Accidentally upgraded to Windows 10 Pro from Home, can't go back?

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  1. Posts : 3,453
       #21

    Bree said:
    Welcome to TenForums @Esmonde

    If you upgraded from W7 Home to W10 Home then you have a digital licence for Home stored on Microsoft's activation servers so a generic Home key will do, your windows will activate automatically once it is switched back to Home.

    You can change back from Pro to Home by following @Kari's instructions in this post.
    How do I change from windows 10 pro to windows 10 home?

    At step 8 you can use the generic Windows 10 Home key: TX9XD-98N7V-6WMQ6-BX7FG-H8Q99


    PLEEZ... Do not advocate that key , we have had so many problems with that... the correct key is YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #22

    Esmonde said:
    ... i'm not entirely sure on how to do step 7. ("Insert the Windows 10 Home install media, do an in-place upgrade by launching the setup from desktop (not booting with Windows install media)")

    For this I downloaded the Windows 10 ISO and reinstalled my Windows only keeping my personal files (It didn't allow me to keep my personal files AND apps). But by doing this I had the files 'Windows.old' and my new Windows file.
    You download the ISO, mount it within Windows then run the Setup you find on the ISO. If it does not allow you to keep installed apps then you have the wrong ISO. It can be the same edition or higher (you can upgrade from 1607 to 1703, for example) but you cannot upgrade with a different language version - the ISO must be for the same base language as the Windows you are currently running. If the languages don't match it will only allow you to keep personal files.

    Find out your system's base language by opening a command prompt and typing:

    SYSTEMINFO | FIND "System Locale:"

    (or just SYSTEMINFO then look for the equivalent of the 'System Locale:' line if the results are in a different language)
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 31,471
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #23

    Superfly said:
    PLEEZ... Do not advocate that key , we have had so many problems with that... the correct key is YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
    Superfly knows what he's talking about. I stand corrected.
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #24

    Bree said:
    Superfly knows what he's talking about. I stand corrected.
    Should I enter the key when asked when I boot up the ISO? Or should I select the activate it later option (or whatever it is called)
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #25

    Superfly said:
    PLEEZ... Do not advocate that key , we have had so many problems with that... the correct key is YTMG3-N6DKC-DKB77-7M9GH-8HVX7
    The key you just provided gives the error message "This product key doesn't work. Try a different key or buy a new one"
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 3,453
       #26

    Esmonde said:
    The key you just provided gives the error message "This product key doesn't work. Try a different key or buy a new one"
    It won't work on Pro... it must be from Home setup - Have you followed Bree's instructions in post #3?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #27

    Superfly said:
    It won't work on Pro... it must be from Home setup - Have you followed Bree's instructions in post #3?
    It seems like the only issue now is that I cannot keep my files AND apps. As Bree mentioned in a previous post if I am unable to keep both files and apps then either my language or edition does not match. I have checked and found that the language matches but I am unsure about how to make sure I have the current edition. What should I be looking to match between my system and the ISO?
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 3,453
       #28

    Esmonde said:
    It seems like the only issue now is that I cannot keep my files AND apps. As Bree mentioned in a previous post if I am unable to keep both files and apps then either my language or edition does not match. I have checked and found that the language matches but I am unsure about how to make sure I have the current edition. What should I be looking to match between my system and the ISO?
    Well I was never a fan of this downgrade method (it creates "Frankenbuild" i.e. a mishmash)

    Best would be backup and clean install and copy back... IMHO
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 12
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #29

    Superfly said:
    Well I was never a fan of this downgrade method (it creates "Frankenbuild" i.e. a mishmash)

    Best would be backup and clean install and copy back... IMHO
    I honestly would do the backup method but I have no where to store the backup and I'm broke.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 56,806
    Multi-boot Windows 10/11 - RTM, RP, Beta, and Insider
       #30

    Esmonde said:
    I honestly would do the backup method but I have no where to store the backup and I'm broke.
    Do you still have that Windows.old folder? How big is it? Right click the folder and look at properties , then just post back how big the folder is. No pics necessary. Just the size of the folder.


    EDIT: The reason I am asking, is you can pull your personal data and files from it (in the USERS folder) and copy to an inexpensive thumb drive ( about $8-$10) to save them. If you could do that, a clean install would not be a disaster.

    Some info here.

    What is the Windows.old Folder and How Do You Delete It?
    Last edited by f14tomcat; 18 Aug 2017 at 17:20.
      My Computers


 

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