By John Callaham

 

Microsoft may be ending Windows 8 software retail sales on Friday, October 31, but the company has another deadline that it claims it will follow on the same day. Friday will be the final day that PC hardware OEMs will be able to purchase most editions of Windows 7 so they can be pre-installed on new PCs.

 

According to Microsoft's Windows lifecycle fact sheet, OEM sales of Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium and Ultimate will cease on Friday. However, there is one small but important exception. Microsoft will still sell copies of Windows 7 Professional to OEMs after Friday and Microsoft has yet to set up a deadline for those sales to end.



 

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