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After clean install, lost Pro license
I did a clean install on my Dell laptop and in the end it did not show Pro which I purchased through Windows 10 upgrade. I was charged from MS.
Any ideas what to do ?
Thanks
I did a clean install on my Dell laptop and in the end it did not show Pro which I purchased through Windows 10 upgrade. I was charged from MS.
Any ideas what to do ?
Thanks
Hi Ken,
suspect the install media was Home, so just input the new key.
Then Back-up using Macrium.
Roy
Which Dell laptop? What OS was it originally supplied with by Dell? Was it supplied with W8 Home or W10 Home? If so, there's a key for Home embedded in the system board, when you do a clean install Setup would find this and install the Home edition automatically.
Try going to 'Settings > Update & security > Activation > Change product key' and...
Upgrade Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro....enter the generic/default/public key below. This key will upgrade your device to Windows 10 Pro, but will not activate it.
VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T
As you have installed Pro on this Dell before you should already have a Digital Licence for Pro on the Microsoft activation servers. Your W10 Pro should activate automatically once it finds this.
This was done through Windows 10 so there is no key to use. I do have my credit card charged, but haven't got the statement yet. Guess I will have to call MS unless someone has a better idea.
Unlikely, if the install media was made by the Media Creation Tool it will contain Home, Pro, Single-language Home and Education. You are offered the choice when running Setup unless it detects an embedded key on the PC, in which case it installs the edition for which the key is valid.
so maybe I should get another media creation download and do a repair install. otherwise I have to start from
from scratch.
There should be no need, you have a clean install already. As I understand your question it installed as Home rather than the Pro you wanted to install. As I said, one explanation for how it could have ended up this way is that there's a valid Home key embedded in the bios firmware.
You have previously upgraded to Pro and (presumably) that was activated. If so, there is a digital licence for Pro linked to your machine stored on Microsoft's activation servers. If you change the key to the generic Pro key it should upgrade you to Pro and activate from your existing digital licence.
This Solved thread had a similar problem...
Windows 10 Pro clean installation
Got it fixed by going to MS Chat who sent me to the store. It downloaded the upgrade again and activated. No reason was given for why it happened.