Tech ARP - The Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Program
Important Program Dates for the Windows 7 Upgrade Program are listed in the table below. Some dates have not been finalized and will be included at a later date. These dates are marked as to-be-determined (TBD). However, for planning purposes, program eligibility will begin on July 1, 2009.
Program Eligibility Period
- Windows Vista PCs preinstalled with qualifying software must be purchased by end users between these dates.
- OEMs may choose to offer a shorter program period within the allowed date range.
July 1, 2009 through TBD
Program Calculation Period
- The total number of eligible Windows Vista Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) invoiced to an OEM during the Program Calculation Period, multiplied by 20%, determines the number of program upgrade media that can be purchased by OEM through Microsoft ARs.
- End of Program Calculation Period will be 90 days prior to the end of Program Eligibility Period.
April 1, 2009 through TBD
Initial Upgrade Media Fulfillment Date
- Date on which OEMs may start shipping upgrade media to Qualifying End Users.
Windows 7 General Availability Date
Final Software Fulfillment Date / Program End Date
- Date by which upgrade media must be shipped for Qualifying End Users’ upgrade orders.
- Microsoft recommends that OEMs establish and communicate to their customers a final submission date to ensure fulfillment by the Program End Date.
TBD
For each eligible upgrade path, all available upgrade versions for a Qualifying Product (e.g., language-specific versions, territory-specific versions, 32 bit/64 bit platform) will be supported. The upgrade media will be product version-specific and must correspond to the Qualifying Product Version.
Qualifying Product Version
Upgrade Software Version
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows Vista Business
Windows 7 Professional
Windows Vista Ultimate
Windows 7 Ultimate
Additional Upgrade Path Restrictions :
A language version of the qualifying Windows Vista product can only be upgraded to the same language version of the Windows 7 upgrade software.
The Windows Vista product can only be upgraded to the associated edition of the upgrade software. For example, Windows Vista Home Premium K edition can only be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium K edition.
OEMs must ship media as defined in these permitted upgrade paths. No other upgrade paths are available and supported under the Program.
If an end user attempts to upgrade to an unsupported upgrade path, the end user may have to re-format the PC hard drive and/or may lose applications, files and settings available with the previous installed version of Windows. For example, the following upgrades are not allowed in the program :
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Home Basic or Windows Vista Starter
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Business to Windows 7 Ultimate
Important Program Dates for the Windows 7 Upgrade Program are listed in the table below. Some dates have not been finalized and will be included at a later date. These dates are marked as to-be-determined (TBD). However, for planning purposes, program eligibility will begin on July 1, 2009.
Program Eligibility Period
- Windows Vista PCs preinstalled with qualifying software must be purchased by end users between these dates.
- OEMs may choose to offer a shorter program period within the allowed date range.
July 1, 2009 through TBD
Program Calculation Period
- The total number of eligible Windows Vista Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) invoiced to an OEM during the Program Calculation Period, multiplied by 20%, determines the number of program upgrade media that can be purchased by OEM through Microsoft ARs.
- End of Program Calculation Period will be 90 days prior to the end of Program Eligibility Period.
April 1, 2009 through TBD
Initial Upgrade Media Fulfillment Date
- Date on which OEMs may start shipping upgrade media to Qualifying End Users.
Windows 7 General Availability Date
Final Software Fulfillment Date / Program End Date
- Date by which upgrade media must be shipped for Qualifying End Users’ upgrade orders.
- Microsoft recommends that OEMs establish and communicate to their customers a final submission date to ensure fulfillment by the Program End Date.
TBD
For each eligible upgrade path, all available upgrade versions for a Qualifying Product (e.g., language-specific versions, territory-specific versions, 32 bit/64 bit platform) will be supported. The upgrade media will be product version-specific and must correspond to the Qualifying Product Version.
Qualifying Product Version
Upgrade Software Version
Windows Vista Home Premium
Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows Vista Business
Windows 7 Professional
Windows Vista Ultimate
Windows 7 Ultimate
Additional Upgrade Path Restrictions :
A language version of the qualifying Windows Vista product can only be upgraded to the same language version of the Windows 7 upgrade software.
The Windows Vista product can only be upgraded to the associated edition of the upgrade software. For example, Windows Vista Home Premium K edition can only be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium K edition.
OEMs must ship media as defined in these permitted upgrade paths. No other upgrade paths are available and supported under the Program.
If an end user attempts to upgrade to an unsupported upgrade path, the end user may have to re-format the PC hard drive and/or may lose applications, files and settings available with the previous installed version of Windows. For example, the following upgrades are not allowed in the program :
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Home Basic or Windows Vista Starter
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Business to Windows 7 Ultimate
