Reason to reinstall Windows10 prior to upgrading to Win 11--Should I?

pintree3 · 09 Jul 2022

Due to recent problems I just reinstalled W10. However, since my desktop was not accessible to get the installation media from my desktop I had to use my laptop. My laptop is W10 Home my desktop was W10 Pro. Hence my desktop is now W10 Home (and not Pro). An update popup said you are now ready to upgrade to W11. Herein lies my question. Because my desktop actually had Pro and not Home do I need to first reinstall Pro prior to upgrading to W11? I assume that W10 home means upgrade to W11 Home and Pro to Pro. Or can I simply upgrade to W11 and then use my Pro key to do it later (or at some point during the upgrade)?

Paul Black · 09 Jul 2022

Hello @pintree3,

I personally would download the Pro ISO [ Media Creation Tool - See Below ], just to by-pass ANY potential problems or conflicts associated with the Upgrade.

ISO Resources - Including MS Servers:

> Create Windows 10 Installation Media - Microsoft
> Download Universal Windows Downloader v0.2 - MajorGeeks
> Download Windows 10 Disc Image [ ISO File ] - Microsoft
> Media Creation Tool & ISO Downloader - Rufus
> Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool 8.44 - MajorGeeks
> TechBench by WZT - Includes OLDER Windows 10 ISO's - TechBench RECOMMENDED
> Universal Windows Downloader [ Portable ] - MajorGeeks
> Download UUP Files from Windows Update Servers with Ease - UUP Dump
> Windows 10 ISO & Office ISO Download Tool - Heidoc

A new addition to ISO availability is Rufus . . .

> Downloading Win 10 ISO Images using Rufus - NextOfWindows
> How to Download Older ISO Versions of Win 10 – PureInfoTech

There is also this TenForums Tutorial . . .

> How to Download Official Windows 10 ISO file from Microsoft - TenForums

I hope this helps.

Bree · 09 Jul 2022

pintree3 said:

Due to recent problems I just reinstalled W10. However, since my desktop was not accessible to get the installation media from my desktop I had to use my laptop. My laptop is W10 Home my desktop was W10 Pro. Hence my desktop is now W10 Home (and not Pro).....

I don't understand why you ended up with Home. The install media made by the Media Creation Tool is capable of installing any edition, Home or Pro, regardless of the edition of the machine used to run the MCT. The only likely reason is that your desktop was supplied with Home preinstalled and has a Home key embedded in its bios. If so, and you later upgraded to Pro, then in a clean install Setup would haved read the key from the bios and used that to choose the edition to install.

If you had Pro activated on your desktop before then it has an existing digital licence for Pro. You should be able to upgrade its installed Home to Pro just by changing the installed key to the generic Pro key.

VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
Generic Product Keys to Install Windows 10 Editions

pintree3 · 09 Jul 2022

Thanks Bree n Paul. 1st you Bree. You wrote, "I don't understand why you ended up with Home." I ended up with Home because the installation media was taken from my laptop and not my desktop. I thought I had explained this. So the installation media copies whatever computer you are using the create it. I did choose "for another computer" and accepted whatever it did on its own. Then from the laptop I went to my desktop and used that USB to install it.
You then wrote, "If you had Pro activated on your desktop before then it has an existing digital license for Pro. You should be able to upgrade its installed Home to Pro just by changing the installed key to the generic Pro key.
VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T". Yes, I had noticed (and wrote down) this generic key as well though I did not know it was generic for all. I thought it was my generic key. Anyhow I read your link and don't understand anything written there. What am I supposed to do?
I'll now answer Paul below.

- - - Updated - - -

Hi Paul Black. You wrote, "I personally would download the Pro ISO ... just to by-pass ANY potential problems or conflicts associated with the Upgrade." I would have to agree with you and so I believed; I just waned to make sure. And now let me be more sure again. While within the current version of Windows I only see a payment method to upgrade. Assuming I create an installation media using the current desktop's OS then it would create W10 Home again, wouldn't it? Or can I at this point create, anew, an installation media and then when I have to choose the OS click on the Pro version, which I would assume would ask me for my key and all I would have to do is insert my key. Am I understanding correctly?
OH, wait you wrote, "download the Pro ISO", so I should NOT use Media Creation Tool. Hm!

