Dell has now stopped selling new computers with Windows XP preloaded, and all machines are now pre-loaded with Vista. However, buyers can pay extra to “downgrade” their operating system. Vostro and XPS Gaming customers purchasing an XPS 630 or XPS M1730 have a third factory install option: Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate Downgrade to Windows XP Professional.
This is a Dell-provided service to factory install Windows XP for customers while also providing the customer with a Windows Vista license and Windows Vista operating system DVD. The downgrade option is available to all customers. However, Dell lists those most likely to take up the offer as
• customers who are not yet ready to use Vista today but who want a low-cost migration path for the future (EUR*15)
• have standardised on Windows XP Professional
• prefer to have Dell factory install the latest version of Windows XP rather than downgrade on their own
• Have Windows XP Professional licenses and media (CD) from prior purchases
The downgrade charge in Ireland is significantly lower than in the US, where Dell charges $50 (EUR*32) per machine.
Some market watchers expect the charge to raise eyebrows, since Dell may be seen as trying to cash in on the unpopularity of Microsoft’s latest operating system. Dell was one of the first companies to offer a free downgrade service to customers, primarily aimed at small businesses that did not want to make the move to Vista.
Microsoft stopped selling XP licences and boxed software on June 30, although it has extended the lifespan of the operating system by agreeing under consumer pressure to provide patches until the end of January 2010.
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