Do i need to buy another Windows 10 Key?

[xifuzedbeastx1]

I recently upgraded my motherboard, CPU and Ram, and when i reinstalled windows 10 instead of being Windows 10 Home, my PC is on Windows 10 Pro. Do i have to buy another key to activate windows now? Because i have attempted to reinstall windows multiple times but it never installs home, only pro. I bought Windows on a USB Drive and as previously mentioned i have attempted to reinstall Home multiple times, i have no problem buying another product key for windows 10 Pro but i'm just wondering if it is needed to purchase a new one.

 

[Snipergod87]

Home and Pro are two completely different keys, you would have to purchase a Pro key to activate Windows 10 Pro.

 

[xifuzedbeastx1]

Ok, but is there any way that i can just change the OS back to Home like i originally had it? Or am i now stuck and have to buy a new key in order to activate my windows because i still have my Product key for my Home versions and the USB. Or should i not bother with all the hassle and just buy a key from here: https://softwaregeeks.co.uk/product/windows-10-pro/?gclid=CjwKCAiA_ojVBRAlEiwAOLRxI8IBuLn82wLWlOhu_0P79pKdAaiF4usPg2gxS-RyWpBA3GZvsrXq1xoCA-IQAvD_BwE

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, but is there any way that i can just change the OS back to Home like i originally had it? Or am i now stuck and have to buy a new key in order to activate my windows because i still have my Product key for my Home versions and the USB. Or should i not bother with all the hassle and just buy a key from here: https://softwaregeeks.co.uk/product/windows-10-pro/?gclid=CjwKCAiA_ojVBRAlEiwAOLRxI8IBuLn82wLWlOhu_0P79pKdAaiF4usPg2gxS-RyWpBA3GZvsrXq1xoCA-IQAvD_BwE

1. Do NOT buy a license key from there.

2. If you wish Home, you'll need to do a reinstall of Home.

3. For the vast majority of people, there is no need for Win 10 Pro. Home is just fine.

 

[Snipergod87]

You need to reinstall Windows from a DVD or CD, and choose the Home version in order to be able to activate your system. What install media are you using currently?

 

[captaincharisma]

where did you get a copy of the windows install? did you use the media creation tool or did you download an ISO for it somewhere?

if your able to get the right edition installed and your old mobo is not from a band name computer you should be able to transfer the licence over using the activation troubleshooter. however you may need to have your windows 10 licence linked to a MS account and your copy of windows 10 fully updated before your replaced the board for it to work.

 

[xifuzedbeastx1]

Ok, but i have attempted to reinstall Windows home multiple times and everytime it just ends up being pro again. I plug the USB in boot from the USB, enter the product key, do advanced upgrade (Windows only) and once it is all done installing it is just pro again?

 

[captaincharisma]

Ok, but i have attempted to reinstall Windows home multiple times and everytime it just ends up being pro again. I plug the USB in boot from the USB, enter the product key, do advanced upgrade (Windows only) and once it is all done installing it is just pro again?

where did you get a copy of the windows install? did you use the media creation tool or did you download an ISO for it somewhere?

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, but i have attempted to reinstall Windows home multiple times and everytime it just ends up being pro again. I plug the USB in boot from the USB, enter the product key, do advanced upgrade (Windows only) and once it is all done installing it is just pro again?

That's the problem. You don't do an "upgrade". There is no "upgrade" from Pro to Home.
Rather, you do a full wipe and reinstall.

Select Custom, and delete ALL existing partitions, leaving one blank space.
Let the Win 10 Home install to that, creating what it needs.

How to do a CLEAN installation of Windows 10

 

[xifuzedbeastx1]

I bought the USB windows copy from Amazon, and i installed it when i first built my computer, my old motherboard was an MSI 970 Gaming motherboard. I still have the product key but like i said i cannot get it to be Windows 10 Home and not Pro each time i reinstall.

 

[Colif]

where did you get a copy of the windows install? did you use the media creation tool or did you download an ISO for it somewhere?

if your able to get the right edition installed and your old mobo is not from a band name computer you should be able to transfer the licence over using the activation troubleshooter. however you may need to have your windows 10 licence linked to a MS account and your copy of windows 10 fully updated before your replaced the board for it to work.

if your license wasn't linked to your email address before swapping all the hardware, you will need that license key so you can contact Microsoft and explain what you did. There should be a telephone number in settings/update and security/activation

Are you using same USB as before? Are you doing a clean install? follow this guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

 

[xifuzedbeastx1]

Ok, so to full wipe should i boot the USB from the Bios to do the full wipe and reinstall or should i use the windows 10 installation media?

