How to upgrade 1511 from Home to Pro?

Anonymous
2015-11-16T20:31:01+00:00

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.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Install and upgrade

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  1. Greg Carmack 24,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2018-01-23T17:12:34+00:00

    There have been some changes lately.  I would try inserting both the Pro Default Product key and your retail Product Key in Activation Settings link to Change Product Key.   http://winaero.com/blog/generic-key-to-install-windows-10-rtm/

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-18T20:15:25+00:00

    Is this still working?

    We bought a notebook with Win 10 Home and our school has licences for Pro. But when I type them in, windows doesn't accept them.

    Here 

    https://support.microsoft.com/de-de/help/12384/windows-10-upgrading-home-to-pro

    is told just to type in a Pro serial. But this doesn't work.

    Greetings Steffen

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  3. Greg Carmack 24,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2018-01-05T23:38:57+00:00

    What version are you running?  Check at Settings > System > About.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-01-05T19:57:01+00:00

    Hi DarrenC1,

    We are going to make these steps more visible and easier to find for folks.  Sorry that has not been the case.  The process is not really straight forward; I guess we were hoping folks would upgrade their 8 PCs to Pro and then upgrade to 10.  Well we have lots of people and lots of scenarios and lots of folks want to start fresh.

    From your Windows 10 Home running Version 1511, enter the Windows 10 Pro Default key under change product key.

    VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T  This default key will not activate the system, just take you to Pro so you can activate using a valid Pro key that you will provide.

    Once you have done this, the system will go through an upgrade process from Home to Pro, but will not be activated on Pro.  You can now enter your Windows 8 Pro key into your Windows 10 Pro system and it will activate.

    I hope this helps

    Charles

    the mentioned code VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T doesnt work.... error code 0x803fa067 nice official guide here...

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  5. Anonymous
    2017-12-12T10:50:50+00:00

    Unfortunately, the retail key was sent per mail together with an installation CD, so I only have a printout. But I tried so many times, I'm really confident that there was no mistyping. I also asked the retailer if it might be no Pro key, but they told me that it is, and that problems with upgrade from Win7 Home to Win10 Pro are well known (but not their business).

    The default pro key was "copy-pasted" and did not work. What I did in detail: I went to the "activation" mask, selected "Change Product Key" and pasted the VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T key. After <Continue>, Windows seems to start the upgrade, but one second later the following message appears (translation from German):

    "Your edition cannot get updated

    For your Windows edition, no upgrade can be executed. Try again to update your Windows edition (0xc03f6506)".

    On the activation mask, below the "Go to store" and "Change Product Key" links , I read the following message:

    "the last product key entered (ID:00330-80000-00000-AA328) can not be used for this Windows copy". This is definitely no number I ever entered. Windows10 activated on its own "by a digital key" after installation.

    Some ideas?

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