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XP backgrade confirmed for Windows 7

Having so far stood its ground against Vista, Windows XP now looks set to survive the launch of Windows 7, the forthcoming Microsoft operating system due for release later this year.

The software giant has confirmed that, subject to certain conditions, buyers of Windows 7 PCs will be allowed to backgrade to Vista, XP, or indeed older versions (such as Windows 2000, NT and 98) if this is technically feasible and if they hold the right licences. However, the corporation has not yet indicated the specific conditions that will need to be fulfilled.

Currently, only customers with a professional Vista licence (Pro and Integrated) are permitted to backgrade to XP, a right that was extended until the end of July 2009. However, in April 2009 an internal HP memo appeared on the Internet to suggest that the manufacturer had carte blanche to continue selling its PCs pre-installed with XP Pro until 30th April 2010.

Furthermore, Microsoft is to sanction a Windows 7 upgrade (free or at a reduced charge depending on the licence) not only for Vista PCs purchased between June 2009 and January 2010, but also from PCs backgraded by the manufacturer to Windows XP.

This commercial gesture may seem logical, since all backgraded PCs are sold with a valid Vista licence but the technical reality could prove more complex as the upgrade from XP to Windows 7 requires a clean installation, which wipes all data and pre-installed programs from the hard drive.