Downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Windows 10 Pro  

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  1. Posts : 22
    Win 10 Pro
       #10

    [EDIT: SUCCESS!! This post is obsolete. See my post below for the procedure which successfully allowed me to transform an Installation of Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation (Build 10.0.14393) into a valid activated installation of Windows 10 Professional build 10.0.14393 -- WITHOUT losing apps, files, or settings. Applying the procedure described in the present tutorial to the Enterprise Evaluation edition (and not the full enterprise edition) fails, because it is not possible to enter a valid Win 10 Pro key to change the product key of an EnterpriseEval install.]

    Does this work to downgrade the Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation (Build 10.0.14393)? I have a retail Windows 10 Pro key.

    (Context: My mother's machine was completely hosed by the anniversary update. It would not boot, and I could not recreate the recovery environment. Following some advice I saw online, I downloaded the Enterprise Evaluation .iso; but the procedure I tried with that also failed. Desperate to give her a working machine, I burned a DVD from the Enterprise Evaluation .iso and installed it. It allowed me to save files, but not apps. But now, of course, it has the watermark in the bottom right corner which states that the "Windows Licence valid for 90 days". I would LOVE to be able to turn this into a Pro install without losing everything (again). Do I have a chance?

    UPDATE: As a test, I tried to do it myself on a VirtualBox VM. First I installed the Enterprise Evaluation, then I tried to enter my retail product key. "that key doesn't work". Same for the generic key. I also tried a trickl suggested elsewhere, which was to change the ProductID and Name in the registry, and then do a repair install of WIn 10 Pro. in this case, the upgrade would only allow me to choose to keep "nothing". The reason was very cryptic:

    "you cant keep windows settings, personal files and apps because your current version of windows might be installed in a unsupported directory."
    THe 'current' windows install was a fresh clean install of the enterprise evaluation edition. If i knew what non-standard directory is used for its install, i could set restore it to the standard one and keep my files and apps. Oh well.
    Last edited by sbpetrack; 09 Nov 2016 at 19:22. Reason: tried an experiemnetn and want to post the results
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #11

    Hello sbpetrack, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    I'm afraid that it will only work starting with build 14352 to keep everything.
    Last edited by Brink; 07 Nov 2016 at 23:02.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 22
    Win 10 Pro
       #12

    I have succeeded to transform Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation into Windows 10 Pro, *without* losing my settings, files, or installed applications. One part of the process is the procedure described in this tutorial. There is a step which must be done beforehand, however; and I ran into one glitch which blocked me for quite some time:

    The process is in two steps: first, upgrade the Enterprise Evaluation to the full Enterprise edition. You need the full Enterprise .iso or media to this. But you do NOT need any Enterprise key other than the publically available installation key. IMPORTANT: In order to be able to preserve apps, files, and settings during this part of the process, it is essential that the Enterprise installation .iso and the Enteprise Evaluation install to be transformed have **identical** default system UI language. If they do not, it is almost certainly easier to change the default system UI language of the running EnterpriseEval installation; but either one can be changed, they simply must agree. NOTE: This step results in an UNACTIVATED installaton of Win 10 Enterprise. This is not a problem; you'll use a valid Win10 Pro key at the end of the process to activate your Win 10 Pro installation.
    This part is accomplished as follows:

    In your Enterprise Evaluation inastallation, go to \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion; and change the value of registry key EditionID to"Enterprise"; change the value of registry key ProductName to "Windows 10 Enterprise".
    Then, insert a full Win 10 Enterpise installation .iso or media into a (real or virtual) drive, click setup, and let it keep your settings, files, and apps. This will only be possible if the system default UI language is the same. This is easily checked by applying one of the commands documented in ISO - See what Language, Edition, and Architecture of Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums to find the default system UI language of the installation media, and comparing that to the output of "dism /online /get-intl" in an elevated command prompt on the running enterprise eval installation. At some point during the install, you will be asked for a product key. Use the generic Windows 10 Enterprise installation key: NPPR9-FWDCX-D2C8J-H872K-2YT43 . you will end up with an unactivated windows 10 Enterprise system -- but all of the apps files and settings of the previous Enterprise Eval will be with you.

    Now we can apply the present tutorial. Strictly speaking, you won't be **changing** the product key, because the new system has none. And chances are that it will immediately begin to complain about the lack of activation. So you placate it by going to Settings-->Activation. Here you will see that the system cannot be activated until you enter a valid product key. What a coincidence, you just happen to have exactly that: You enter your valid Win 10 Pro product key into the installation, and you will immediately see the setting change to Windows 10 Pro. Congratulations!

    Final Note: you are done now, but i noticed that in the registry , there was a key left at \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion -- the CompositionEditionID -- which has been left behind at EntepriseaEval. I assumne that this is harmless, but perhaps it should be changed to "Professional" for a Profesional finish. (pun intended)

    Grateful acknowlegement is a made of Upgrade Windows 10 Evaluation to Full version easily
    It was the source of core of first step above. Also to the Windows Answer FIle Generator
    for the generic WIn 10 Enterprise installation key.

    --scott
    Last edited by sbpetrack; 09 Nov 2016 at 20:33.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #13

    Sorry, auto correction strikes again.

    You can downgrade from Enterprise to Pro starting with build 14352 and higher. Builds before 14352 would require a clean install to Pro instead of just downgrading.

    What you linked to has nothing to do with downgrading from Enterprise to Pro.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 783
    Win10 Pro - x64 latest build dual boot w/Win 11 Pro
       #14

    Hi,
    I have a W10 Enterprise Build 1607 ISO and product key kicking around gathering electronic dust so to speak. I've ignored it thus far but with recent annoying behaviour regarding updates in Pro I'm thinking of trying it.
    As long as this Tutorial stands I see an "out" - however my current Pro's both don't have product keys, they are both upgrades from 7 and are linked to my hardware I guess.
    I was thinking of upgrading one of them but maybe my best choice would be to install Enterprise on its own partition to see how it behaves.
    Meanwhile I'm sticking like glue to my remaining W7 UIltimate as my main OS until it expires.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #15

    Hey Peter, :)

    As long as you have a W10 Pro license linked to your MSA for that PC, you would be able to use the generic key under step 1 to downgrade from Enterprise to Pro, then let it automatically activate Pro with your digital license.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 783
    Win10 Pro - x64 latest build dual boot w/Win 11 Pro
       #16

    Thanks Shawn. Another question if I may, not really related but here goes. Will the activation process balk if I try to use my key on 2 separate partitions of the same drive & machine?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #17

    Technically (legally), a retail key is suppose to only be used to activate no more than one installation at the same time. That would be considered two installations.

    It should activate both since they are on the same PC, but you can easily have one or both deactivated at some point in the future when activation checks in at Microsoft next.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 783
    Win10 Pro - x64 latest build dual boot w/Win 11 Pro
       #18

    That's what I thought, thanks.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 68,657
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #19

    Anytime mate. :)
      My Computers


 

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