Spring Update Error - Enterprise to Pro - Unable to Activate

beggersrun · 31 Jul 2018

Greetings. Newbie here. Searching resulted with impertinent info. Be gentle

This old laptop originally came with Windows 7. Over the past few years, I upgraded to Windows 8, then to 8.1, and finally to 10. I've received a few of the automatic spring and fall updates and have had no problems ... until the last update this past April 2018.

The update went smoothly and everything seemed to be working fine, so I deleted the Windows.old folder (cue the sad trombone). "Activate Windows..." is now being displayed. Trouble-shooting results with the system telling me (among other things) "We found a Windows 10 Home digital license for this device running Windows 10 Pro. To activate using this digital license, you need to install Windows 10 Home."

Firstly, I believe that the previous edition before the April update was Enterprise? (is Enterprise and Home the same?)I've had no reason to ever have Windows Pro on this laptop. I've used the Windows Download Tool to get the Home edition, but it keeps downloading Pro edition. Where/how to get Windows 10 Home edition?

If this topic has already been discussed, please point me to the thread.

Thanks!

- Dale

Caledon Ken · 31 Jul 2018

Hi Dale.

Enterprise and Home are not the same. Enterprise is above Pro.

Are you doing a Clean install to correct?

If you use the media creation tool with an 8GB USB thumbdrive it down loads both Editions.

The clean install and select Home.

Clean Install Windows 10

When doing clean installs it is necessary to get your data out of the way unless it is already in a unique partition. Best to back up off machine, sh%t happens. As part of tutorial it talks to deleting all partitions which is recommended.

Then let windows create the partitions it needs.

There was mention of a registry hack in another thread, I'm not in favour. You can search in google Tenforums downgrade Windows Pro to home Solved. Maybe another member has solution that does not entail clean install.

Ken

beggersrun · 31 Jul 2018

No ... not a clean install. All I was doing was using the Windows Download Tool to automatically detect and download the correct edition. I assumed the tool could see my Windows Home product key (hidden somewhere in the reg) and that I needed the Home edition. It wasn't telling me which edition it had downloaded. I would only find out after starting the install attempt. After realizing it was the wrong (Pro) edition, I cancelled the install.

Thank you for your reply and link. I will check it out!

dalchina · 31 Jul 2018

I assumed the tool could see my Windows Home product key (hidden somewhere in the reg)

- there is no key in the registry for Win 10. Normally activation is based on a particular version of the hardware id of your PC; your right to a version of Win 10 is held on MS's activation servers.

Thus a clean install (deleting all Windows partitions - there may be several) needs no key for activation, and the correct edition (typically home/pro) would be installed.

If you are really certain you had Enterprise installed... well, that's something I know nothing about; you could ring your regional activation helpline once you have as many facts as possible.

Enterprise editions are aimed at business:
Windows 10 Enterprise edition: What are the key features for businesses? - TechRepublic

There are several here who are familiar with licensing issues, so you can probably expect comment soon.

You may find this utility helpful.
ShowKeyPlus - Windows 10 Forums

beggersrun · 31 Jul 2018

Thank you for the info dalchina!

I've got this all sorted now. The tool indeed downloaded both Home and Pro (which is on my flashdrive) but I wasn't trying to boot from it. I changed the boot device to the flashdrive and all is well now. Yay! :-D

Thanks again for all the info guys!

dalchina · 31 Jul 2018

Glad it was that straightforward.

Caledon Ken · 31 Jul 2018

Great news. Glad the forum could assist.