Windows 10 re-install gets wrong version

I have a number of laptops that have had many different versions of Windows 10 installed on them
Professional
Home
Enterprise

I've generally installed Widows 7 Professional and then used the Windows 10 upgrade tool and then made a
Wbadmin backup to a network share in case I have to re-install
using
wbAdmin start backup -backupTarget:e: -include:C: -allCritical
and restoring from "repair my computer"

This works 90% of the time, but sometimes it doesn't with a message that says "Windows can't restore your OS"

So today I tried a few of these laptops using a bare metal windows 10 install and when I activated, all 3 came up as Home edition with a digital licence when they had Windows 10 Pro upgraded from 7 pro previously

Am I missing a step? Is there a reliable, repeatable way to install Windows 10 pro on a PC that has had pro before?

mrg9999 said:

...today I tried a few of these laptops using a bare metal windows 10 install and when I activated, all 3 came up as Home edition with a digital licence when they had Windows 10 Pro upgraded from 7 pro previously....

This sounds like you are working in a business environment. It is common practice in corporate environments to buy a machine, wipe it, then install a standard company image. That may well have been W7 Pro, and that would upgrade easily to W10 Pro. But if the machine as bought was supplied by the OEM with W8/8.1/10 Home on it, then there will a Home key embedded in the bios. Setup will pick up on this key and install Home.

Were you asked for a key during the clean install? If not, then there is definitely and embedded key in the bios. ShowKeyPlus can tell you what it is.

Am I missing a step? Is there a reliable, repeatable way to install Windows 10 pro on a PC that has had pro before?

Just because it had Pro installed before doesn't mean it has a Pro key in its bios. If there is a Home key embedded in the firmware you need to modify your install media to force it to ignore the embedded key.

A PID.TXT file placed in the sources folder containing a generic key will force an install of a your chosen edition.

Code:

[PID]
Value=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Replace 'XXXXX...' with the generic key appropriate to the edition you want to install.

Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

The easier alternative of courses is to just let Setup install Home. As the machine has an existing digital license for Pro you can then upgrade Home to Pro by changing its key to the generic Pro key.

alphanumeric said:

Just a heads up, not sure if this affects the PID.txt file...

No, it shouldn't. The PID.TXT will force an install of Pro is you use the generic Pro key, but it won't activate unless the machine already has a Pro digital licence. The OP said these machines had had Pro installed before, so that shouldn't be an issue.

...currently, if that PC does not already have a DL for that edition, the generic key will not work via change product key.

That change was introduced with RS3 (aka 1709).