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How can I downgrade from Windows 7 Ultimate to Home Premium without reinstalling Windows? I want to use a Home Premium key and uninstall the Ultimate features. How can I do this?

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Is your Windows 7 Premium key a retail license (upgrade or full)? – iglvzx Dec 25 '11 at 6:31
It's an OEM license. – xaxxon Dec 25 '11 at 6:41
It is not going to work, unless you have never installed the OEM license. To quote Microsoft: "After an OEM software license has been installed on a PC, the license may not be installed on or transferred to another PC." – iglvzx Dec 25 '11 at 6:49
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No, this one has never been installed. I just bought it. – xaxxon Dec 25 '11 at 6:49
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up vote 8 down vote accepted

You cannot downgrade editions. You need to re-install the operating system using the correct edition, then you can use that key.

You can go up in editions using anytime upgrade.

Edit:

Bonus Chatter: The reasons are dependencies and money. Allowing downgrades means developing a UI, and then endless testing and stomping bugs(this is IMP the biggest pain point). I'd rather the company spend time on features I will use more than once.

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