 

[delaro]

Three options.

1. Buy Win 10 Pro "Ebay OEM $40" yes it's legit
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-MICROSOFT-Windows-10-Pro-PROFESSIONAL-64Bit-OEM-FULL-VERSION/273086109085?epid=2222993884&hash=item3f9533559d:g:6DEAAOSwc-RalCUB

2. Clean Install.... time consuming -.-

3. You can "try to" force a update to change the version, I have had to do this once and it worked but I can't guarantee it will always work.

Open Registry Editor(WIN + R, type regedit, hit Enter)

Browse to key HKEY_Local Machine > Software > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion

Change EditionID to Home (double click EditionID, change value, click OK). In your case it should at the moment show Pro

Change ProductName to Windows 10 Home. In your case it should at the moment show Windows 10 Professional

Browse to key HKEY_Local Machine > Software > Wow6432Node > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion, change the same two values as in steps 3 and 4 above

Close the Registry Editor

Insert the Windows 10 Homeinstallation media, do an in-place upgrade by launching the setup from desktop (not booting with Windows 10 Home install media)

When asked, enter your validWindows 10 Home product key and select what to keep(settings, personal files and apps, only personal files or nothing)

Windows 10 Home in-place upgrade will be done now.

 

[USAFRet]

Ok, so to full wipe should i boot the USB from the Bios to do the full wipe and reinstall or should i use the windows 10 installation media?

Boot from your Win 10 Home USB.
Install with that, with the link above.
No need to buy a Win 10 Pro, shady or otherwise.

DO a clean install of Win 10 Home.

 

[captaincharisma]

I bought the USB windows copy from Amazon, and i installed it when i first built my computer, my old motherboard was an MSI 970 Gaming motherboard. I still have the product key but like i said i cannot get it to be Windows 10 Home and not Pro each time i reinstall.

when you bought it from amazon did it mention what edition of windows it was? it may only be a windows 10 pro install and if it is you will not be able to install home with it. go and download the media creation tool from the microsoft website and use it to load the latest version of the windows 10 install disk on it

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-download/windows10

 

[Colif]

The advantage to creating a new ISO is less patches after installation, but the USB should let him install Home if its the same one he installed Home from before. He may have chosen wrong version when he installed this time, and a clean should let him install the right version

 

[xifuzedbeastx1]

I just full wiped the pc and installed windows 10 home it worked, and when I clicked to activate it said: You are eligible for an upgrade I clicked and now I'm back onto windows 10 Pro. Will it activate itself in a while or am I going to have to do another wipe and reinstall?

 

[USAFRet]

I just full wiped the pc and installed windows 10 home it worked, and when I clicked to activate it said: You are eligible for an upgrade I clicked and now I'm back onto windows 10 Pro. Will it activate itself in a while or am I going to have to do another wipe and reinstall?

Completely unknown.

 

[xifuzedbeastx1]

i'll just leave it for a bit because it doesn't say to activate windows in the bottom right and if it doesn't activate and gives me the error message i'll just do a reinstall of windows 10 home. It is odd though because when i went to activate my windows 10 home and entered my key it said i could get an upgrade so im not sure.

 

[USAFRet]

i'll just leave it for a bit because it doesn't say to activate windows in the bottom right and if it doesn't activate and gives me the error message i'll just do a reinstall of windows 10 home. It is odd though because when i went to activate my windows 10 home and entered my key it said i could get an upgrade so im not sure.

That activation nagtext comes and goes. It is not there all the time.

To discover...
"This PC"
Properties.

Activation status will be shown at the bottom of that window.

 

[xifuzedbeastx1]

Seeming as how i haven't installed anything yet im going to do another fresh install of windows 10 Home and i'll see if it allows me to stay on Home or if it forces me to update to Pro.

 

[captaincharisma]

Seeming as how i haven't installed anything yet im going to do another fresh install of windows 10 Home and i'll see if it allows me to stay on Home or if it forces me to update to Pro.

are you entering the licence key in during the install? that eligible upgrade may be it wanting to install the fall creators update. also they key may have worked but it need some time to contact the activation servers

 

[Colif]

If it keeps doing this, contact Microsoft as they would be the ones to know the truth or not.