Windows 10: Upgrading Windows 10 Home to Pro?

I had a feeling you were going to post something along those lines. I remember seeing that "now". I was looking for that, but your beat me to it. My PC's all already have a DL for Pro so I assume it will work for me. Actually I'm pretty sure I've already done it on one PC on a clean install of 1709. Home to Pro with 3V66T key. Thanks for the quick reply, Now if I can only remember that for the next time it comes up.

 

That does not state an oem key will not work. There are no upgrade keys for w10 afaik.

 

It's stated in the note box under step 5C of the tutorial below, and confirmed by many that had reported it. It would be nice if that would change though.

*Arrow Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro Installation Upgrade Tutorials

 

I was asking if you could go from Home to Pro with the generic key, then enter your OEM key. From that, you can no longer go from Home to Pro with the Generic key, unless that PC already has a DL for Pro. It checks activation before doing the upgrade. Not after like it used too.

I see what your saying, just putting Brinks's post in context. I was thinking it might be a workaround to the OEM key being refused when entered from 10 Home.

 

I do believe it will become mute when the free upgrade finally ends. Assuming the only keys looked for by install media are Windows 10 keys.

 

Hi,
I suppose all MS could say is invalid key enter a valid pro key *Smile
Which by the way has happened to me also after I changed my mother board *Wink

 

I believe entering a 10 PRO oem key at change product key should work assuming key is valid (putting aside perennial discussion over legality of using oem keys) . Unfortunately many are scams.

What will work I am confident is to create a dual boot pc with 10 PRO (in a vhd is a good way), activate that, creating a digital licence, and then enter generic key.

I used generic key on Home a few minutes ago, and the error message did not say you could not use a generic key but it could not verify pc would activate, so if pc had a digital licence.

I will test this by installing Home in a vhd on a vm which has PRO activated and see what happens then.

 

My Pc's already have a DL for Pro, so I can do the upgrade from Home to Pro with the 3V66T key. When I upgraded to Pro for Workstations though, I got a "checking activation" something like that prompt while it verified my MSDN key. Once my key checked out it upgraded without rebooting. Now, as far as I know, I can upgrade to Pro for Workstations with that Editions generic key. Or just reenter my MSDN key. Usually, I just install the Edition I want on that PC. But when I want to test stuff I may install Home. Then when I'm done poking around, I upgrade to pro etc with a change product code.

 

I've done so many test installs that there are things I just can't test. Not on my real hardware anyway. Most of my PC's now have DL's for Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, Education, and Enterprise. Everything except 10 SL. I should probably start messing with VM's. Maybe some day, lol.

 

I bought a cheap key to upgrade from Home to Pro via Amazon so I could get my money back if it didn't work. The key worked and the Pro version is now activated with a digital licence linked to my MS account. Is the key I bought relevant anymore now I have the digital licence? I thought activation with the DL is done by monitoring the PC's hardware profile so how is the key relevant post the upgrade?

 

Well, I just installed 10 Home 16299 as a dual boot in a VM that has Pro installed and activated, and I never have installed Home in this VM, and went to activation menu to try and see what happens if I enter a generic key, and it was activated as Home - that I do not understand!

Anyway, I entered generic key and it accepted it and did upgrade.

It did not accept it on a VM without a PRO digital licence.

So here is how to upgrade Home to Pro if it will not accept OEM licence to upgrade. Key steps only - not detail.

1) create a vhd

2) boot from media creation tool

3) press shift+f10 to get to command prompt

4) attach vhd and install 10 pro in vhd

5) activate 10 pro with oem key

6) reboot to Home

7) enter generic VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T key and Home will upgrade and activate

8) delete pro vhd from step 1, and remove boot entry (msconfig)/

I know this works (apart from step 5 as I do not have a pro oem key - only a retail one but I see no reason why it would not activate assuming key is valid.

 

I'm not sure if its relevant, as in tracked, recorded etc? You can install without it now. Provided you install that same Edition, on that same hardware. You just skip entering a key and it will activate with the Digital License it already has.

 

That's what I thought - the PC has a permanent digital license until it is retired or expires.