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
    2015-11-17T20:35:27+00:00

    Create Windows 10 Installation Media for Pro version   to do the preferred Clean Reinstall Windows 10 Upgrade.

    Leave the Product Key blank to skip Next and Do this later during install. Afterwards use your WIndows 7 Professional retail or Anytime Upgrade key to activate as specified in the Version 1511 FAQ section in Activation in Windows 10 - Windows Help.

    The OP who started this thread was trying to change from WIndows 10 Home to Pro by inserting a Windows 7 Pro Product Key but this is not supported as the only way to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro via the link to Store in Activation settings to gain Digital Entitlement to then own both versions for the life of the PC,  or to use a Windows 10 Pro Product Key.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-11-17T04:50:21+00:00

    Hi Darren

    I don't think this will work as you described.

    When you upgrade using the free version of Windows 10 this installs the same version of Windows that is on the computer that is being upgraded, Home to Home and Pro to Pro.

    After it is installed, then you have Windows 10. Trying to upgrade from Home to Pro, using a Windows 7 Key, will not work to change to the Pro version. You need to have a Key for Windows 10 Pro.

    Regards

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-11-17T22:25:57+00:00

    Create Windows 10 Installation Media for Pro version   to do the preferred Clean Reinstall Windows 10 Upgrade.

    Leave the Product Key blank to skip Next and Do this later during install. Afterwards use your WIndows 7 Professional retail or Anytime Upgrade key to activate as specified in the Version 1511 FAQ section in Activation in Windows 10 - Windows Help.

    The OP who started this thread was trying to change from WIndows 10 Home to Pro by inserting a Windows 7 Pro Product Key but this is not supported as the only way to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro via the link to Store in Activation settings to gain Digital Entitlement to then own both versions for the life of the PC,  or to use a Windows 10 Pro Product Key. 

    So since you can point out what I did wrong you obviously have a bit of knowledge about how it works, so why don't you tell me how to do it correctly?

    You say "create Windows 10 Installation Media for Pro version" but as of 1511 there is ONLY ONE installation media.  There is no longer a separate installer for Home and Pro, with them now sharing the same ISO.

    And then you say "leave the product key blank" but if you have an embedded key it doesn't ask you for a product key.  Even MS themselves say the installer will choose the version (Home or Pro) based on the embedded key.  That being the case, how do I get the other version to install?

    The 5th item down on the list of activation methods is the option I intended to use, in the event the activation wasn't automatic (as it was on a previous clean install of Pro):

    You upgraded to Windows 10 (Version 1511 or higher) and activated it using a Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1product key.

    So how do I do that?  My Windows 7 key is for Ultimate, but the installer will NOT allow me to install the Pro version of Windows 10 because my system also has an embedded OEM key for Home.

    The same page that you reference is where MS themselves say:

    On some devices that came pre-installed with Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, the product key is provisioned in the device firmware. On these devices the product key will be verified during setup, and then the appropriate edition of Windows 10 will be installed.

    So again, my original question still stands.  How do I install Pro and activate it with a Win 7 Ultimate retail key on a system with an embedded OEM Home key, when, as the above MS quote says, the edition that gets installed is determined solely by the installer based on the embedded key regardless of any other key that I may possess and want to use?

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-11-16T22:32:09+00:00

    So you select the route that takes you to the Store. Then using the screen that shows Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro you select I have a Windows 10 Pro product key. This opens a green window to input the new key and at that point it says your key is for Pro and you have Home.

    If that's the case a call to customer services may be needed. Unless you want to wait to see if anyone else has another idea. I assume the key for Pro is not used anywhere else & is it a Windows 10 Pro key or a Windows 7 or 8.1 Pro key.

    Yep, all correct.  It's a Win7 Ultimate key, not in use anywhere else for well over a year now.  And the really odd part is that when I input the key and it checks it out it even reports back that the key can only be used to activate the Pro version - yet it still never offers to give me the upgrade to Pro.  Apparently it recognizes it, knows what it is and considers it valid, but still just stops at that point.

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-11-16T20:57:13+00:00

    Control Panel> Add Windows Features>I have a Product Key.

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