that backwards Dell.

--L.

 

Can't say I disagree.

It may be different on the consumer side, but on the business side, that's how our pc's have come from the factory.

 

Keith1341 is right. You just wipe the drive and install 7 with the Dell OEM disc. It is possible to use the OEM key on the system if necessary though.

 

Thanks, finally, an explanation that lets me visualize how this weird "XP Downgrade" feature actually plays out in real life . I understood that it was meant for big businesses with all their enterprise software on XP that can't afford to replace everything at once to run on Windows 7, but I didn't really understand what ran with what, or under what. I thought maybe one system ran in a virtual environment, even though I realize that doesn't sound very efficient. Now I understand that it's either one or the other.

That is very helpful, thanks. I have Windows 7 Professional install discs, so that's not a problem and I can reinstall if the system doesn't come with discs. I like XP just fine, lovely OS, no complaints at all, but since I don't need it for my non-existent enterprise, I'm looking forward to all the bells and whistles on Windows 7 .

To those who wonder why I don't just get Windows 7, well, of course that's what I would do if I could, but when you shop in the Dell or Lenovo Outlet, sometimes there's no choice, you gots to take what they give you.

 

Normal business PC setup works like you think. It has Win7 preinstalled and comes with XP install discs for optional downgrade.

Things become different, when you order 50, 100, 500 computers at once. They will be preinstalled with XP if you want, with Win7 downgrade license and usually install discs for both Win7 and XP. It just isn't practical to order all those computers and then manually downgrade them one by one (unless the person doing it is paid by hour).