My first PC I upgraded did not upgrade to Pro. So I want to download the media for Pro, and upgrade with it.
When I go to the MS site to download, it does not offer me a selection of versions to download.
Can anyone suggest where to find the Pro Win 10 download, or a method that I can count on to upgrade to the Pro version?
The current Windows 10 Media Creation Tool will download an ISO containing both Home and Pro versions. If you are doing an upgrade by running setup.exe from inside a currently running Windows 7 or 8/8.1, it should upgrade to the same version you have installed.
If you start the install by booting from the Windows 10 USB/DVD then the program will pick which version to install based upon product keys/licenses found in one of many places - in order:
1. pid.txt - file you can put onto the USB containing a valid product key. Windows 10 will install the version of Windows 10 that product key is for. I think this has to be a product key for Windows 10 in this file - not Windows 7 or 8/8.1.
Not finding a pid.txt file with a valid product key then:
2. Product key stored in Bios. For example, computer came with Windows 8 Home and the user upgraded to Windows 8 Pro. The key in Bios will be for Home so that is the version Windows 10 will install. If you did an upgrade first from Windows 7/8/8.1 and have a Windows 10 Pro activation stored on MS activation servers, then you can upgrade the Windows 10 Home to Pro by changing the product key to the generic Windows 10 Pro product key.
3. If it doesn't find a pid.txt file or a product key stored in Bios, then the program will ask you for a product key. Skip entering a product key and the program will ask you for which version you want to install. When it is all installed, then you are supposed to be able to enter a Windows 7/8/8.1 product key in order to activate Windows 10 - if the old product key is for the same version, Home or Pro. This is the last method I would choose.
You can also activate a clean Windows 10 by using getosstate.exe on your previous Windows 7/8/8.1 installation on that same computer, and saving the genuineticket.xml file that the program produces. Then you copy the xml file into the right location on the same version of Windows 10 and that will activate it.
You can only upgrade to Pro if you have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate. Windows 7 Basic and Windows 7 Home Premium will upgrade to Windows 10 Home. Check what version of Windows 7 you have.
Of course. I am aware of that. I presume everyone is...I did n't take the time to say "I have PRO...".
I do have PRO on this PC, and I also had it on my laptop which did NOT upgrade to pro. I did the upgrade straight from the internet.
I am doing the download now, and plan to try it per NAVY Lcdr's comments. I have a fresh backup and will restore back if it again does not install Pro.
[EDIT]
I think I just figured out why the laptop is not Pro. I checked the key. It is not my Pro key. I had shipped it in to ASUS for a repair, and I think it must have been loaded with standard, and not the Pro which I had.
I wonder if I can upgrade it to PRO as I have a key.
ON another note, working on the desktop now, I did use a CD, and it is asking for the Key. I thought it would just upgrade it. That must be once difference in the experience between using a CD or a download install.
If it is asking for a key for an upgrade there is something wrong.
1. You booted from the CD and did not just run setup.exe from within the running operating system.
2. You downloaded the wrong version of Windows 10, IE: you downloaded "N" version. Possibly the wrong language, IE: English International when you wanted English US.
Those are the common causes.
What I would try, but be warned, it might leave you with an non-activated Windows 10 that you will have to do a clean install to fix, if it doesn't work:
1. Go to the activation screen in settings, select change product key, try entering the PRO key that you have. That might upgrade it to PRO - or it will get rejected. No harm no foul on that one.
2. If step 1 doesn't work, type in the generic product key for Windows 10 Pro. That will trigger the upgrade, but it will not activate pro. After the upgrade, you can try entering your pro product key - and that might activate it. If it doesn't, see the warning above - you can't go back to Home version and activated - unless you clean install.
I appreciate the help and feedback.
It is really strange. After it asking for a product key, I decided to go into the Win7 version and check the key to be sure I had the right one selected. What I found under Windows Activation was" Status Not Available, Product ID: Not Available.
So, I tried upgrading and entering the key. But right now I realize I entered the original key which was a 32 bit version, and it failed. I do have 64 bit version installed, and I have a CD with the 64 bit version and a key. I'm about to try that now. I have no idea why the current ID is not available.
BUT...while I was sitting staring at the screen of the Window 10 message about key not working and try again, my monitor quit accepting input. Rebooted and tried again, and same thing. I'm wondering if there is a compatibility issue with the video card. My card is an ATI Radeon HD 3600 series.
32bit and 64bit makes no difference, same key works for both. The windows 7 activation status not available and product ID not available means that there is something wrong with the Windows 7 and/or the product key used and Windows 10 will not activate from that.
ATI Radeon HD 3600 series should work. You won't be able to have full operability of Catalyst Control Center such as overscan to fill the screen of a flat panel, unless you force the installation of legacy drivers from ATI.
At this point it's no consolation but I have seen exactly such a thing happen with more than one brand and it is a problem of the 'technician' not paying attention to details. It also is a problem of a 'technician' automatically wiping out the HDD just to give it a fresh start before diagnosing problems which loses the owners data. I like Sony's process in that if the HDD is not the problem take it out before shipping as all other hardware problems don't need that exact drive.I think I just figured out why the laptop is not Pro. I checked the key. It is not my Pro key. I had shipped it in to ASUS for a repair, and I think it must have been loaded with standard, and not the Pro which I had.
Thanks... no problem though. I see my reply appeared that maybe I did take offense, but no, not the case. Writing can so often easily be taken the wrong way. I appreciate your reply.
Yeah.
I'm just not sure now about it. Since my last post, I rebooted the PC again, and it again showed the ID. I wrote it down, compared to my others, and no comparison at all. I'm thinking that the ID is NOT the product key, so my assumption may be invalid.
At any rate, now that the ID is showing up activated again, I am in process of upgrading over the net, not from the CD (given that my screen was going blank with the CD ... ????). It has had me remove one incompatible program, and I'm clicking the install now.
I'll post back how it goes.
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