Windows 10: After clean install, lost Pro license

I did a clean install on my Dell laptop and in the end it did not show Pro which I purchased through Windows 10 upgrade. I was charged from MS.

Any ideas what to do ?

Thanks

:)

 

How to upgrade from Win 8.1 to Win 10 Pro, I have a window 7 pro cd which I brought 7 years before with my old Laptop

Hi,

You need a qualifying Windows Pro License to be installed to be able to go to windows 10 Pro.

If your Windows 7 Pro is an OEM preinstalled License from the old Laptop (Dell, HP, etc) you can not use it it to do a clean install of Windows 7 Pro on the 8.1 machine as OEM Licenses can not be transferred.

But if it is a Retail windows 7 Pro License first check with the 8.1 Manufacturer to see if Windows 7 Drivers are available from them to install Windows 7 Pro correctly on the 8.1 machine by doing a clean install.

Cheers.

 

How to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro?

I have a Windows 8.1 Pro license. On my new Dell PC Windows 8.1 was installed and I didn't change it, i.e. installed the Pro license key. After upgrading it to 10, I remarked, that I now have only Windows 10 Home.

So my question is now, how can I change it from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro using my Windows 8.1 Pro license?

Especially without deletion of all my installations by doing a clean installation of Windows 8.1 Pro.

Just replacing the license key in Windows 10 Home with my license key of Windows 10 Pro doesn't work, i.e. I get an error coed 0xc004f050.

Best regards,

Michael

 

Hi Ken

4 options here

Activate Windows 10 Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials

Roy

 

Hi Ken,

suspect the install media was Home, so just input the new key.

Then Back-up using Macrium.


Roy

 

Which Dell laptop? What OS was it originally supplied with by Dell? Was it supplied with W8 Home or W10 Home? If so, there's a key for Home embedded in the system board, when you do a clean install Setup would find this and install the Home edition automatically.

Try going to 'Settings > Update & security > Activation > Change product key' and...

Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro

As you have installed Pro on this Dell before you should already have a Digital Licence for Pro on the Microsoft activation servers. Your W10 Pro should activate automatically once it finds this.

 

This was done through Windows 10 so there is no key to use. I do have my credit card charged, but haven't got the statement yet. Guess I will have to call MS unless someone has a better idea.

 

Unlikely, if the install media was made by the Media Creation Tool it will contain Home, Pro, Single-language Home and Education. You are offered the choice when running Setup unless it detects an embedded key on the PC, in which case it installs the edition for which the key is valid.

 

so maybe I should get another media creation download and do a repair install. otherwise I have to start from
from scratch.

 

There should be no need, you have a clean install already. As I understand your question it installed as Home rather than the Pro you wanted to install. As I said, one explanation for how it could have ended up this way is that there's a valid Home key embedded in the bios firmware.

You have previously upgraded to Pro and (presumably) that was activated. If so, there is a digital licence for Pro linked to your machine stored on Microsoft's activation servers. If you change the key to the generic Pro key it should upgrade you to Pro and activate from your existing digital licence.

This Solved thread had a similar problem...
Windows 10 Pro clean installation

 

Got it fixed by going to MS Chat who sent me to the store. It downloaded the upgrade again and activated. No reason was given for why it happened.