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Microsoft ends retail sales of Windows 8

by on04 November 2014

Kills off Windows 7

Microsoft has stopped retail sales of Windows 8 and ended sales of some versions of Windows 7 to OEMs. Retailers cannot order more copies of Windows 8, which went on sale just over two years ago on 26 October 2012, although it will still come pre-installed on new PCs.

Windows 7, the Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate editions of the OS will no longer come pre-installed on new PCs. Manufacturers as well as retailers still have large stocks of Windows 7 PCs so it is unlikely these will die off that quick.

The end of Windows 7 will cause problems for consumers, given the fact that it still maintains a 53 percent market share, and it has less annoying quirks than Windows 8. Microsoft will continue to supply Windows 7 Professional edition to OEMs. The Redmond-based company says that it will provide one year of notice prior to the end of sale date.

Enterprise customers can still downgrade to earlier versions of the OS they have licensed.

"To use prior versions of Windows software on PCs installed with newer versions, it is possible for consumers to obtain a license for downgrade rights. These downgrade rights will vary depending on if the software was acquired via Volume Licensing, OEM, or FPP,” Microsoft said.

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