With the advent of Windows 7, Microsoft is making sure that it will keep Windows XP available for an additional 18 months after October 22, 2009, the official launch deadline for the operating system. Through the Windows 7 downgrade rights, customers with select licenses and SKUs of the next iteration of the Windows client will be able to downgrade and run older releases of the platform. In this regard, Microsoft explained that Windows XP would be given priority over Windows Vista. What this means is that the option to downgrade from Windows 7 to Windows Vista goes live only after XP downgrades are discontinued, namely after the 18-month period that will kick in on October 22 will come to an end.

Starting with the launch of Vista's successor on October 22, 2009, customers with OEM/Software Assurance/Volume Licensing will immediately be able to buy Windows 7 but downgrade, deploy and use XP. According to the software giant, companies will need one of the following licenses to access downgrade rights: Select License and Open License; Licenses Enrolled in Software Assurance or OEM End User License Agreement (LICENSE TERMS). It is important to note that the licenses referred to by the software giant as the Full Packaged Product (FPP) End User License Agreements for the retail boxed versions of Windows 7 do not come with downgrade rights.

At the same time, not all Windows 7 editions will offer customers the possibility of downgrades. Essentially, only the Ultimate and Professional SKUs of Windows 7 will allow for downgrading to Vista, XP or even older releases of Windows. Starter, Home Basic, and Home Premium are among the downgrade-less Windows 7 editions. Still, Microsoft does not mention the Enterprise SKU, but just as it was the case with Vista, the Windows 7 Enterprise and Professional editions are treated the same, and enjoy similar downgrade rights.

At the end of the past week, Microsoft updated the information available in the Microsoft Select License, Open License, Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) License, and Full-Packaged Product (FPP) License Downgrade Rights documentation to also refer to Windows 7.

“Can I downgrade my OEM version of Windows 7 Professional to Windows XP Professional? For a limited time of 18 months after the general availability of Windows 7 or the release of a Windows 7 Service Pack, whichever is earlier, the OEM license of Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate will include downgrade rights to Windows XP Professional. After that period the OEM license will enable downgrade rights to Windows Vista Business,” Microsoft explained.