Microsoft will stop selling Windows 7 licenses to OEMs on Halloween

This Friday is Halloween, but if you try to buy a PC with Windows 7 pre-loaded after that, you’re going to get a rock instead of a treat. Microsoft will stop selling Windows 7 licenses to OEMs after this Friday and you will only be able to buy a machine with Windows 8.1. It’s mostly a formality at this point. A few months back I went PC shopping for my father and there wasn’t a single Windows 7 PC to be had at retail, regardless of the store. From Fry’s to Best Buy to Office Depot, it was a Windows 8 world, and I wasn’t about to inflict that on my dad. I had to place an online order from Dell and get an older PC from the inventory. The good news is that business/enterprise customers will still be able to order PCs “downgraded” to Windows 7 Professional. Microsoft has not set an end date for when it will cut off Windows 7 Professional to OEMs, but it will likely be a while. This all fits in with typical Microsoft timing. Microsoft usually pulls OEM supply of an OS a year after it removes it from retail. Microsoft cut off the retail supply of Windows 7 in October of last year, although some retailers still have some remaining stock left.