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Mal OsborneFlag for Australia

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Obtaining an XP pro key for exercising downgrade rights. (Australia)

Hi.

I have  an old laptop that I am trying to reinstall the OS on. This machine shipped with Vista Business, which includes downgrade rights for Windows XP pro. Problem is that I don't have a key for XP. This machine needs to run XP to support some legacy applications.

The procedure that was documented for this, (and still is for later downgrades) is to ring Microsoft Activation, explain the situation to them, and be provided with an activation code. (See link)

To quote: "If the software was previously activated, it cannot be activated online. In this case, the appropriate local Activation Support phone number will be displayed. Call the number and explain the circumstances. When it is determined that the end user has an eligible Windows license, the customer service representative will provide a single-use activation code to activate the software."

https://www.microsoft.com/oem/en/licensing/sblicensing/pages/downgrade_rights.aspx#fbid=G5ZoxDqlCVa

Problem is, when I ring the number, I get connected to some numpty in India with a A4 flowchart, who does not recognise the phrase "downgrade rights".

Has anyone, preferably Australian, ever managed to have this process work?
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John
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Does the computer run with Vista?  If so, you can use Vista and do all XP could do.

Try again with Microsoft Support, but it may be easier to get a new license on eBay. DO check the vendor out.
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ASKER

Vista and the 3rd party apps don't work, has to be XP. Been an hour on the phone with Microsoft already,
You can, as I suggested, get another XP license. Sooner or later, however, you will need new apps. We are months away from new computers only allowed to come with Windows 10 and not run anything older.
the difficulty wis that XP is no longer supported. If the system is still have XP, it usually have a restore media creation tool.
The vista downgrade often would allow the vista key to validate the XP.
I would agree with John, if the system is suitable with feature to run Windows 7/10 you might be better off getting a current OS.
Upgrading the 3rd party stuff to support later versions of Windows would cost literally millions.

Lots of machinery including security systems, electron microscopes, mass spectrometers, battleships, dynamometers, and HVAC system ship with a PC as a controller. The machinery might have a life of 30 years or more, and often the software is never updated.

In my last role, we had equipment running with PDP-11s, they are still in use now.  

The Vista key does not work for XP.
You need to purchase an XP license (eBay or like) because sooner rather than later you will need to run XP as a virtual machine.

All the machinery you talk about will very soon have to look reality straight in the eye and do something. They only have their own foolishness to blame.
Don't look to Microsoft for Windows XP Support. It is no longer a supported product and has not been for quite a while.

If a product includes downgrade rights, the license terms for that product will indicate which earlier versions of the software may be used.
This machine shipped with Vista Business, which includes downgrade rights for Windows XP pro Contact the OEM and verify that downgrade rights are available.


You are two years late in the game. Went EOL April 8 2014.
Support is limited, however the license is perpetual, at least as long as the host system survives. I don't want support, I just want Microsoft to adhere to the licensing agreement.
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akb
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In the first response to you here, I suggested using Microsoft Support again.
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☠ MASQ ☠

You have perpetual downgrade rights to XP provided you have a qualifying version of Vista Business covered by an OEM or Software Assurance contract (i.e. not a retail copy).  If this is OEM then the simplest route is to install XP Pro from the OEM's XP media which is likely to be easier to obtain than support for the downgrade from Microsoft!  XP's EOL is the confounding factor here, you should have entitlement to activation but support are told that XP is out of support and generally when you get contradictory advice being fed down you're only hope is someone uses their initiative and checks what's really happening.

It gets worse for you next January as Vista becomes EOL despite you being allowed to reinstall XP on a machine supplied with it!

Go with the OEM Media route if you can.