Bree · 09 Jul 2022

pintree3 said:

VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T". Yes, I had noticed (and wrote down) this generic key as well though I did not know it was generic for all. I thought it was my generic key. Anyhow I read your link and don't understand anything written there. What am I supposed to do?

It is simple to upgrade Home to Pro as long as your PC has had Pro installed and activated previously. It will have a digital licence for Pro stored on Microsoft's activation servers.

Make sure you are connected to the internet, then go to Settings > Update & Security > Activation. Click 'Change product key' and enter the generic Pro key. Windows will check the activation servers for a digital licence for Pro, then when it find one it will upgrade your Home to Pro.

Reason to reinstall Windows10 prior to upgrading to Win 11--Should I?-image.png

Paul Black · 09 Jul 2022

Hello @pintree3,

For the simplest and most straightforward method for your situation, please follow @Bree's instructions above.

pintree3 · 09 Jul 2022

Grr! I am angry. In reading some of the links above I can see where something went wrong. All of the updates etc. where while I was on the phone with a Microsoft tech. I had contacted Microsoft because I got a blue screen with QR code. The PC would repair itself start well and on reboot the blue screen would start over. It always repaired itself so I was able to use it. The 1st tech had taken over my PC and updated my drivers--something I read may have caused such a thing. And with then updated drivers all hell broke loose. It now did not repair itself hence my needing to reinstall. In seeing Use the recommended options for this PC box, the 3d tech told me to leave it checked. That seemed odd to me but he said don't worry you'll be able to take care of it later. Now, I'm thinking this should have been unchecked because a link here specifically says to uncheck it. And because of this being left checked is why I had no choice with the W10 home. I am pissed, really pissed. Thanks guys for your help. Now my plan is to download for "another PC" even though it is for this PC and hope for the best. Am I correct with this assumption?
Addendum: I started using the media Creation tool and the same thing is there from when I used my laptop. I did uncheck the above box but in choosing my OS it is not giving me the Choice of Pro (or Home for that matter). It just says, "Windows 10". Now I'm stuck again. Gotta more reading I guess.
BTW I can't use the ISO because it requires it to be burned to a DVD. I don't have such all I have is a USB.

- - - Updated - - -

OH Bree. just saw this after I posted the above. Will follow your directions immediately. Thanks. Wait, why use the generic one when I have the actual one?

Bree · 09 Jul 2022

pintree3 said:

....why use the generic one when I have the actual one?

Once you have used a purchased key to activate Pro on a PC you never need to use it again. It's only purpose was to get a digital licence for that PC stored on Microsoft's activation servers. The digital licence for Pro will activate your PC if you just use the generic key.

pintree3 · 09 Jul 2022

OK thanks bro. Appreciate it. I had asked because the prompt suggested I write my actual key but I will follow your instructions. One last question if I may: will the upgrade be equal to a new install? I mean would I lose for example, what I have on my desktop? I know it's always better to do a backup first but I'm asking because if it is like a new install than I will need to wait about a month before doing so (I am moving city, job, etc. and since I am in China this also means a lot of paperwork and government red tape.

NavyLCDR · 09 Jul 2022

pintree3 said:

OK thanks bro. Appreciate it. I had asked because the prompt suggested I write my actual key but I will follow your instructions. One last question if I may: will the upgrade be equal to a new install? I mean would I lose for example, what I have on my desktop? I know it's always better to do a backup first but I'm asking because if it is like a new install than I will need to wait about a month before doing so (I am moving city, job, etc. and since I am in China this also means a lot of paperwork and government red tape.

The upgrade will only add the Pro features to you Home version. It will not change anything else. It won't change the applications you have installed or your desktop settings. It takes less than 5 minutes for the upgrade to complete.