Tuesday, April 7th 2009
Microsoft Windows 7 Will Allow Downgrades too
Even though there's still some time left before the official release of Windows 7, Microsoft - the creator of this OS - confirmed today that just like some Windows Vista distributions could be downgraded to Windows XP with ease, the same will apply to Windows 7. General users of Windows 7 will be given the option of downgrading right over Vista to Windows XP, a Microsoft spokesperson has confirmed.
"This is not the first time that Microsoft has offered downgrade rights to a version other than its immediate predecessor," the spokesperson told Betanews, "and our Software Assurance customers can always downgrade to any previous version of Windows."
Microsoft hasn't detailed exactly how downgrade rights will work with Windows 7 - for now we know that Windows 7 will be downgradable to either Windows Vista or Windows XP - the rest of the details remain unclear.
Source:
Betanews
"This is not the first time that Microsoft has offered downgrade rights to a version other than its immediate predecessor," the spokesperson told Betanews, "and our Software Assurance customers can always downgrade to any previous version of Windows."
Microsoft hasn't detailed exactly how downgrade rights will work with Windows 7 - for now we know that Windows 7 will be downgradable to either Windows Vista or Windows XP - the rest of the details remain unclear.
59 Comments on Microsoft Windows 7 Will Allow Downgrades too
XP will forever be better then Vista except ofcourse the Direct X10 stuff. XP & Vista are nolonger welcomed but we should all be gratefull for the time we spent using them.
As soon as Nvidia release their Direct X11 card later this year, there wont be any reason to use Vista or XP again.
tryed the public build of 7, it was ass compared to server 2008 x64 sp2........
and Haytch, you clearly havent use vista x64 sp2.....hell even sp1 once tweaked a bit is better then xp ever was(xp 32bit that is) and its still better then xp x64 dispite xp x64 being heads and shoulders above xp 32......
What is better?
Ohio is better than florida.
Is the weather better? Is the hunting better?
Please use some data points as to why something is better than another, instead of "better than x bc it IS!", as that does nothing but argue in a circle and start flame wars.
Running windows 7 now, In parallels its given me a much more satisfactory beta impression, given me better performance, and "bugged the shit out of me" a LOT less.
The performance is probably attributable to the drivers, and technology maturing, but the noticable changes in windows 7 are quite nice so far IMO.
multiple montors with my ATI card always results in a tan screen of death.
audio output through the optic and analog at the same time isn't available.
Both features I use, or would like to use, and not availble, have to use Vista for multimonitor, and XP for audio.
Multimonitor/audio are probably drivers issues for the manf.
1. once you get windows setup and "tweaked"(not alot of that you gotta do on 2k8, but vista, some service tweakings adviseable) is FASTER.
2. its more stable then XP32bit ever was/could be.
3. driver support has become better then xp gets in my experiance, the xp drivers for alot of newer devices are looking like sort of an after thought insted of being the first thing the company looks at/works on.
4. dx9 games GAIN perf in my experiance under 2k8/vista sp1(sp2 makes a HUGE diffrance tho, alot of games gain drastickly)
www.tweaktown.com/articles/1740/windows_vista_sp1_vs_vista_sp2_release_candidate_performance/index.html
read that link, its quite informitive, I have personaly found it to improove perf of most of my games quite dramaticly.
www.vistastartmenu.com/index.html
Just download this
Then your problem is fixed
How to add quick launch
www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-7/add-the-quick-launch-bar-to-the-taskbar-in-windows-7/
Problem fix
anymore?
---
Also for ATi use Windows 2003 drivers:)
Windows 7 is more or less 2003 upgraded.
Please keep inmind that i stopped using a standard install of XP about 6 years ago and the only untweaked version of Vista i have used was the beta. Nlite, Vlite and their likes have been around for a long time and theres always the extra one is capable of.
XP x86 vs Vista x64 ? <--< Im sure they have mirrors in hell.
In more recent times Vista has seen an increase in performance out of hardware via updates and drivers, mainly because it started off so poorly vs the late XP. Granted XP was at a service pack stage and Vista was freshly released, but this difference was only noticed on reject o.s's such as ME. I faced the music and the hole in my pocket and just realized that Vista was a stepping stone to something better, whereas XP was the better untill the stepping stone.
If your going to bother doing a comparison, it should be as follows.
1. All 3 - XP, Vista & w7 @ release date without service packs.
2. XP SP2 Vs Vista without SP
3. Vista SP2 Vs w7
Then again, what the hell are you going to compare ? One is limited to Direct X9, the other is limited to Direct X10 and the 3rd is capable of Direct X11. . . . Are we checking for driver compatability ? Hardware issues ? Transfer rates of data ? Are we just focusing on start buttons and the location of stuff ?
XP bennifited from the fact that it used 2k drivers so it had a ready driver base.
vista requiered a new driver model, so yeah it took them alot of time to get out good drivers, and vista shouldnt have come out in its pre sp1 state, just as IMHO xp shouldnt have come out in its pre sp1 state, server 2003(same core os as xp x64) cameout in the state xp should have been in when it came out.
as to dx11, that will be made avalable for vista I would say pretty quick after 7 hits the market, IF theres any hardware to support 11 due out, if not you may have to wait for an official 11 update for vista, since theres NO POINT in having 11 if no hardware supports it :)
xp when it was new vs vista when it was new, they both sucked and where full of bugs.
I was in the XP beta, it was HORRIBLE, after RTM i managed to stomich xp for arounf 3-4 months and went back to 2k because i got sick of updates breaking video drivers and sound drivers and other random shit......2k was faster, far more mature, less bugs, it was a joy!!! just as xp x64/server 2003 was a joy b4 server 2008 came out(vista sp1 server)
I wont be going back to a "Desktop" platform, sever windows is alwase more reliable!!!
Unfortunately Microsoft have messed up adding in all these different licenses that just confuse everyone. If they had kept it to just 2, vista would have flew of the shelf's regardless of the hiccups.
I'm not sure Microsoft should bother with 'Downgrade' idea, here's a better one: Release Windows XP Pro for free!
They would conquer market share (I'm a PC, my OS is finally FREE). :D
does that quicklaunch work with ANY windows 7 version or is it limmited to a spicific build?
rarely i had to run the compat tools(installed off the windows disk, xp has them as well) but once they put out sp1 most games just installed no problem(the biggist thing was the game not recognizing the windows version, same as it is with 2k3/vista for some older games.)
nt4 was crap for games, but 2k was great, just make sure you got decent hardware+drivers and you where set!!!!
I'm all for the move to x64, but slating x86 just because you want to... :)