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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.
HI,
The Digital Entitlement should take precedence over the embedded key when
using the latest version of the MCT.
Enterprise is upgraded and installed by other means than the consumer MCT.
Check with TechNet or MSDN where Enterprise is supported.
Hope this helps.
Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Experience : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.
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It's confusing why you're Clean Installing WIndows 8.1 on a Windows 10 PC to get back to Windows 10. Please clarify.
The issue in this thread was V.1511 hiding versions and if detecting embedded Key only offering that version to try to prevent users from installing the wrong one. This issue is corrected by the workaround which Charles posted that is marked the Answer of this thread.
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Were you using the Nov release v1511 and if you were I assume you didn't get the option to input your Win 8.1 Pro key.
PS: Just to confirm what I'm seeing:
PC came bundle with Windows 10 Home
Clean installed Windows 8.1 Pro and activated (wiping existing partitions)
Use MCT to upgrade to Windows 10
MCT wizard moaned that I can't keep settings and apps because I'm going to a different edition of Windows 10
The last page of the MCT wizard, before starting install says, "To confirm, you're going to: Install Windows 10 Home"
So it's clearly preferring the embedded key to the version that's currently installed. I expect that after following Charles' advice after the upgrade to get to Pro, then doing a clean install will force Home Edition.
I'm actually an IT Pro and I'm thinking of the implications this has for corporate deployment. We have a Microsoft Site Agreement and I'm thinking that if we buy PCs with Pro on (that have an embedded key), but deploy Enterprise as part of our agreement, will it force Pro, with us having to visit each machine after deployment to activate Enterprise!
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
I'm having the same as the OP. I will try this too. But just to ask, will subsequent clean installs have to follow the same path, or will it then know that a previous Pro version has been used and prefer that over the embedded BIOS key.
Maybe the Home to Pro upgrade process ought to overwrite the embedded BIOS key. Is that even possible?
