Windows 10 Home Laptop, upgraded to Pro and clean installs

Hi,

If I get a laptop with Windows 10 Home pre-installed, then upgrade it to Pro, what happens during a clean install? Will it install to Home with me having to upgrade to Pro again, each time I do a clean install?

This will be a batch of machines for a business, with a silent Windows install. The manufacturer strangely doesn't provide Pro at all pre-installed.

Can you still edit a file on the installation media (can't remember what one - haven't done it since Windows 7 days) to force a specific version to be installed, even if the firmware-embedded product key is Home?

Thanks

Masterchiefxx17 said:

The laptop should update the key in the BIOS to then reinstall Pro if a factory wipe was performed.

No, the product key in BIOS will not be updated.

In order to force install of Pro you would have to include an ei.cfg file in the Sources folder of the install media which contains the following text:

Code:

[EditionID]
Professional
[Channel]
Retail

Or modify the install.wim or install.esd file to have only the Professional edition in them.

NavyLCDR said:

In order to force install of Pro you would have to include an ei.cfg file in the Sources folder

ei.cfg - that's the one! Thanks