Vista - Vista to XP Pro

I am not an extremely tech savy individual and do not know the licensing agreements very well. There is a local individual or business, acting under a business name, that is advertising downgrading a Vista system to XP Pro. They are doing it for $75, so I know you are not getting a new copy of XP Pro. Upon contacting via email, I was informed that my Vista key code entitles me to downgrade to XP Pro, it is a legal and clean installation, and completely upgradeable with MS updates.

I am curious if this is legal or not? I never gave my Vista system information (home, business, etc), just that I had Vista. Thanks.

bubbagirl wrote:
> I am not an extremely tech savy individual and do not know the
> licensing agreements very well. There is a local individual or
> business, acting under a business name, that is advertising
> downgrading a Vista system to XP Pro. They are doing it for $75, so
> I know you are not getting a new copy of XP Pro. Upon contacting via
> email, I was informed that my Vista key code entitles me to downgrade
> to XP Pro, it is a legal and clean installation, and completely
> upgradeable with MS updates.
>
> I am curious if this is legal or not? I never gave my Vista system
> information (home, business, etc), just that I had Vista. Thanks.

The licensing varies by version but most people who have licensed retail
versions of XP can legally wipe their systems and install their licensed
retail version of XP on that system. I see no reason why any business or
technician cannot offer the same service for a fee, essentially doing with
the user's XP disk what the user could legally do.

--
Michael Solomon

The situation I have described means that the tech doing the work would take my Vista key code and use it for XP Pro. The tech is telling me that this is legal with the licensing agreement with Vista - that I can use my key code to downgrade from Vista to XP Pro. We're not comparing apples to apples, but rather, apples to oranges.

I don't think the key from Vista will work with XP Pro. I'd be carefull
here. If they are going to install a licensed version of XP on your system,
you need to get the CD and the license which has the key code on it. Make
sure it is legit. It has a hologram picture on it somewhere.

"bubbagirl" <bubbagirl.2ow1s4@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
news:bubbagirl.2ow1s4@no-mx.forums.net...
>
> The situation I have described means that the tech doing the work would
> take my Vista key code and use it for XP Pro. The tech is telling me
> that this is legal with the licensing agreement with Vista - that I can
> use my key code to downgrade from Vista to XP Pro. We're not comparing
> apples to apples, but rather, apples to oranges.
>
>
> --
> bubbagirl
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> bubbagirl's Profile: http://www.vista64.net/forums/member.php?userid=2407
> View this thread: http://www.vista64.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55775
>

Is it possible that what they are doing is "trading" the users Vista Key for
an obsolete XP key that they have in their possession? Sort of like a
matching service to to match up Vista owners who what XP with XP owners who
want Vista. If this is the case, it could explain the low price however I'm
not sure of the legality.

"Bill Yanaire" <BillYanaire@viceman.com> wrote in message
news:OEuehoGfHHA.2216@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>I don't think the key from Vista will work with XP Pro. I'd be carefull
>here. If they are going to install a licensed version of XP on your system,
>you need to get the CD and the license which has the key code on it. Make
>sure it is legit. It has a hologram picture on it somewhere.
>
> "bubbagirl" <bubbagirl.2ow1s4@no-mx.forums.net> wrote in message
> news:bubbagirl.2ow1s4@no-mx.forums.net...
>>
>> The situation I have described means that the tech doing the work would
>> take my Vista key code and use it for XP Pro. The tech is telling me
>> that this is legal with the licensing agreement with Vista - that I can
>> use my key code to downgrade from Vista to XP Pro. We're not comparing
>> apples to apples, but rather, apples to oranges.
>>
>>
>> --
>> bubbagirl
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> bubbagirl's Profile: http://www.vista64.net/forums/member.php?userid=2407
>> View this thread: http://www.vista64.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55775
>>
>
>
>

bubbagirl wrote:
> The situation I have described means that the tech doing the work
> would take my Vista key code and use it for XP Pro. The tech is
> telling me that this is legal with the licensing agreement with Vista
> - that I can use my key code to downgrade from Vista to XP Pro.
> We're not comparing apples to apples, but rather, apples to oranges.

Ah, I see. As far as I know, there is no means to downgrade except by
wiping the drive and installing XP clean. That would require an XP product
key, the Vista key would not be required at all. Downgrade is a user term,
there is no official downgrade path nor is it supported but it can be done
and there is nothing illegal about it in the scenario I described.

Since the business you describe would need an XP product key to install XP,
I wouldn't think what you describe is legal under either Vista or XP
licensing terms.

--
Michael Solomon

You have to be carefull here, there are some situations where this is allowed
but not all. You can only downgrade from Vista Business and Ultimate to XP
Pro, no other versions of Vista come with downgrade rights. The other catch
is that you have to supply them with a legitimate copy of XP Pro, they can't
supply it to you. Finally, when installing they would use a product ID for a
previously installed copy, then when activation fails you need to activate
over the phone, not the Internet.

Hope that helps.

"bubbagirl" wrote:

>
> I am not an extremely tech savy individual and do not know the licensing
> agreements very well. There is a local individual or business, acting
> under a business name, that is advertising downgrading a Vista system
> to XP Pro. They are doing it for $75, so I know you are not getting a
> new copy of XP Pro. Upon contacting via email, I was informed that my
> Vista key code entitles me to downgrade to XP Pro, it is a legal and
> clean installation, and completely upgradeable with MS updates.
>
> I am curious if this is legal or not? I never gave my Vista system
> information (home, business, etc), just that I had Vista. Thanks.
>
>
> --
> bubbagirl
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> bubbagirl's Profile: http://www.vista64.net/forums/member.php?userid=2407
> View this thread: http://www.vista64.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55775
>
>