Windows 10: upgrade from Win 10 to Win 10 pro using win 7 ultimate key?

Hello, I have a computer running windows 10 with digital entitlement from Windows 7 home. I want to upgrade this computer to Windows 10 pro using a Windows 7 Ultimate key that I bought several years ago. It is my understanding that this should be possible with the November update. I know I can do this with a clean install, but I'm trying to accomplish this with an upgrade so I don't lose anything on my computer.

:)

 

Win10 upgrade classes; Need information on upgrade to Windows 10

The is no win 10 ultimate so win 7 ultimate will be upgraded to win 10 pro.

 

windows 10 and bitlocker

Shawn

Are you referring to Win 10 pro and/or Win 7 Pro I currently have Win 7 Pro and I want to encrypt Do I have to buy Win 10 Ultimate / Win 10 Enterprise? If I get a like-for like upgrade (ie if I get Win 10 Pro) will it have BitLocker?

If my retailer sells Win 7 Ultimate cheaper than Win 10 Ultimate do I get like-for-like upgrade too Win 10? ie Do I get a Win 10 ultimate upgrade if I upgrade from Win 7 Ultimate

If I am able to encrypt with my current version of Win 7 Pro is it forward compatible? ie Can I unlock my external HD with a Win 10 computer? Similarly and vice versa, if I encrypt with a Win 10 computer can I read my external HD with Win 7 computer?
(eg if I was at an internet cafe with a Win 7 computer)

If I encrypt with Win 7 and/or Win 10 Ultimate, am I only able to read my external HD with a similar version (ie Ultimate) of Windows?- this is a very important question for me as internet cafes are unlikely to have Ultimate versions, and I might have to
buy an Ironkey ext HD which is very expensive

Thank you for your patience in reading my questions Thank you for comments/ advice/ opinions

Andre Li

 

try using the Add-features option in control panel...
by entering the ultimate key..

otherwise you can get digitial entitlement via a clean installation of 10586 and entering the ultimate key during setup

 

I didn't see this option in the control panel. I went to the online store and there is a link to click if you want to upgrade to pro using a key. However it looks like that link only accepts Win 10 keys and not Win 7 keys like it should. I'm really trying to avoid a clean install.

 

In Windows 7 this should be the Anytime Upgrade in Control Panel. Select that and then select that you already have a key. Enter your Ultimate key and if accepted it will upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. Then you can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.

 

The computer I want to upgrade has Windows 10, not Windows 7.

 

I can't pretend to know, but I'd bet that particular upgrade path isn't supported.

That, even though the 7 Ultimate license would entitle you to a Win 10 Pro installation.

Maybe Microsoft Support could be persuaded to assist you in the home to pro upgrade. Let us know how that works out.

 

In Windows 10 go to the System Page. Then click change product key down to the right of the Windows Activation section. The try typing in your 7 Ultimate key. If its rejected you will be no worse for wear. It will just stay on 10 Home. If it's accepted it will upgrade with no install media required. Once its upgraded it will reboot to 10 Pro. Then go back in and make sure its activated. I've done this to go from 10 Pro to 10 Education and from 10 Pro to 10 Enterprise. I entered Windows 10 keys though. Once you go up, you can't go back down without reinstalling, just so you know. All system restore points are erased when you upgrade. I don't think there is an clickable Add Features option anymore, not that I've seen like in Windows 8.

 

Entering a Windows 7 key is not supported in Build 10240. But you can do it (at least they say so, haven't done myself) in the new TH2 (Threshold 2 build 10586) version, found here.

However, you cannot use the new ISO to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro. It will only upgrade from Windows 10 Home build 10240 to Windows 10 Home build 10586. To upgrade to Pro the only way is through the Windows Store, as suggested by the other posters. But as far as I remember, there is no way to use your key there, you will be asked to buy a new Windows 10 Pro key for $99. The only way to go Pro for free is to backup your data and clean-install Windows 10 Pro using the new ISO from the link above. When asked for a key type your Windows 7 Ultimate key and will proceed to install the Pro version.

Language Warning: As I have also posted in this thread there are two English language options to download. The "English" and "International English". The names are misleading, as one would expect "international" to mean American English. No it is not! "International English" is the BRITISH English (GB) version and cannot be used to update an American English (US) windows installation, as most of us have. If you are looking for American English (US) the correct version is "English". Beware to download the right language version!

 

Actually, he can migrate from Home to Pro using the current Media Creation Tool using a Windows 7 Ultimate key. He inserts the media and then restarts the computer. Since it is a clean install, when Setup opens the product key pane he enters the Ultimate key and that will tell Setup what edition of Windows 10 he wants to install. The free upgrade covers 7 Ultimate to 10 Pro so he will be fine. Setup always opens the product key pane during clean installs.

 

I thought booting from the USB or DVD allows you to do a clean install only, not an upgrade! To upgrade you have to start setup from inside Windows and then you can only upgrade from Home to Home, not Pro.

 

I tried this but it doesn't work with my Win 7 key.

 

Correct. Booting from media is a clean install. But if the user starts Setup from within Windows he is not asked for a product key so all that happens is that he upgrades his Home to Home. He never has the opportunity to tell Setup what he really wants to do. With the clean install he does have that opportunity and the product key is the tool. That gives him his migration from Home to Pro without having to purchase the Pro Upgrade from the Microsoft Store. His computer becomes activated by digital entitlement for both Home and Pro. Should work that way. The last version of Windows that used that method to select which edition to install was Vista.

 

I do have the November Update installed. When I go to the Windows store, there is an option to enter a key to upgrade. But for some reason a Windows 7 code won't work here but I thought that was one of the main points of the new update.