Windows 10: Windows 10 is not upgrading from Home to Pro after Hard disk replacement and OS reinstall

Hi,


I got my laptop Dell Alienware 15 R3 [Have 3 SSD ports and 1 HDD port] with Windows 10 Home preinstalled. I upgraded it to PRO via Microsoft Store in May 2018. It had 2 hard disks -> 1 SSD and 1 HDD. Later I installed an additional nVME SSD as well and installed OS on that. I have been using it ever since.


Recently, my HDD crashed. So I completely removed it and installed another nVME SSD. I had some programs installed on my hard disk previously so I thought of doing a clean windows install. I used Media creation tool to create an ISO and used it to reinstall windows.


But I recently noticed that my version of Windows is Windows 10 Home. When I go to Microsoft Store, it shows me "Buy" option rather than install upgrade. I still have the order details in the same Microsoft account by which I bought the upgrade.


I also tried entering the generic Windows 10 Pro key VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T but it didn't work. I called Microsoft support as well. The Level 1 technical executive kept repeating these words:


"Since you had a 'KEYLESS' windows, you have to purchase a new Windows 10 Pro with a Product Key to have a PRO version. Nothing can be done further!"


I refused to accept that answer and I asked him to transfer the call to higher level. He kept me waiting for 20 mins on call saying I am transferring please bear with me. At last, the call got disconnected.


This is completely unethical from MS. I didn't change my laptop but I just changed my damn hard drive! I already paid around 120$ for the upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Pro! Why in the world should I purchase again?

:)

 

Windows 10 Enterprise fails to re-activate after hard disk replacement

The system is a laptop where the single hard disk failed and was replaced. Unfortunately, there was no recent, viable backup of the hard disk that could be used to restore it.

A successful clean install was made from en-gb_windows_10_business_edition_version_1803_update_jul_2018_x64_dvd_12613160.iso.

The first login used my Microsoft Work or School account but I was unable to activate it from that account.

I then created a user with my Microsoft Account (which uses the same email address) but was unable to activate it from that account either.

The laptop has a firmware-embedded activation key. It appears in the devices list for my Microsoft Account and also appears in the devices list in the Azure Active Directory which we receive as part of Office 365.

It is a commodity laptop that was supplied with Windows Home installed; upgraded to Windows Pro using Get Genuine; and upgraded to Windows Enterprise with an OS upgrade using a product key. It was regularly updated before the hard disk failure.

I had anticipated that re-activation after the hard disk replacement should have been simple!

Any pointers to where I might be going wrong? Or suggestions as to how to diagnose this? I'm a volunteer systems administrator for a Museum (non-profit / charity) and this is outside my comfort zone.

 

Reinstall of Windows 10 after replacing hard disk

I have upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 10 before the deadline of free upgrade. Afterwards my hard disk was failed and replaced with Windows 7 installed again. In this case, can I reinstall/re-upgrade to Windows 10 once more?

Moved from: Windows / Windows 7 / Windows update, recovery, & backup

 

Windows 10 Pro reinstall after hard drive failure

My hard drive failed and had to be replaced. I had just replaced it a few months ago and still had the USB boot drive with the Windows 10 reinstall I created at that time. When I ran it for the previous HD install, I was automatically upgraded to Windows
10 Pro without any issues. I used the same USB drive to reinstall the OS on the replacement drive and cannot get it to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. Instead I get this: "You're running Windows 10 Home and you're all set." I am not all set - I have a digital license
and I want Windows 10 Pro. I have tried every suggestion on the Microsoft site and end up in the same place.

Has anyone run into this and know of a way past it? The support assistant thing is useless.

Thank-you for any insights you can provide.