Installation and Activation of Windows 10 Pro

I purposely didn't post my route to Windows 10 Pro, but it may clarify why I posted in the first place. Consider me an "I know enough to be dangerous" user, rather than the kinda sorta knowledgeable person I really am. :) Not to say I'm not dangerous too.

1. Bought an HP 500-056 computer with Windows 8.0 Core and upgraded to 8.1 Core
2. Set up Dual Boot with Windows 8.1 Core and Windows 10 Pro (default Insider Builds)
3. Upgraded Windows 8.1 Core to Windows 8.1 Pro
4. Replaced HDD with SSD and reinstalled Insider Build and 8.1 Pro (using key)
5. Upgraded Windows 8.1 Pro to Windows 10 Pro
6. I don't know which clean install of Windows 10 Pro took me back to Home (Was it 10240, 10586 or Anniversary? I haven't a clue)
7. Whenever it happened, Installation read the BIOS on my computer and decided I had a license for Home instead of my legally upgraded Pro.
8. Since there was no notification of any type that told me which version was being installed, I never knew I was back to Home.
9. Once I discovered I was running Home instead of Pro, I tried everything I could to get Pro on the machine; however, Microsoft's Installation no longer asks for a key (probably if it sees Home in the BIOS), so I couldn't take that route!
10. It finally dawned on me that I could change the key, which I did, and after an upgrade, I once again had Pro.

The point I'm trying to make is that no ordinary user, who may know "enough to be dangerous" will probably ever succeed in getting back to Pro once Installation looks into the BIOS and decides this is a Home machine, rather than looks at the "digital license", which is what it should do! Microsoft knows what's in our machines, therefore, has the capability to do it right!

alphanumeric said:

If they stop letting you enter those Windows 7 and 8 keys, logic would dictate that the install media would also stop reading Windows 7 and 8 keys from the BIOS. In that situation you would get the enter a key prompt. Then when you click I don't have one, you would get the selection menu with the options to install Home or Pro. That's the way I would like to see it work. Only look for Windows 10 OEM Embedded keys.

And what makes you think Microsoft works with logic!?!?

@ Wynona The Consumer release 1511 and Anniversary Update 1607 both look for Windows 8/8.1 OEM embedded keys on a clean install. The change happened when Microsoft decided to let consumers clean install and activate Windows 10 with Windows 7 and 8 keys. No more having to do the free upgrade at least once. Early on you had to actually do an upgrade from the qualifying OS to get a Digital Entitlement. Then subsequently after that you could clean install with a skip key. I don't remember what build number it stared with. If you do an upgrade from an installed OS its the installed OS that determines what version of Windows 10 you get. I think you already know most if not all of what I just mentioned. I say it again anyway for others that might not know the history.

The priority is I believe PID.txt, OEM embedded keys, manual key entry, and pick your OS (if you did a skip key). An ei.cfg file may work in place of the PID.txt too, I haven't tried it. I find the PID.txt file easier to figure out and edit correctly.

Just saw this, Windows 10: More free upgrade and activation questions answered might be worth a read.

Well, when they say "if you downloaded the Anniversary Update on August 1" (you get the free upgrade) it makes me wonder, because my memory says it wasn't available until August 2!

Wynona said:

Well, when they say "if you downloaded the Anniversary Update on August 1" (you get the free upgrade) it makes me wonder, because my memory says it wasn't available until August 2!

If your talking about the link I posted. I can't say I understood all of it. It's not all official info either? Post your question the that thread and you make get more info? It was more like the 3rd for me. Some still haven't gotten it.

EDIT: Just noticed you did post in that thread, just took me a while to get to that notification e-mail.

In my experience, I had purchased Windows 7 Ultimate, which according to MS, gets me Win10 Pro when I updated to it. Well, it DID, the first time I updated, from 7 to 10. Now, if I do a clean install, it automatically selects Home, without giving me a choice. So for whatever reason, it's getting the wrong version from my BIOS. I DO, however, have the opportunity to enter my Windows 7 key to upgrade to Win10 Pro. Really confusing.

GuyInDogSuit said:

In my experience, I had purchased Windows 7 Ultimate, which according to MS, gets me Win10 Pro when I updated to it. Well, it DID, the first time I updated, from 7 to 10. Now, if I do a clean install, it automatically selects Home, without giving me a choice. So for whatever reason, it's getting the wrong version from my BIOS. I DO, however, have the opportunity to enter my Windows 7 key to upgrade to Win10 Pro. Really confusing.

Windows 7 doesn't use embedded keys? On a clean install there won't be any Windows 7 key to auto detect. I'm not sure what's going on there? That PC must have a Windows 8 OEM key or something?
Showkey will tell if it has an OEM Embedded key. https://www.tenforums.com/software-ap...7-showkey.html

GuyInDogSuit said:

In my experience, I had purchased Windows 7 Ultimate, which according to MS, gets me Win10 Pro when I updated to it. Well, it DID, the first time I updated, from 7 to 10. Now, if I do a clean install, it automatically selects Home, without giving me a choice. So for whatever reason, it's getting the wrong version from my BIOS. I DO, however, have the opportunity to enter my Windows 7 key to upgrade to Win10 Pro. Really confusing.

Well, I'll be darned! I was told that Windows 7 wouldn't have the key embedded in the BIOS!

Yes, very confusing, to say the least. So, I'm assuming you started out with OEM Windows 7 Home or Home Premium?

alphanumeric said:

Windows 7 doesn't use embedded keys? On a clean install there won't be any Windows 7 key to auto detect. I'm not sure what's going on there? That PC must have a Windows 8 OEM key or something?
Showkey will tell if it has an OEM Embedded key. https://www.tenforums.com/software-ap...7-showkey.html

Oh! No wonder it's confusing! Confused the heck outta me!