If you have Windows 8, you may have downgrade rights.  You can downgrade under the following circumstances:

1. Your system comes with Windows 8 Professional.  You can downgrade for free.  The catch is that you need to have a Windows 7 Professional disk.
2. Your computer came with Windows 7, you upgraded to Windows 8, and then you decided you didn’t like it.  You can revert back to Windows 7.
   
3. Your computer came with Windows 8, but you have a retail version of Windows 7 lying around, you can always install Windows 7 over it.

Scenarios 2 and 3 are pretty straight-forward procedures.  Just make sure all of your documents, email, etc., are backed up first.

Scenario 1 is a bit trickier.  It must be a downgrade from 8 Pro to 7 Pro.  You cannot, for example, downgrade to Ultimate.

The How-To Geek has an article on that particular scenario at “How to Downgrade Windows 8 Pro to Windows 7”.

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