They will actively refuse to issue new Windows 7 licenses to OEM on these new chips. They are kind of actively preventing older Windows versions running on these chips, yes.
Yeah but the problem with installing a retail windows 7 on an OEM hardware (as in mostly laptop) that wasn't meant for this OS is that this is mostly custom hardware with no driver available
I recently was forced to drop windows onto a partition on my main laptop. As 8, which came with it, is a PITA I decided to put on 7.
Install goes OK, system comes up and I have no Wireless Drivers. Fine. I plug in Ethernet. Doesn't work. Urgh. Ok, grab drivers on phone, use phone to transfer it. Nope, won't recognise anything in the USB3 ports.
I end up booting into linux and copying the driver install files directly onto the windows partition. If the drivers hadn't been available for windows 7 I would have been completely stuck.
I think you can just install a pirated version, run the Windows Genuine Advantage check (or whatever it's called). It will report that it's a bootleg version then give you an offer to pay for the license to make it legal.