Windows 10: Accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home, can't go back?

Discus and support Accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home, can't go back? in Windows 10 Updates and Activation to solve the problem; Ok, my spare desktop is running 10 Education. I get the same "The product key that you entered didn't work" if I enter the generic Pro or Home key.... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Updates and Activation' started by Esmonde, Aug 15, 2017.

  1. Accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home, can't go back?


    Ok, my spare desktop is running 10 Education. I get the same "The product key that you entered didn't work" if I enter the generic Pro or Home key. This may be because I installed with my MSDN Education ISO, and not the Media creation tool ISO though? I though I had used the MCT ISO, but it may have been my MSDN ISO. I've been trouble shooting an issue I have with the Education version. Mulling over what my next steps are, and haven't decided what I'm going to do at the moment.
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 16, 2017
    #16
  2. Esmonde Win User

    Thank you for helping. If you manage to get anything to work please let me know.
     
    Esmonde, Aug 16, 2017
    #17
  3. Bit the bullet and tried the Home key on this PC running 10 Pro, got that same "The product key that you entered didn't work" I guess you can't go from Pro to Home. I know for a fact I have gone from Pro to Education, and back, in the past with an earlier build. Looks like you'll have to clean install 10 Home to get back to Home. Backup what you don't want to lose first. When asked for a product code just click "I don't have one" and select Home from the menu when it comes up. You could just enter the Home key, but skipping it is easier IMHO.
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 16, 2017
    #18
  4. Bree New Member

    Accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home, can't go back?

    Did you do @Kari's registry changes first? He seems to think it should be possible.
    How do I change from windows 10 pro to windows 10 home?
     
  5. Esmonde Win User
    I did do that but i'm not entirely sure on how to do step 7. ("Insert the Windows 10 Home install media, do an in-place upgrade by launching the setup from desktop (not booting with Windows install media)")

    For this I downloaded the Windows 10 ISO and reinstalled my Windows only keeping my personal files (It didn't allow me to keep my personal files AND apps). But by doing this I had the files 'Windows.old' and my new Windows file.
     
    Esmonde, Aug 16, 2017
    #20
  6. No, just tried entering the key as I've done in the past. I've seen that reg hack before, Windows 8 I think and it works. I did it at least once in Windows 8 years ago. Don't really want to try it on this PC though. If my spare was running Pro I'd give it a go, its currently running Education though.
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 16, 2017
    #21
  7. What you do there, I believe is mount the ISO, then just run setup.exe from the mounted drive. Selecting 10 Home when the Home, Pro menu comes up.
     
    alphanumeric, Aug 16, 2017
    #22
  8. Superfly Win User

    Accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home, can't go back?

    PLEEZ... Do not advocate that key , we have had so many problems with that... the correct key is YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
     
    Superfly, Aug 16, 2017
    #23
  9. Bree New Member
    You download the ISO, mount it within Windows then run the Setup you find on the ISO. If it does not allow you to keep installed apps then you have the wrong ISO. It can be the same edition or higher (you can upgrade from 1607 to 1703, for example) but you cannot upgrade with a different language version - the ISO must be for the same base language as the Windows you are currently running. If the languages don't match it will only allow you to keep personal files.

    Find out your system's base language by opening a command prompt and typing:

    SYSTEMINFO | FIND "System Locale:"

    (or just SYSTEMINFO then look for the equivalent of the 'System Locale:' line if the results are in a different language)
     
  10. Bree New Member
    Superfly knows what he's talking about. I stand corrected.
     
  11. Esmonde Win User
    Should I enter the key when asked when I boot up the ISO? Or should I select the activate it later option (or whatever it is called)
     
    Esmonde, Aug 17, 2017
    #26
  12. Esmonde Win User
    The key you just provided gives the error message "This product key doesn't work. Try a different key or buy a new one"
     
    Esmonde, Aug 17, 2017
    #27
  13. Superfly Win User

    Accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home, can't go back?

    It won't work on Pro... it must be from Home setup - Have you followed Bree's instructions in post #3?
     
    Superfly, Aug 17, 2017
    #28
  14. Esmonde Win User
    It seems like the only issue now is that I cannot keep my files AND apps. As Bree mentioned in a previous post if I am unable to keep both files and apps then either my language or edition does not match. I have checked and found that the language matches but I am unsure about how to make sure I have the current edition. What should I be looking to match between my system and the ISO?
     
    Esmonde, Aug 17, 2017
    #29
  15. Superfly Win User
    Well I was never a fan of this downgrade method (it creates "Frankenbuild" i.e. a mishmash)

    Best would be backup and clean install and copy back... IMHO
     
    Superfly, Aug 17, 2017
    #30
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Accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home, can't go back?

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