Windows 10: Need Help With Clean Install Of Windows 10 Home

Hello All,
I am licensed to run Windows 10 Home Edition on my PC, but I tried to "upgrade" to Pro without a license. It installed but it would not activate. I need to go back to Home Edition, so I tried everything I could think of but it would not work, so I tried a clean install from a USB stick but it wanted to install Pro Edition. I need to get back to my Home Edition, and I need help.

:)

 

Can I use the Home product key to activate Windows.

Windows 10 ISO is a universal one,you can use it to install windows 10 home too.

If you have already installed pro you might need to do a clean Installation of home.

When you are doing a clean Installation it would automatically install home if windows home came preinstalled.

[Fix] Unable to Select Windows 10 Pro Edition During Clean Installation - AskVG

If there is an ei.cfg file in the sources folder remove it.

 

Clean install of Windows 10 Home

Yes, you can reinstall it without paying again:

When you upgraded from a previous version of Windows or receive a new computer preinstalled with Windows 10, what happened is the hardware (your PC) will get a digital entitlement, where a unique signature of the computer will
be stored on Microsoft Activation Servers. The Windows 7 or Windows 8 genuine license you were previously running will be exchanged for a diagnostics key.

Anytime you need to reinstall Windows 10 on that machine, just proceed to reinstall Windows 10. It will automatically reactivate.

So, there is no need to know or get a product key, if you need to reinstall Windows 10, you can use your Windows 7 or Windows 8 product key or use the reset function in Windows 10.

If you are prompted to enter a product key, click 'I don't have a key' and 'Do this later'

Step 1: How
to download official Windows 10 ISO files

Step 2: How
to Prepare Bootable Install Media for Windows 10 - DVD, USB or SD Card

Step 3: How to: Perform a clean install of
Windows 10

 

I do not think it's possible to go to Pro if always had Home editions,most likely need to purchase a key. Even like upgrade from Win 7,8,8.1 what ever edition you had is what edition going to upgrade to with 10.

 

That's not my problem right now. My problem is I have Windows 10 Pro Edition on my PC and I am not licensed for it, I need to get rid of it and get back to Windows 10 Home Edition. I am going to have to call Microsoft to help me.

 

ISO on site here and at MS are going to be the new build 10586, can look here under Windows ISO search or use this and choose appropriate edition. Assume no system image backup ? http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/softw...load/techbench

 

ISO from here to, use Media Creation tool https://www.windowsphoneinfo.com/threads/download-windows-10-iso-file.1980/


As said can not go from Home to Pro without new license, even during original upgrade from older OS to Win 10.
I had Windows 8.1 Pro i went to Win 10 Pro. Make sure select correct bit 64 or 32 bit and Home Version.

 

Do you still have the C:\Windows.old folder? If so then try doing a rollback: Windows 10 - Go Back to Previous Windows

It's meant to go back to Win 7 or 8/8.1 after upgrade to Win 10 but should work to go back to the Win 10 Home. Try it, nothing to lose.

If it doesn't work, follow these instructions: Windows 10 - Clean Install

 

Missed the part were he said i did a clean install of Windows 10 Pro edition, so he likely lost that windows.old folder.

 

When doing the clean install you have to either delete the existing partitions and install to the resulting unallocated space or at least reformat the partition you are going to install to. Then if there is no Product Key stored in the computer's bios, it will let you choose which version you want to install. In order to delete the partitions or format the existing partition first, you will want to select the custom install option.

 

So why can't you do a clean install of home instead ? Just make sure to delete the partition and reformatted and install home on it

 

I did, you're right, rats! Sorry Rocky. Follow the Clean install instructions then I guess.

The download from Techbench says the following:

Windows 10 editions below are valid for both Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Professional.

 

Won't he still need a product key for Pro since his original was Home ?

 

He's trying to get back to home from an unactivated 10 Pro.

 

Yes, he would if he wanted Pro, but he doesn't want Pro.