After that date, businesses will need to use downgrade rights or exercise Software Assurance rights with volume license agreements to run the old version on new hardware. PCs with Windows 8.1 and Windows 7 can continue to be sold until October 31, 2016. At the time, the company promised it would give a year's notice before changing that policy. How long should you wait before deploying Windows 10?Įd Bott shares some Windows 10 migration advice.īut the tepid response of the market to Windows 8 led Microsoft to give PC makers a reprieve, allowing them to continue selling PCs with Windows 7 Pro installed.