To legally do this your system needs to purchase the system with a Windows 8 Professional license and your Dell Windows 7 Reinstallation DVD needs to be Windows 7 Professional. It won't work with the Home version. Its probably best to have the 64 bit version in both cases.
The XPS 8500 is a good model to do this with. I would ask the sales representative on the Live Sales Help/Chat to confirm with you that you can get a Windows 7 Professional Reinstallation DVD sent out to you when you order the system with Windows 8 Professional and to confirm a price if any for the reinstallation DVD as technical support as they have been charging quite a high price for a Reinstallation DVD in some cases.
It might install but it cannot be activated since the activation key belongs to the original computer. Rather than go through the expense and trouble of buying win 8 pro and installing win 7 professional, you should give win 8 a try first. Don't believe all the hype--negative and positive-- until you try it yourself. It's a good operating system especially on a brand new computer optimized for it. Most problems are with upgrades on older computers and hardware.
I have a different stance on Mary G on Windows 8 and I would say most problems are due to the new user interface, of course you can try it out and make an informed decision but I would advise buying the system with Windows 8 Professional and that way you have the downgrade rights. Having downgrade rights and not needing them is better than needing them and not having them.
Philip_Yip
9 Legend
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16.1K Posts
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January 12th, 2013 08:00
To legally do this your system needs to purchase the system with a Windows 8 Professional license and your Dell Windows 7 Reinstallation DVD needs to be Windows 7 Professional. It won't work with the Home version. Its probably best to have the 64 bit version in both cases.
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/en-gb/licensing/sblicensing/pages/downgrade_rights.aspx#fbid=Y1ksTuIBBrx
The XPS 8500 is a good model to do this with. I would ask the sales representative on the Live Sales Help/Chat to confirm with you that you can get a Windows 7 Professional Reinstallation DVD sent out to you when you order the system with Windows 8 Professional and to confirm a price if any for the reinstallation DVD as technical support as they have been charging quite a high price for a Reinstallation DVD in some cases.
Mary G
4 Operator
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20.1K Posts
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January 13th, 2013 09:00
It might install but it cannot be activated since the activation key belongs to the original computer. Rather than go through the expense and trouble of buying win 8 pro and installing win 7 professional, you should give win 8 a try first. Don't believe all the hype--negative and positive-- until you try it yourself. It's a good operating system especially on a brand new computer optimized for it. Most problems are with upgrades on older computers and hardware.
Philip_Yip
9 Legend
•
16.1K Posts
0
January 13th, 2013 10:00