Cannot acivate Windows 10 pro using dfault windows 10 pro product key.


  1. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
       #1

    Cannot acivate Windows 10 pro using dfault windows 10 pro product key.


    Hi all,
    I have a Windows 10 home computer and would like to try out Windows 10 pro. I go and try to use the default windows 10 product key, VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T. However, when I hit start upgraide, I get the following message.
    we can't activate windows on this device because you don't have a valid digital license or product key. I know it is possible to use the Windows 10 Pro Default product key to activate windows, I've done lots of searching for this but can't find anything helpful. Any help would be great!
    Cheers!
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 15,491
    Windows10
       #2

    No it is not possible (and never has been) possible to activate PRO with generic key. You used to be able to use that key to upgrade to PRO but the upgrade will not be activated.

    Since FCU 1607, you cannot use default key to upgrade unless your pc already has a previous digital licence.

    So you need to buy an upgrade from the MS Store (or a full Pro licence).
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #3

    computertech3 said:
    I know it is possible to use the Windows 10 Pro Default product key to activate windows, I've done lots of searching for this but can't find anything helpful.
    Welcome to Ten Forums, Computertech3.

    I do not know where you have got that false information. It is not true, you cannot activate Windows 10, any edition, with generic (default) product key for that edition.

    Think logically: if it was possible, no user would need to buy Windows because everyone could get it free by using a generic key.

    To upgrade to Windows 10 PRO, you need to buy a license and use a valid, paid for product key.

    Kari


    EDIT:

    @Martin was faster :)
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 42,992
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #4

    You should be able to install a trial copy by not entering a key. Activation would require purchase, unless you were upgrading from a suitable product and the free upgrade (officially over) happened to work. Note clean install with a valid license e.g. Win 8.1 Pro was supported.

    License aside, what features do you feel you need from Pro that Home doesn't offer?
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Hi,
    I would just like to try out pro even if I can't activate. One of these reasons is Hyper_V vertualization I want to do projects with VMs. I also like the feature of windows 10 pro when you can defer some windows updates. Another reason I want to try windows 10 pro is the Bit locker features that's included with it. Those are the main reasons.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 42,992
    Win 10 Pro (22H2) (2nd PC is 22H2)
       #6

    Best way would be to use a different disk, if you have one, and leave the one you have untouched.

    Certainly update control is a lot more comprehensive, Notify is something I've used for a long time as well as deferring upgrades.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 17,661
    Windows 10 Pro
       #7

    computertech3 said:
    I would just like to try out pro even if I can't activate.
    A suggestion, easiest way for you to test PRO edition:

    First, download a Windows 10 ISO from Download Windows 10

    Next, follow instructions shown in the video in below quote from Ten Forums video thread to setup a native boot VHD:

    Kari said:
    New video: Dual Boot - The Easy Way



    The easiest possible method to dual boot. No partitioning, no virtualization required. Deploy Windows 10 on a virtual hard disk VHD or VHDX file, add it to boot menu. When done, when you no longer want to dual boot, just delete the VHD file.

    The DISKPART script and deployment batch from video:

    DISKPART scripts are normal text files with extension .txt. To run a DISKPART script, enter following command:

    diskpart /s DRIVE:\FOLDER\SCRIPT.TXT

    Here's the script used in video:
    Code:
    create vdisk file=F:\W10PRO.vhdx maximum=51200 type=expandable
    attach vdisk
    create part primary
    format quick label="Windows"
    assign letter=W
    exit
    Save script as VHDConfig.txt

    Above script creates a dynamically expanding 50 GB (51,200 MB) VHDX file (you can use .vhd or .vhdx) named W10PRO.vhdx in root of drive F:, labels it Windows and assigns it a temporary drive letter W:. Edit script to meet your needs, be sure the drive you create VHD has double the free storage than the size of VHD; if you will create a 100 GB VHD file to be used in dual boot, the drive where it will be created needs 200 GB free.

    Also, be sure to assign an unused drive letter! I always use W: which I have reserved for this purpose, never assigning it to anything else. In any case the drive letter will only be needed for deployment, it will be freed when VHD will be unmounted.

    The deployment batch is really simple, too. It just runs DISKPART script to set up VHD, deploys Windows on it with DISM, adds it to host boot menu and finally changes the boot menu entry to something more descriptive:
    Code:
    start /wait diskpart /s E:\Users\Kari\Scripts\VHDConf.txt
    start /wait dism /apply-image /imagefile:I:\sources\install.wim /index:8 /applydir:W:\
    start /wait bcdboot W:\Windows
    start /wait bcdedit /set {default} description "W10 PRO EN-GB (VHD)"
    cls
    @echo off
    echo. 
    echo Windows deployed to VHD file
    echo and added to host boot menu.
    echo.
    pause
    exit
    Save batch file as VHDBoot.bat

    Again, edit the batch to meet your needs. Be sure path to DISKPART script is correct, and that path to install.wim (or in case of MCT ISO install.esd) is correct in DISM command. Select correct index value. Check that BCDBOOT will add Windows to boot menu from correct disk, the drive letter here must be the same DISKPART script assigned to VHD.

    Windows 10 ISO index values:
    Edition Media Creation Tool ISO WinInsider & MSDN ISO
    S - 1
    S N - 2
    Home 2 3
    Home N - 4
    Home SL 3 5
    Pro 1 8
    Pro N - 9
    Education 4 6
    Education N - 7

    All single edition ISO images have index value 1 for edition in question regardless of edition, for instance whatever edition you are running, its index = 1 if you made the ISO by yourself with UUPtoISO.

    If you would rather test latest Windows 10 Insider Preview than the official release, you can download files required and create an ISO image by following instructions in post from video thread quoted below:

    Kari said:
    New video: UUPDump - Get Windows Insider Fast ring ISO Fast and Easy!



    I've been using UUP Dump Miniserver since the first version was released in early October to get Fast Ring ISO images for those editions and languages I do not have currently installed when new builds have been released. It is a fast and reliable tool which I wholeheartedly recommend.

    This video shows how to download and use UUP Dump Miniserver to get latest build upgrade files downloaded and create an ISO image.

    UUP Dump Miniserver download: UUP Dump Miniserver - GitLab
    UUPtoISO tutorial: UUP to ISO - Create Bootable ISO from Windows 10 Build Upgrade Files

    Kari
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #8

    dalchina said:
    Best way would be to use a different disk, if you have one, and leave the one you have untouched.

    Certainly update control is a lot more comprehensive, Notify is something I've used for a long time as well as deferring upgrades.
    Hi and thank you for your reply,
    I would just like to have windows 10 professional, is it possible to use the media creation tool to upgrade windows 10 to windows 10 pro at all? It may not be activated of course, but at least I can try some of the features of windows 10 pro, thank you again for all of your help. You have saved me a lot of reading and searching.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 4
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Hi,
    Thank you Kari for your help in this. I will try to do that. I use a screen reader so might be a bit more complicated but I think it is possible.
      My Computer


 

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