Hello,
So I don't know if I'm missing something clear, but it seems as if I can upgrade my Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit to Windows 8.1 with an ISO (provided on Microsoft's site) and skip the activation key window when I get to it. And then I can purchase a 8.1 Pro Upgrade key to get Windows 8.1 Pro. The reason I want to do this is because my current installation is not valid and I want to get Windows 10 Pro, but the only way I can do that is if I have Windows 7 Ultimate genuine (which is very expensive to purchase now) or Professional (also expensive) or Windows 8.1 Pro (which is less expensive more or less but also has the benefit of being sold by Microsoft).
So am I missing something clear? Why does Microsoft even offer the option to purchase regular 8.1 when one could just download an ISO image and get 8.1 Pro without even buying the 'normal' key first. I get that not everyone wants 8.1 Pro and they need a regular key but the cost doesn't make sense. I can see a lot of people (and maybe they have to, which is what I'm asking) buying 8.1 and then the 8.1 Pro upgrade, wasting around $200, when they could have just purchased the upgrade for around $100. This makes it so even people who don't want 8.1 Pro to be able to get it for cheaper than 8.1 boxed! Thinking about this makes me wonder if you do need 2 product keys (1 for 8.1, 1 for 8.1 Pro) because if not this really doesn't make sense, but is good for me .
Thanks in advance!
So I don't know if I'm missing something clear, but it seems as if I can upgrade my Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit to Windows 8.1 with an ISO (provided on Microsoft's site) and skip the activation key window when I get to it. And then I can purchase a 8.1 Pro Upgrade key to get Windows 8.1 Pro. The reason I want to do this is because my current installation is not valid and I want to get Windows 10 Pro, but the only way I can do that is if I have Windows 7 Ultimate genuine (which is very expensive to purchase now) or Professional (also expensive) or Windows 8.1 Pro (which is less expensive more or less but also has the benefit of being sold by Microsoft).
So am I missing something clear? Why does Microsoft even offer the option to purchase regular 8.1 when one could just download an ISO image and get 8.1 Pro without even buying the 'normal' key first. I get that not everyone wants 8.1 Pro and they need a regular key but the cost doesn't make sense. I can see a lot of people (and maybe they have to, which is what I'm asking) buying 8.1 and then the 8.1 Pro upgrade, wasting around $200, when they could have just purchased the upgrade for around $100. This makes it so even people who don't want 8.1 Pro to be able to get it for cheaper than 8.1 boxed! Thinking about this makes me wonder if you do need 2 product keys (1 for 8.1, 1 for 8.1 Pro) because if not this really doesn't make sense, but is good for me .
Thanks in advance!