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

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.

0 comments

181 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2015-11-20T00:59:33+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

    Was this answer helpful?

    100+ people found this answer helpful.
    0 comments
  2. Greg Carmack 24,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2015-11-19T23:23:54+00:00

    Thanks, Aryeh. 

    It's actually the removal of ei.cfg that unlocks all versions.  I tested the fix suggested and got no version menu.  It seems they've hidden it another way.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2015-11-19T09:43:58+00:00

    Hello,

    Under Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7, I recall it being possible to "force" the installation media to prompt you to select which edition of the operating system would be installed by creating a file named EI.CFG on on the installation media.

    From looking at a Windows 10 v1511 .ISO downloaded via the Media Creation Tool, I am wondering if you could try adding an EI.CFG file to your USB flash drive to allow for edition selection at install time.

    Try plugging the USB flash drive into the computer as you normally do, navigating to the x:\x64\sources directory (where x: is the letter of the USB flash drive) and creating a new text file there named "EI.CFG" using Notepad (or whatever your favorite text editor is) with the following two lines in it:

    [Channel]

    Retail

    and then try booting from the media to install the Windows 10 v1511 upgrade. 

    Be sure to save the file with an extension of .CFG and not .TXT or it will not work (you can rename it after you have created it in Notepad).

    Regards,

    Aryeh Goretsky

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2015-11-18T12:54:19+00:00

    Thank you.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Greg Carmack 24,780 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2015-11-18T04:01:12+00:00

    Thank you for pointing that out as I don't always have time to read everything in real time and also keep up with a caseload that receives a reply email every few minutes around the clock.  I am only a volunteer.

    But I've spent several hours tonight testing this, discussing it with a colleague by phone, and am preparing to elevate it to the Windows 10 Team via our MVP Communications channel tomorrow.  Hopefully there will be a solution soon.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments