Windows 10: Windows 10 Home > Windows 7 Pro > Windows 10 Pro

Hey,
I got a new PC with Windows 10 Home. I already have retail versions of both Windows 7 and 8 Pro, so I clean installed 7 Pro over 10 Home (wiping existing partitions in the process), then did an upgrade to 10 (using the media creation tool) expecting to get Pro, but I got Home again, even though I upgraded from 7 Pro. The 7 Pro install was fully activated.

That seems wrong. How do I clear the hardware ID registered with Microsoft that forces 10 Home?

Seems a bit silly to have to pay £99 to upgrade to Pro when I already have 7 Pro! Can I get a 10 Pro key by giving my 7 or 8 Pro keys without having to pay again?

Thanks

:)

 

Free Windows 10 upgrade.

The upgrade process will install the equivelent W10 version to what was previously installed;

Example; Windows 7 Pro > Windows 10 Pro - W7 Home > W10 Home, etc.

 

I have office 2000 in my Windows 7 (home premium), will they quit working in Windows 10 (home premium)

So why do you think Windows 10 Home is different from Windows 10 Pro?

They are the same, just that one is a subset of the other.

Windows 7 Home > Windows 10 Pro > Windows 10 Enterprise

Just like...

Windows 7 Starter > Windows 7 Home Basic > Windows 7 Home Premium > Windows 7 Professional > Windows 7 Ultimate/Enterprise

Each adds features that cost a bit more, it doesn't make it different from that edition function wise. They run the same apps and have the same standard feature set.

What
are the editions of Windows 10 available?

I just happened to running Windows 10 Pro, doesn't mean it won't run on Windows 10 Home.

 

This is what I think where you did wrong..................
At the window which showed choice of language, edition and bit version, you did not read what were listed. You just clicked Next and continued. The window showed Windows 10 Home and you took it.
What you should have done was to UNcheck the box " Use the recommended options for this PC" and then click the pointer at Edition and chose Win 10 Pro.




Have a look at this answer given in Microsoft Community forum:
How to upgrade 1511 from Home to Pro?


If that does not work for you, you will have to use the media creation tool again > download the Win 10 Pro iso file > burn it to a bootable media > and use the media to do a clean install.
You will be asked to enter a product key. You can use your Win 7 Pro key, or you can use the Skip option and continue. If you choose the Skip option, after successful install, use your Win 7 Pro key to activate.

 

Sorry, I should have said I did do as your screen shot. I don't even get offered Pro in the list:





The first post in the link you posted is exactly what I'm experiencing. If I try to use my 7 or 8 Pro keys it tells me they're for a different version. I'll carry on reading the thread.

 

You are right. It does not give you the choice of Pro version. The older MCT does.
However, according to Tech Bench, it says : Windows 10 editions below are valid for both Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Professional.
So, the installer is supposed to know which edition you should have.
There is something missing here that I have forgotten.

Please try this one I posted earlier.....................
Have a look at this answer given in Microsoft Community forum:
How to upgrade 1511 from Home to Pro?

 

Thanks David.

Yeah, I've read that whole thread now.

The OP is exactly what I'm trying to do, but it seems the installer pulls the embedded BIOS/firmware product key before install so in my (and his case) it's defaulting to the embedded (Home Edition) key.

I've asked on that thread what the score is for subsequent clean installs - having to use the default Windows 10 Pro key, then your own Pro key to get to Pro each install is a bit of a pain! Especially as MS could pull/change the default Pro key at any time!

Ironically, I did have the old MCT ISOs for Pro and Home separately, but deleted them when the new, combined ones came out!

PS: Just to confirm what I'm seeing:

PC came bundle with Windows 10 Home
Clean installed Windows 8.1 Pro and activated (wiping existing partitions)
Use MCT to upgrade to Windows 10
MCT wizard moaned that I can't keep settings and apps because I'm going to a different edition of Windows 10
The last page of the MCT wizard, before starting install says, "To confirm, you're going to: Install Windows 10 Home"

So it's clearly preferring the embedded key to the version that's currently installed.

 

1. For the moment, it's the only option I can think of.
2. I don't think you have to do that again on each install. To my understanding the server will store your Pro key and will use it next time you reinstall Win 10 Pro.

 

I'll post back with the results re: point 2.

 

Yes. Please do.
I would like to know with certainty too.

 

The 10586 ISO is multi edition, Home and Pro. It can install either one. On a clean install, if an OEM embedded key is detected it will take priority. My laptop has an 8.0 Core OEM embedded key. 10 Home is installed with no choice and no prompt for a key. It had a digital entitlement for 10 Pro as it was upgraded from 8.1 Pro. What I did was enter the generic Pro key in the change product key window. It then upgraded to Pro, rebooted and activated with my digital entitlement. If you do this and that PC dos not have a digital entitlement for pro it will not activate. You can then, as far as I know, do another change key and enter your Windows 7 or 8 key and activate. Once that's done it should have a digital entitlement for Pro. To bypass installing Home you can add a PID.txt to the sources folder with the generic Pro key. It's what I do now. Since my systems all have digital entitlements for 10 Pro they all activate automatically with that key. No prompt to select version and no prompt for a key. If there is no embedded key you should be asked to chose Home or Pro and then enter a key. I'm not sure what happens if there is a preexisting OS on the hard drive. I had wiped my rive blank when I did my test install.

If you go to settings > Update & security > Activation > Product key, it will tell you if its activated with a digital entitlement or a Retail key.

 

When you are running Windows 7 Pro:

You download the ISO file for Windows 10 and you either make a USB, DVD or mount the ISO file using UltraISO.

Then with Windows 7 Pro running, you run setup.exe from the USB, DVD or mounted ISO file to start an in place upgrade of the current operating system. That will get you the same version of Windows 10 that you ran setup.exe from. Pro to Pro, or Home to Home.

Boot from the USB or DVD and it will read the product key in bios first.

The "Upgrade this PC now" option of the Media Creation Tool will also upgrade to the same version of Windows 10 that it was run from originally - Pro to Pro, Home to Home.

 

That's a mistake by Microsoft. It should always use the key from the booted OS if it's activated. If not then read BIOS.
That should be fixed by them.

 

It's been that way since Windows 8.0. For my Multi edition MSDN ISO's anyway. You can override it with a PID.txt file though. That's how I install Pro instead of Home on my two laptops that have 8.0 Core OEM keys. Once the free upgrade offer expires they will code out accepting Windows 8/8.1 OEM embedded keys. Then it won't be as big an issue. What they should do is just open a windows saying this is what we found, want to use it, yes or no? Or display the key and what version its for with an option to edit change it.

 

Why would they do that? It wouldn't make any sense. After the free upgrade, people will still be doing clean installs. Windows 10 install should still read the Windows 8 key in bios, install the version indicated by it, then check to see if there is a digital entitlement stored on Microsoft activation servers. What Microsoft will probably change after the free year is the ability of Windows 10 to push a new digital entitlement onto the Microsoft activation servers - which will involve changing only the activation program being run on the servers, not every copy of Windows 10 install media in the public.