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I'm not having any luck figuring out how to upgrade from Home to Pro with an existing key. My system has been running Home and is currently running version 1511. I've decided to go ahead and use an existing key to upgrade to Pro. I did a clean install, expecting to be asked to specify a version and provide a key during install, but was never asked for either. The installer simply formatted the hard drive and installed Home and activated it, with no input from me after the install started other than agree to the terms and tell it my language.
OK, no problem I thought, I'll just go to the Activation setting and give it the new key from there. However, if I tell it I want to change the key it comes back and says the key I'm giving it can only activate Pro and I'm running Home. If I go the Store route and tell it I already have a Pro key, it gives me the same message - it tells me my key is for Pro but I'm running Home. Nowhere along the way does it offer to take my key and give me the upgrade, rather it implies that I must somehow magically upgrade it myself before changing the key. And that would be fine if I could figure out how to do that.
Anyone know how to force an install of Pro when the installer automatically installs Home with no option given to change it?
Volunteer Moderator/MVP Edit 4/21 -
One must insert the Generic Version Key to first change to Pro. After Version 1803 if you don't yet have a Digital License for Pro it will not change to Pro version by inserting the default Version key. So access Action Center at right end of task bar to turn on Airplane Mode to go offline, copy and paste the Generic Pro Key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T in Settings > Update & Security > Activation > Change Product Key which will change Home to Pro, then go back online and it will activate with your Pro Product Key or Digital License.
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
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It's always best to have a System Image Backup, preferably using a more flexible program like Macrium Reflect is a Free and Easy To Use Backup Utility which can restore to any offset or a changed HD/SSD. This is the modern way to reinstall, and Windows 10 is so remarkably adaptive you can move it most anywhere and it will start up.
Sorry Winston. I didn't mean for that to come off as hostile. It's frustrating that there is such a disconnect between the Insiders and the Development Team. They need to understand that we can't read minds, and while they may think something is a good idea, it hurts the program instead. I fully understood the risks when I got in, but up to now we had a functioning system for recovering from a testbed being bricked by an update.
Michael
That link is dead. So now when our systems crash on update Insiders are just boned? It's not like all is well and there will be no more issues. This is a great plan. No resolution. Sounds typical of the support we've had so far from MSFT.
mm
Oh man this is killing me. Since it was a catastrophic failure, retrieving the old insider key. Support said they don't deal with issues in the Insider Program. So **** does the dev team expect us to do when we have to reinstall. Even installing from a build 14279 iso from 7 ends up wanting a serial key. How do they expect us to resume this program if they take away the ability to activate? We need an SOP for this. Jamming up your testers is a poor way to run a beta program. Bloody short sighted Dev Team. Not yelling at you. You've been helpful and I thank you. I'm just stuck right now trying to locate a pre-branch ISO.
mm
The 'dev team' expects anyone intending to join the Insider program (new or prior Insider) to use the option available in ***Win10***
- Settings/Windows Update/Advanced Options/Get Insider Preview Builds/<Get Started>
i.e. Old Insider keys are no longer applicable
Aug.18, 2015
<qp>
If you want to get a Windows 10 Insider Preview build installed on a PC running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, you should first upgrade to Windows 10 using the free upgrade offer* available to qualified, genuine Windows 7 and 8.1 devices. From there, you can opt in to the Windows Insider Program via Settings app > Update & Security > Advanced options under “Get Insider builds”.
===> Windows 10 Insider Preview is intended to be installed on genuine Windows 10 devices– before upgrading to Windows 10 Insider Preview Builds or reinstalling Windows 10 please ensure your device is activated.
</qp>
No matter what route(upgrade to 10, upgrade to 10 and clean install 10 after activation, or clean install 10 from scratch and activate) you take from 7/8x to 10 (and any possible combination of Home or Pro on the prior o/s to Home or Pro in Win10) once in Win10 and activated the option to join/rejoin the Insider program when logged on to Windows 10 with a MSFT account is available.
Oh man this is killing me. Since it was a catastrophic failure, retrieving the old insider key. Support said they don't deal with issues in the Insider Program. So **** does the dev team expect us to do when we have to reinstall. Even installing from a build 14279 iso from 7 ends up wanting a serial key. How do they expect us to resume this program if they take away the ability to activate? We need an SOP for this. Jamming up your testers is a poor way to run a beta program. Bloody short sighted Dev Team. Not yelling at you. You've been helpful and I thank you. I'm just stuck right now trying to locate a pre-branch ISO.
mm
