Downgrading from Pro to Home

hello10 · 09 Nov 2018

I downgraded from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Home without losing personal files and apps today. The process took approximately two hours, and it was pretty scary, for obvious reasons. I had "researched" for the best procedure prior, but most of the information I got were discouraging - that is, if they even agreed that it could be done - until I came across the following in YouTube: How to Downgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Home Edition It was a lifesaver.

I am sharing it with you here, in case the need arises.

hello10 · 09 Nov 2018

Why downgrade from Pro to Home?

I had been on Windows 10 Home until my friend, who bought 5 copies of Pro keys, generously gave me one for upgrade. The upgrade process to Pro was easy and uneventful, until Windows wanted me to activate it afterwards. I used the Pro key but Windows refused to accept because of some reason like my original OS being an OEM or volume. It was during that time that reports came out about MS causing all those activation errors. I even hoped that that was the cause of my problem, but it was not.

Up to this point, I had two options. I could use KMS to activate a Pro, which would last for only 180 days (?), and to renew license every week (?). Or, I could downgrade to the original OEM Home. I preferred the second, but as I mentioned above, most of the information I got were not encouraging because of the HIGH risks of losing data in the process. I was fortunate to have found helpful information from YouTube.

I am thinking about this experience.

I find the responses from the MS people to inquiries similar to mine ridiculous most of the times. And from decades (started with v3.11) of searching for solutions to all sorts of Windows problems, I don't remember finding help or applicable solution from the MS people. I shake my head when I read their suggestions. Well, maybe, their style is just not my style. I almost always get simple, practical help from tips posted in personal blogs or forums like this one.

Perhaps, MS should have provided some sort of compatibility test (?) to first check if the key, which one will use for OS upgrading or downgrading, will be acceptable. Maybe, such a thing exists and I just don't know about it. Anyway, this is a big lesson for me. Those were two long dreadful hours of anxiety.

Stigg · 10 Nov 2018

Scary stuff. Lucky you had your helmet on.

alphanumeric · 14 Nov 2018

Thats one of those gotchas. I can install Home and then switch to just about any Edition of Windows 10 I want to with a change product key. This PC has multiple digital licenses, from testing etc. I can go up and down editions at will, just not back to Home. I can only go as low as Pro. By official means anyway.
It used to be you could upgrade from Home To Pro just by entering the generic key. Only problem was, if you couldn't activate Pro, no easy way back to Home. Now the generic wil only work if that PC already has a DL for Pro. If it doesn't no upgrade. You then have to enter a valid non generic key to do the upgrade. It checks to see if you can activate Pro before doing the upgrade.

hello10 · 22 Dec 2018

More info: Non-destructive reinstall of Windows 8, 8.1 and 10

jimbo45 · 23 Dec 2018

Hi folks

@hello10

a lot of that KMS stuff comes from non official sources so any discussion of those on these Forums is "Verboten". Do not use those.

Sounds a bit suspicious too -- who in the world as an individual would buy that many pro keys from a legitimate source -- that would be around 1,250 USD -- nice friends if they generously splash out that much money.

I might be doing you an injustice here but my gut feel just says there's something fishy about this whole process.
If it's all above board then OK -- but this is just usually my suspicious nature with these things.

Ms licensing itself is changing the whole concept of KMS servers - these won't be valid soon if not already.

Cheers
jimbo

hello10 · 23 Dec 2018

@jimbo45

You sound like you suspect lots of people are software pirates. The KMS thing did look very suspicious. At that time, I didn't know enough about Windows 10, but I had the sense to not take the path, even though it would save me from the scary one.

You don't know my friends. The world is bigger than you could imagine. Splash money? No, I guess I give them a lot in my own way. Maybe, you just haven't met friends who are that generous enough. It's likely that it will blow your mind if I tell you another friend once bought me a brand new car for nothing. If you don't believe it, then treat this as a joke.

You are doing me and my friend an injustice.

Oh, by the way, this notebook computer I am using... It's FREE from another person, believe it or not.

jimbo45 · 23 Dec 2018

hello10 said:

@jimbo45

You sound like you suspect lots of people are software pirates. The KMS thing did look very suspicious. At that time, I didn't know enough about Windows 10, but I had the sense to not take the path, even though it would save me from the scary one.

You don't know my friends. The world is bigger than you could imagine. Splash money? No, I guess I give them a lot in my own way. Maybe, you just haven't met friends who are that generous enough. It's likely that it will blow your mind if I tell you another friend once bought me a brand new car for nothing. If you don't believe it, then treat this as a joke.

You are doing me and my friend an injustice.

Oh, by the way, this notebook computer I am using... It's FREE from another person, believe it or not.

Hi there

@hello10

I did mention in the post that I might be doing an injustice - but these KMS things are usually on such sites as fly the old Jolly Roger etc.

people also can do all sorts of things with their money - agreed -- I'm just going over what seems average type of behaviour -- most people on this forum AFAIK certainly wouldn't have friends wealthy enough to buy them decent brand new cars for nothing -- good luck !!!! -- but if you have those sorts of friends why not just get a whole slew of laptops with different versions of Windows !!!!

Cheers
jimbo

Bat 1 · 23 Dec 2018

Third Option: Call M$ Support ?

hello10 · 23 Dec 2018

.. these KMS things are usually on such sites as fly the old Jolly Roger the various MS policies for Windows 10.

At the time, I didn't know about KMS or the MS licensing/registration policies for Windows 10. I still don't know the KMS, but I don't intend to check on it now because it doesn't concern me.

.. friends wealthy enough to buy them decent brand new cars for nothing --

That friend was not wealthy. He paid for it in installments for two years. Like I told you, the world is bigger than anyone could imagine.

but if you have those sorts of friends why not just get a whole slew of laptops with different versions of Windows !!!!

Why would I do that and abuse our relationships? Friends don't do that.