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. Anonymous
    2016-03-07T14:06:28+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

    sir, originally this laptop was purchased from USA through my brother and window 8 was installed originally and I have not product key of window 8 hence in the circumstances how I can get the product key

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-03-07T09:59:37+00:00

    Oh yeah I forgot to tell you before.  As a lovely parting gift, when I reverted to 7 Pro earlier, it invalidated my serial key for W7 Pro.  Lol, that hasn't happened in a few months, but I hate reinstalling over and over anyway.  Reinstall reactivates no prob, but that was definitely a trip down memory lane.  Almost back to build 9926 but not quite.  Just thought you might want to know about that in case an end user runs into it.

    mm

    This second scan for updates on upgrade makes me feel like Charlie Brown at Halloween. "I got rocks"

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-03-07T09:50:32+00:00

    Here's a question, and BTW I am moving all systems to SSDs one at time.  But I digress, why does that godawful installer go from checking for updates (took an hour this time w/300Mbps dl), to agreement with the EULA, to pick how you want to install (unless of course you want to keep your apps, because you can't), to checking for updates again?  Weird setup that consumes time by duplicating steps.

    mm

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-03-07T09:47:56+00:00

    That's interesting; I've been using it (in RAID 1 configuration) for many years now without too much difficulty; Intel seems to whole-heartedly support it from all I've seen - they keep updating their "Rapid Storage Technology" application and every Dell computer I maintain has "hardware" RAID functionality included in the BIOS.  However, I've thus-far never had a drive fail so have not had the occasion to rebuild one either. Are you saying that RAID 1 doesn't "work as advertised"?  I'd like to hear some stories about that so I don't get caught short someday.  What would a more "modern" replacement for RAID 1 be then?  I'm always open to new ideas but I like to get some background info on them as well.  This is the first time I've heard any negative commentary about it...

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  5. Greg Carmack 24,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2016-03-07T09:15:13+00:00

    I've never seen anything but problems with RAID and Windows:  Not one single good report in forums where I've spent most of the past seven years.  It isn't even redundant (the first letter of its name!) since most users who lose one drive lose everything.  It is dated technology.

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