No option to create ISO image of W10 Pro from computer with W8.1 Pro (Media Creation Tool)

[Michael Trenton]

Hi,
I currently have Windows 8.1 Pro installed on my laptop and in the process of doing a clean install of Windows 10 Pro.
Unfortunately the Media Creation Tool used for creating a Windows 10 ISO doesn't provide me with the option to choose the Pro version of W10 the only two options being Windows 10 and Windows 10 (N).
From browsing about I've learned that the Media Creation Tool is supposed to detect what Windows version you have installed and give the proper options, but I've double checked and my computer does indeed have W8.1 Pro installed on it. Does anyone know what I must do to install the Pro version of W10?

 

[captaincharisma]

not sure if MS has different versions of the media creation tool depending on where you are located but it always gave me every windows version available. did you download it from microsoft's website or somewhere else?

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

There seems to be a ms website page to download windows iso
And another location to download a 32 or 64 bit downloader program
32 or 64 bit must match version of windows program is run on

You then get options to download correct language, 32 or 64 bit , home or pro versions
It does not detect current windows version

(Sorry i cant find correct link because ms knows i am using a ipad)


Regards
Mike barnes

 

[USAFRet]

Interesting.
I get exactly the same thing.

Downloading the most recent MediaCreation tool:
Selecting "Create installation media for another PC" :

From a Win 10 Home device, I get:
Windows 10
Windows 10 Home Single Language
Windows 10 N

From a Win 8.1 Pro device:
Windows 10
Windows 10 Home Single Language
Windows 10 N


What happens if you select "Windows 10" ?
I 'think', that would work, rather than the other two options.

 

[Michael Trenton]

not sure if MS has different versions of the media creation tool depending on where you are located but it always gave me every windows version available. did you download it from microsoft's website or somewhere else?

I downloaded it from Microsoft's website.

There seems to be a ms website page to download windows iso
And another location to download a 32 or 64 bit downloader program

Ah, so there are two ways of downloading ISO from Microsoft then? I'll search around their site some more then.

What happens if you select "Windows 10" ?
I 'think', that would work, rather than the other two options.

I'm afraid to try this as I read about someone else (a thread on this forum I think) who had done this and ended up with the regular version of W10 instead of Pro (that is if I understood it correctly his W8 Pro lisence was then turned into a W10 home license).

 

[k1114]

There's just that one download afaik and it selects from your key when installing.

 

[Kurz]

The install disk will automatically select the proper edition (Pro or Home) based on the Key in the BIOS or the Key you provide it.
If you do not provide a key it'll give you a prompt to select either Home or Pro.

 

[Michael Trenton]

There's just that one download afaik and it selects when installing.

It doesn't allow me to select the Pro version of W10 though.

The install disk will automatically select the proper edition (Pro or Home) based on the Key in the BIOS or the Key you provide it.
If you do not provide a key it'll give you a prompt to select either Home or Pro.

So does this mean I should choose 'Windows 10' from the Media Creation Tool and then I'll still be able to choose the Pro version later in the process?

 

[Kurz]

Read my answer right above yours OP.

 

[k1114]

Edited my answer to clarify. It selects from your key. The key is not kept in the bios, it's associated with your hardware on ms activation server. Choose windows 10. But you need to do an upgrade before the clean install so the 8.1 key is known as upgraded to 10.

 

[Michael Trenton]

Read my answer right above yours OP.

So basically what you're saying is that I should choose 'Windows 10' from the drop down menu when creating the ISO and then later when I make the actual installation and enter my Windows 8.1 Pro product key it will then install the Pro version of W10?

Edited my answer to clarify. It selects from your key. The key is not kept in the bios, it's associated with your hardware on ms activation server. Choose windows 10. But you need to do an upgrade before the clean install so the 8.1 key is known as upgraded to 10.

I thought Microsoft had changed policy on this a few months back so that you're no longer needed to do the upgrade before making a clean install? Apparently all you have to do is make a clean W10 install and then enter your W7/8/8.1 product key during installation?

 

[USAFRet]

The original premise in this thread is incorrect.
There are 3, not 2 options.
---------------------
Windows 10
Windows 10 Home Single Language
Windows 10 N
---------------------

"Windows 10" will Upgrade whatever you have to the applicable WIn10.
Home = Home, Pro = Pro

Unless you specifically choose Home or N.

And yes, as from the November update, v.1511, you can install clean, and enter your existing Win 7/8.1 license to activate.

 

[Kurz]

OP just choose the plain 'Windows 10' option. It'll include both Home and Pro.
Once you start the fresh install process the Installer should pull the Pro Key from your BIOS and use that to install/activate Windows 10 Pro.

 

[k1114]

Oh right, forgot you can use 7+ keys now in 10 setups.

 

[Michael Trenton]

The original premise in this thread is incorrect.
There are 3, not 2 options.
---------------------
Windows 10
Windows 10 Home Single Language
Windows 10 N
---------------------

"Windows 10" will Upgrade whatever you have to the applicable WIn10.
Home = Home, Pro = Pro

Unless you specifically choose Home or N.

And yes, as from the November update, v.1511, you can install clean, and enter your existing Win 7/8.1 license to activate.

