Windows 10: My maddening failure to move from Win 10 Home to Win 10 Pro

My pre-built Dell system came with Win 10 home. After my Windows exploded, I had to reinstall. Along the way I learned that I need Bitlocker. Since Home doesn't include it, I purchase an OEM install of Win 10 Pro.

And that has turned out to be the most horrific experience I've had in some time. I did a straight install and, at the end booted into Windows 10 home. Then I formatted the hard drive, reinstalled with my Win 10 Pro disc (always with that disc that I just purchased) and then... boot into Win 10 home.

I cannot, for the life of me, install Win 10 Pro on my PC. Right now I am creating a Linux bootable-USB because I need some way to see if there's a hidden... something on my hard drive. This entire experience has been exhausting and frustrating and I haven't a clue what else to do.

:)

 

How to downgrade the Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Home (upgraded from Windows 7 Home)

It means there is no way for Win 10 Pro downgrade to Win 10 home (upgrade from Win 7 Home) unless I reinstall the win 7 home then upgrade to win 10 home?

If I do the clean install of that PC installed Win 10 Pro upgrade from Win 10 Home (upgraded from Win 7 Home) and skipped the inserting key steps then connect internet, will my PC activate automatically for Win 10 Home or Win 10 Pro?

 

Can't move shortcut icons on my desktop to different locations on the desktop

I upgraded from Win 7 X 64 home to Win 10 home then upgraded to Win 10 Pro with no problems.

One thing I found that I am unable to do that I was able to do on all previous versions of Windows is reposition/move desktop icons. I can't in Win 10. The option to align the icons to a grid or auto arrange is not checked. My question is, How can I move
the desktop icons in Windows 10??

 

Hi.
I think you just go to Settings>Activation and select Update Product Key, put in your new Pro key, and the features are unlocked.

 

Here's a tutorial for you.
Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro Windows 10 Tutorials

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It turns out there were two recovery partitions that were withheld from me during the recurring installs. I blasted them out. Now the install is happening and I'm confident Win 10 Home won't re-emerge. Thanks.

 

Okay, so it turns out I'm back to where I started from. I have a fresh install of Windows 10 Home and when I am prompted to enter my product key, I am told it didn't work. However, I have all the relevant cardboard and purchased this from Fry's so I know it's not some piracy thing. What's my next step?

 

I hope you're right. I've seen it happen. *Wink

 

The problem is that you have windows 10 OEM. The OEM edition is intended to either be installed on a system that does not have a key embedded in the firmware, like your system has.. or to use the embedded key if present. since your key is present, and it’s a HOME key, it uses that.

if I were you, I would instead purchase a 10 pro upgrade, and sell your full install. You cannot upgrade from home to pro with an OEM full key

 

Did you try the change product key I mentioned earlier?

 

I tried that, yeah. But Oh wow. The devil's in the details. Well that was a waste of cash. Yeah, I'll have to find someone who wants this and buy a proper upgrade. Thanks Mystere.

 

Just to confirm it, @Mystere was exactly correct.

 

If you add a PID.txt file to the sources folder with the generic pro key, it will install Pro instead of Home. It overrides the auto OEM key detection. I've done it on my laptop that has an 8.0 Core OEM key in the BIOS. I've done this with the Media Creation tool install media and official MSDN ISO's. You may be able to just put your Pro OEM key in there. this is what I put in my PID.txt file
[PID]
Value=VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

I think there is an ei.cfg file that will override that too, so you actually get to choose Home Or Pro, I haven't tried that myself.

 

Microsoft not too long ago made a change to how you switch from one edition to another. In the past you could just enter the generic key and upgrade, then activate if required. Now I do believe it checks for a valid digital license before actually doing the edition upgrade, if you use the generic key. It wants a valid key that will activate to do the upgrade. OEM keys appear to throw a wrinkle into that.

 

Nope, the install media is generic .. one can install whichever edition is included in the media purchased given the over-ride of the firmware product key as below...

Yup.