Upgrading OEM Win10 Home to MSDN Win10 Pro

Moving to a new PC that I'm building myself. Currently running Dell OEM Win10 Home. New PC will have Win10 Pro, MSDN (multi-activation or retail keys) version.


My backup software can do a "system transfer" that will allow me to transfer everything (OS and applications) to the new computer.


Should I upgrade from OEM Home to MSDN Pro on the old computer and then transfer everything to the new computer?


Or just install Win10 PRO MSDN on the new computer and use the backup software vendor's application transfer program to move the applications and registry entries?


My goals are:

1. Not have any "dinosaur bones" either from the OS on my SSD from the old OEM Home version on the new PRO version

1. Not have to reinstall and reconfigure everything (which would take about a week)

Thanks for any advice I can get...

I would do a clone of the old Home installation to the new computer using a program such as Macrium Reflect Free. Upgrade it to Pro using your MSDN product key. The easy way would be to save an image to an external hard drive then restore to the new computer.

If you are not happy with the results, then backup whatever data files you want to keep and do a clean install. The digital license for Windows 10 Pro should be saved on MS activation servers and you won't need any product key to reinstall and activate Windows 10 Pro.

Which backup software are you using that is able to transfer applications?
Is it a free or paid version?

Does it have the capability to keep Windows customized settings or browser bookmarks?
Can it really install Microsoft office and other applications that may keep track of the number installs and un-installations without issues?

NavyLCDR said:

I would do a clone of the old Home installation to the new computer using a program such as Macrium Reflect Free. Upgrade it to Pro using your MSDN product key. The easy way would be to save an image to an external hard drive then restore to the new computer.

If you are not happy with the results, then backup whatever data files you want to keep and do a clean install. The digital license for Windows 10 Pro should be saved on MS activation servers and you won't need any product key to reinstall and activate Windows 10 Pro.

NavyLCDR;1419556
Thanks NavyLCDR;1419556: do you know if that process will leave remnants or "dinosaur bones" of from either Win10 Home or OEM?

zbook said:

Which backup software are you using that is able to transfer applications?
Is it a free or paid version?

Does it have the capability to keep Windows customized settings or browser bookmarks?
Can it really install Microsoft office and other applications that may keep track of the number installs and un-installations without issues?

I've been using EaseUS To-Do backup for years. They have a free version but it won't transfer the system or applications. They also have PCTrans that will transfer applications but that, again, is not free.

bobmac1547 said:

NavyLCDR;1419556
Thanks NavyLCDR;1419556: do you know if that process will leave remnants or "dinosaur bones" of from either Win10 Home or OEM?

What do you have to lose by trying it?

NavyLCDR said:

What do you have to lose by trying it?

TIME! (my most precious commodity!!!)

Hi there
I'd go for Free Macrium -- the Freebie can restore to different hardware - normally after install any really specialized drivers can be manually installed but these days Windows does a pretty good job of it. If it's retail no prob with activation, OEM copy though won't normally activate on another machine.

I'd keep a backup as another poster says - but why bother installing W10 HOME on the new machine when you've got multi-activation of MSDN W10 Pro ?? can't see the point.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

I'd keep a backup as another poster says - but why bother installing W10 HOME on the new machine when you've got multi-activation of MSDN W10 Pro ?? can't see the point.

Was not even considering installing Win10 Home on new machine. The point of the upgrade, etc. is not having to re-install and configure. That would take a good week to do.

bobmac1547 said:

Thanks NavyLCDR;1419556: do you know if that process will leave remnants or "dinosaur bones" of from either Win10 Home or OEM?

Of course it will. Any method of transferring an installation will leave details of the old installation. If you want to do a clean install then do a clean install but if it is working OK now then there is probably no point - it would just be a waste of time.

If you are worried about converting from one edition of Windows to another then don't - features are activated (or not) based on the policy for the currently installed key. Installing home and upgrading to Pro will not result in you having "stuff" that you wouldn't have had from installing Pro in the first place except for registry entries detailing the history.

I have 4 years of Windows 10 build history in my registry - see here: Build Version History and it is nothing to worry about.