Actually I just double checked and the Media Creation Tool that I downloaded from Microsoft does provide only two options; Windows 10 and Windows 10 (N)

OP just choose the plain 'Windows 10' option. It'll include both Home and Pro.
Once you start the fresh install process the Installer should pull the Pro Key from your BIOS and use that to install/activate Windows 10 Pro.

Thanks. I'll go for this then.

 

[captaincharisma]

it sounds like MS just made a windows install that contains all the file for both versions and will install the version the key specifies

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

I checked the old version of the Windows medial creation tool which is about six months old 10.0.10240 16423
(last used begining of February 2016)

and current version 10.0.10586. 117

The old version definitely had options for Home & Pro + Home N & Pro N

The new verion does not

Previously in Win 7 all the different version of Win 7:- Home standard, Home Premium , Pro & Ulimate
were on the same DVD and a file specified which version the DVD offered to install.
If the file was removed (or renamed) you were prompted for the version to install when running setup

Has anyone used and installed Win 10 from the media creation downloaded iso recently and definitely knows what happens during a clean installation of Win 10?
Does it prompt for version (home or pro) or try to detect what you previously had?

regards
Mike Barnes

 

[USAFRet]

Hi

I checked the old version of the Windows medial creation tool which is about six months old 10.0.10240 16423
(last used begining of February 2016)

and current version 10.0.10586. 117

The old version definitely had options for Home & Pro + Home N & Pro N

The new verion does not

Previously in Win 7 all the different version of Win 7:- Home standard, Home Premium , Pro & Ulimate
were on the same DVD and a file specified which version the DVD offered to install.
If the file was removed (or renamed) you were prompted for the version to install when running setup

Has anyone used and installed Win 10 from the media creation downloaded iso recently and definitely knows what happens during a clean installation of Win 10?
Does it prompt for version (home or pro) or try to detect what you previously had?

regards
Mike Barnes

And I just downloaded and tried the newest version (20 mins ago). It gave the options I outlined above.
I have not actually tried to create an install DVD or USB.
But I would expect that it uses either your existing level (Upgrade), or your existing license key (clean install).

 

[Michael Trenton]

And I just downloaded and tried the newest version (20 mins ago). It gave the options I outlined above.

I suspect there must be some kind of regional difference then, because I downloaded it today and I most definitely only have the two options I mentioned. That 'Home Single Language' option just isn't there in my version of the Media Creation Tool.

Just out of curiosity what's the difference between W10 and W10 N? In what circumstances would one want to choose the N option?

 

[captaincharisma]

And I just downloaded and tried the newest version (20 mins ago). It gave the options I outlined above.

I suspect there must be some kind of regional difference then, because I downloaded it today and I most definitely only have the two options I mentioned. That 'Home Single Language' option just isn't there in my version of the Media Creation Tool.

Just out of curiosity what's the difference between W10 and W10 N? In what circumstances would one want to choose the N option?

see here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows-8/upgrade-to-n

 

[USAFRet]

And I just downloaded and tried the newest version (20 mins ago). It gave the options I outlined above.

I suspect there must be some kind of regional difference then, because I downloaded it today and I most definitely only have the two options I mentioned. That 'Home Single Language' option just isn't there in my version of the Media Creation Tool.

Just out of curiosity what's the difference between W10 and W10 N? In what circumstances would one want to choose the N option?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/what-is-windows-7-n-edition
"The N editions of Windows 7 allow you to choose your own media player and software required to manage and play CDs, DVDs, and other digital media files. If you choose to use Windows Media Player 12, downloading it, along with related software, is free."

Win 10: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-editions
"1 “N” and “KN” editions of Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro are also available and include the same functionality as the standard editions, except that they do not include certain media related technologies (Windows Media Player, Camera, Music, Movies & TV) and does not include the Skype app."

You could always do this, but N forces you to make that choice.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_10_editions
"Microsoft was required to create the "N" editions of Windows after the European Commission ruled in 2004 that it needed to provide a copy of Windows without Windows Media Player tied in. "

Since Win 10 already does not include Media Player, The difference is just a name.

 

[Michael Trenton]

see here:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ca/windows-8/upgrade-to-n

And I just downloaded and tried the newest version (20 mins ago). It gave the options I outlined above.

I suspect there must be some kind of regional difference then, because I downloaded it today and I most definitely only have the two options I mentioned. That 'Home Single Language' option just isn't there in my version of the Media Creation Tool.

Just out of curiosity what's the difference between W10 and W10 N? In what circumstances would one want to choose the N option?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/what-is-windows-7-n-edition
"The N editions of Windows 7 allow you to choose your own media player and software required to manage and play CDs, DVDs, and other digital media files. If you choose to use Windows Media Player 12, downloading it, along with related software, is free."

Win 10: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-10-editions
"1 “N” and “KN” editions of Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro are also available and include the same functionality as the standard editions, except that they do not include certain media related technologies (Windows Media Player, Camera, Music, Movies & TV) and does not include the Skype app."

You could always do this, but N forces you to make that choice.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_10_editions
"Microsoft was required to create the "N" editions of Windows after the European Commission ruled in 2004 that it needed to provide a copy of Windows without Windows Media Player tied in. "

Since Win 10 already does not include Media Player, The difference is just a name.

Thanks! I'll defintely stay clear of the N version then.