Windows Vista Downgrade.

[greylica]

Some of My Clients already bought Laptop systems with Vista Embedded, but with only 512 Mb and the XP Visual at the Maximum. They asked me to do a full downgrade for their laptop systems. But there are 5 Vista Versions. What is the correspondence between the Vista Versions and Xp, 98 or 2K versions ?
I Really prefer to use 2K, I don´t really mind with the eye candy of XP and never liked the annoyance of the activation. But Sorry for them, the specific ERP software they use doesn´t function on Linux, and in the rest of the enterprise ,the servers ad the terminals being used are Ubuntu/Debian. But the specific ERP for their Area only functions in Windows.
Well, anyone knows the correspondence between Vista and others for them to ask Microsoft for the Downgrade CDs ?
In case of Windows XP already being used and they don´t already have their downgrade CDs to offer, will they activate it as well ?
What is better ?
I Guess is 2K for Vista enterprise.

 

[RebateMonger]

Microsoft: Vista Downgrade Rights

"Rights to OEM versions of systems software are granted in the OEM License Terms. The OEM License Terms for most OEM versions of systems software do not grant downgrade rights. The exception is the OEM License Terms for the Windows® XP Professional operating system and the Windows Vista? Business and Windows Vista Ultimate operating systems, which grant downgrade rights. See the full text of the OEM License Terms for the specific downgrade rights."

"OEM downgrade rights for desktop PC operating systems apply to Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate as stated in the License Terms. Please note, OEM downgrade versions of Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate are limited to Windows XP Professional (including Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Windows XP x64 Edition)."

If the software is Retail, then there are no downgrade rights. If the software is Volume Licensed (Enterprise Version) or if Software Assurance has been purchased, then there are downgrade rights. Vista Enterprise can be downgraded to: Windows XP Professional, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows NT® 4.0, Windows NT 3.51, Windows 98, or Windows 95 operating system

 

[drag]

I know this makes things more complicated for the end user, but if it turns out that you can't downgrade legally and you realy feel that they realy can't get by with Vista then rdesktop on Linux is another option. Although if your going to use Windows 2003 then application compatability isn't that hot and most application makers won't support 2k3, so you'll want to do testing.

 

[greylica]

Ok, I´ve read it carefully, They bought Vista Business, they are calling Microsoft to buy the Downgrade CD for XP Professional.
But This irritated the CEOs, They stated That Microsoft Vista is far more restrictive for downgrades than XP was, (they prefer 2000, is very lighter and far more stable than XP, the best windows ever made)
The conversations took a way where they are thinking in Citrix/ICA Clients to adress the restrictions Microsoft imposes. I Guess we will have more 4 laptops running Ubuntu if they decide to buy Citrix/ICA, instead of running Vista. 512Mb is more than sufficient, and with 512 Mb in some machines Vista is not REAL Vista. Is a new XP eye candy. Without the WOW they plaggue and the Flip 3D...
Well, those persons only need to work, the eye candy doesn´t matter.
AND... there are no more than 10 person using this specific software, this means XP will be a good server for them without violations of the famigerated limited EULA.
Thanks.

 

[miniMUNCH]

Originally posted by: greylica
Ok, I´ve read it carefully, They bought Vista Business, they are calling Microsoft to buy the Downgrade CD for XP Professional.
But This irritated the CEOs, They stated That Microsoft Vista is far more restrictive for downgrades than XP was, (they prefer 2000, is very lighter and far more stable than XP, the best windows ever made)
The conversations took a way where they are thinking in Citrix/ICA Clients to adress the restrictions Microsoft imposes. I Guess we will have more 4 laptops running Ubuntu if they decide to buy Citrix/ICA, instead of running Vista. 512Mb is more than sufficient, and with 512 Mb in some machines Vista is not REAL Vista. Is a new XP eye candy. Without the WOW they plaggue and the Flip 3D...
Well, those persons only need to work, the eye candy doesn´t matter.
AND... there are no more than 10 person using this specific software, this means XP will be a good server for them without violations of the famigerated limited EULA.
Thanks.

Cocaine is a hell of a drug...

 

[Lepard]

Originally posted by: greylica
Ok, I´ve read it carefully, They bought Vista Business, they are calling Microsoft to buy the Downgrade CD for XP Professional.
But This irritated the CEOs, They stated That Microsoft Vista is far more restrictive for downgrades than XP was, (they prefer 2000, is very lighter and far more stable than XP, the best windows ever made)
The conversations took a way where they are thinking in Citrix/ICA Clients to adress the restrictions Microsoft imposes. I Guess we will have more 4 laptops running Ubuntu if they decide to buy Citrix/ICA, instead of running Vista. 512Mb is more than sufficient, and with 512 Mb in some machines Vista is not REAL Vista. Is a new XP eye candy. Without the WOW they plaggue and the Flip 3D...
Well, those persons only need to work, the eye candy doesn´t matter.
AND... there are no more than 10 person using this specific software, this means XP will be a good server for them without violations of the famigerated limited EULA.
Thanks.

Use the classic mode, like XP has... that will turn off eye candy, and you will have a responsive system even with 512MB Ram.