Windows 10: Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations

How to: Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations

How to Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations


Information edition of Windows 10 Pro, comes with unique support for server grade PC hardware and is designed to meet demanding needs of mission critical and compute intensive workloads.

The value of Windows 10 Pro for Workstations is directly aligned to increase the performance and reliability of high-end PCs, with the following features:

• ReFS (Resilient file system): ReFS provides cloud-grade resiliency for data on fault-tolerant storage spaces and manages very large volumes with ease. ReFS is designed to be resilient to data corruption, optimized for handling large data volumes, auto-correcting and more. It protects your data with integrity streams on your mirrored storage spaces. Using its integrity streams, ReFS detects when data becomes corrupt on one of the mirrored drives and uses a healthy copy of your data on the other drive to correct and protect your precious data.
• Persistent memory: Windows 10 Pro for Workstations provides the most demanding apps and data with the performance they require with non-volatile memory modules (NVDIMM-N) hardware. NVDIMM-N enables you to read and write your files with the fastest speed possible, the speed of the computer’s main memory. Because NVDIMM-N is non-volatile memory, your files will still be there, even when you switch your workstation off.
• Faster file sharing: Windows 10 Pro for Workstations includes a feature called SMB Direct, which supports the use of network adapters that have Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) capability. Network adapters that have RDMA can function at full speed with very low latency, while using very little CPU. For applications that access large datasets on remote SMB file shares, this feature enables:
  • Increased throughput: Leverages the full throughput of high speed networks where the network adapters coordinate the transfer of large amounts of data at line speed.
  • Low latency: Provides extremely fast responses to network requests, and, as a result, makes remote file storage feel as if it is directly attached storage.
  • Low CPU utilization: Uses fewer CPU cycles when transferring data over the network, which leaves more power available to other applications running on the system.
• Expanded hardware support: One of the top pain points expressed by our Windows Insiders was the limits on taking advantage of the raw power of their machine. Hence, we are expanding hardware support in Windows 10 Pro for Workstations. Users will now be able to run Windows 10 Pro for Workstations on devices with high performance configurations including server grade Intel Xeon or AMD Opteron processors, with up to 4 CPUs (today limited to 2 CPUs) and add massive memory up to 6TB (today limited to 2TB).

This tutorial will show you how to quickly and directly upgrade from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations without losing anything, having to clean install, or restart the computer.

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to upgrade from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations.


Note Windows 10 edition upgrade






CONTENTS:

• Option One: Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations in Settings
• Option Two: Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations in Command Prompt

OPTION ONE [/i] Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations in Settings
1. While in Windows 10 Pro, open Settings, and click/tap on the Update & security icon.

2. Click/tap on Activation on the left side, and click/tap on the Change product key link on the right side. (see screenshot below)



3. Enter your genuine product key for "Windows 10 Pro for Workstations", and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)


Note If needed, you could do activate later with your genuine product key when able.




4. Click/tap on Activate. (see screenshot below)



5. When Windows is activated, click/tap on Close. (see screenshot below)





Note If it was unable to activate Windows with the product you entered, then you may need to Go to the Store and purchase a genuine copy of Windows 10 Pro for Workstations.




6. You have now upgraded from Windows 10 Pro to the Windows 10 Pro for Workstations edition. (see screenshots below)










OPTION TWO [/i] Upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations in Command Prompt
1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. Type the command below into the elevated command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow slmgr /ipk product key number



Note Substitute product key number in the command above with your actual genuine 25 digit with dashes product key number for Windows 10 Pro for Workstations.

If needed, you could enter the activate later with your genuine product key when able.
(Windows 10 Pro for Workstations)
*Arrow DXG7C-N36C4-C4HTG-X4T3X-2YV77

OR

(Windows 10 Pro N for Workstations)
*Arrow WYPNQ-8C467-V2W6J-TX4WX-WT2RQ

For example: slmgr /ipk DXG7C-N36C4-C4HTG-X4T3X-2YV77



3. If successful, Windows will now be activated with the entered product key. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)



4. You can now close the command prompt if you like.

That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to View Windows Upgrade History in Windows 10
• How to Clean Install Windows 10
• How to Upgrade to Windows 10
• How to Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro
• How to Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
• How to Downgrade Windows 10 Pro for Workstations to Windows 10 Pro
• How to Switch to Windows 10 Pro from Windows 10 S
• How to Upgrade from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Enterprise
• How to Downgrade from Windows 10 Enterprise to Windows 10 Pro
• How to Go Back to the Previous Windows in Windows 10
• List of Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

:)

 

Windows 10 Pro Upgrade Not Available on Activated Windows 10 Home Computer

Users can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro rom the new Microsoft Store app. Open the Store, search for Pro, then click the result Windows 10 Pro.

Here is an example:

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/windows-10-pro...

 

Windows 10 Pro for Workstations Available?

Windows Pro for Workstations is available in the Store but you have to search the Store on "Windows 10" to find the page. It is $205.00 for Home to Pro for Workstations and $125.00 for Pro to Pro for Workstations. There is supposed to be a Go to
Store

link in the Pro activation page in Settings but MSFT forgot to insert it. The Go to Store link in Home only leads to the upgrade to Pro so MSFT left out something there too. Hopefully, that is fixed soon.

 

"You can no longer use the default key to switch between editions until we verify you will be activated on the target edition" << So if you don't have a Pro Digital License entering the 3V66T key will get you the Activate prompt I saw? and if it fails you will stay on Home? I like that.
And now that I have activated Pro Workstation, next time around it will just switch quickly fro Pro to Pro Workstation without that Activation prompt.

 

If it fails using option 1, then the command in option 2 will usually work if needed.

 

Did another one today, via option one, change product key. No error this time, took a little while to activate, but no error.
*Thumbs
Must have just been an activation server glitch.

 

This guide is telling us to enter a valid product key but there are no Windows 10 Pro for Workstation product keys that you can purchase from the store not from Microsoft's website so where can I buy one or an upgrade key from my Windows 10 Pro to Pro for Workstations?

 

Hello Snappy Phoenix, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

No word on when it'll be available to purchase from the Store yet, but you can currently download and get official keys with a Visual Studio subscription.

 

Right, thanks then I guess I'll just wait for it to be available at the store as I don't have a Visual Studio Subscription.

 

Thanks. Option 1 didn't work but option 2 did! *Smile

 

Glad it could help gtatech, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

 

How do I get a key to activate Workstation? I can't find a place to buy/upgrade from...

 

That's the rub right now. It's no where to be found yet. *Sad

 

You should have purchased your license first. I'm not sure what you do now? I haven't found Pro for Workstations for sale anywhere? Not via an online search. The Microsoft Store would be where you'd think you'd find it? I'd see if I could go back to Pro with a change product key, enter VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T. I'm assuming you upgraded from Pro. If you license is for Home I think your going to have to clean install Home. Or just wait it out and see what happens. You'll be reminded to activate every so often. Some customization options are locked out too I think.

 

Have any of you verified the new features of Pro for Workstations? I upgraded to a machine with 4 processors (40 cores total) from Pro to Pro for Workstations, and after the upgrade (and multiple resets) Windows still only shows 2 CPUs (20 cores). I'm wondering if this is a result of upgrading from Pro, but that is the only way I know of so far (I received the key via Visual Studio subscription).