Vista - Downgrade from Vista Home Premium to XP legal?

I have a Dell desktop that came with OEM Vista Home Premium. My software
company said their application was not designed for Vista. I need to have
Windows XP Pro.
I have been told by Dell support that all of their desktops have a
downgrade license to a previous OS. Dell said it would be legal to install
their OEM CD.
I have an OEM XP Pro disk that came with my other Dell purchased before
Vista release.
Can I legally use this CD to install Windows XP. I know it will work due to
Dell CD does not activate on a genuine Dell computer. But is this legal?

Yes, it would be legal. You would need to perform
a "clean install" of Windows XP.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

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"Albones" wrote:

I have a Dell desktop that came with OEM Vista Home Premium. My software
company said their application was not designed for Vista. I need to have
Windows XP Pro.
I have been told by Dell support that all of their desktops have a
downgrade license to a previous OS. Dell said it would be legal to install
their OEM CD.
I have an OEM XP Pro disk that came with my other Dell purchased before
Vista release.
Can I legally use this CD to install Windows XP. I know it will work due to
Dell CD does not activate on a genuine Dell computer. But is this legal?

Hi,

Dell's already told you it was legal to downgrade. More importantly, you'll
need them to provide you with a product key to use the downgrade right.
Also, the OEM disk that you have for the other Dell system may not have the
proper drivers for the system you intend to use it on. You'd be safer to
obtain the proper media directly from them.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com

"Albones" <Albones@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:EC2BCC45-446C-41DD-8D4B-1E8C4836E27B@microsoft.com...
>I have a Dell desktop that came with OEM Vista Home Premium. My software
> company said their application was not designed for Vista. I need to have
> Windows XP Pro.
> I have been told by Dell support that all of their desktops have a
> downgrade license to a previous OS. Dell said it would be legal to install
> their OEM CD.
> I have an OEM XP Pro disk that came with my other Dell purchased before
> Vista release.
> Can I legally use this CD to install Windows XP. I know it will work due
> to
> Dell CD does not activate on a genuine Dell computer. But is this legal?

All excellent points that should be followed.


"Rick Rogers" <rick@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:eVkJlOZtHHA.4916@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> Dell's already told you it was legal to downgrade. More importantly,
> you'll need them to provide you with a product key to use the downgrade
> right. Also, the OEM disk that you have for the other Dell system may not
> have the proper drivers for the system you intend to use it on. You'd be
> safer to obtain the proper media directly from them.
>
> --
> Best of Luck,
>
> Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
> Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
> My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
>
> "Albones" <Albones@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:EC2BCC45-446C-41DD-8D4B-1E8C4836E27B@microsoft.com...
>>I have a Dell desktop that came with OEM Vista Home Premium. My software
>> company said their application was not designed for Vista. I need to have
>> Windows XP Pro.
>> I have been told by Dell support that all of their desktops have a
>> downgrade license to a previous OS. Dell said it would be legal to
>> install
>> their OEM CD.
>> I have an OEM XP Pro disk that came with my other Dell purchased before
>> Vista release.
>> Can I legally use this CD to install Windows XP. I know it will work due
>> to
>> Dell CD does not activate on a genuine Dell computer. But is this legal?
>