Windows 10 Pro got downgraded to Home after reinstalling the OS

RodrigoFernando · 11-29-2019, 09:03 AM

Hello,

I just installed a new SSD after my old one died and reinstalled Windows 10. The key on my PC always was accepted as Win 10 Pro (used to be Win 7 Pro before) so no idea what the hell just happened. It should activate Pro but whenever I go to the activation window under troubleshooting it says the key on my system is a Win10 Home key. After some googling this exact problem already happened a year before but it doesnt seem to be a thing now, so does anyone know what the reason might be? It sure as hell cant be because I switched my SSD as the key should be on my MB. I used to reinstall my OS often, so Im absolutely certain it is a Win10 Pro key.

DrD123 · 12-04-2019, 08:57 PM

Contact microsoft support - they should be able to straighten it out. (they helped me when I updated from 8 to 10 and the key got scrambled)

AnotherCat · 12-07-2019, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RodrigoFernando

Hello,

...The key on my PC always was accepted as Win 10 Pro (used to be Win 7 Pro before) so no idea what the hell just happened...

…? It sure as hell cant be because I switched my SSD as the key should be on my MB. I used to reinstall my OS often, so Im absolutely certain it is a Win10 Pro key.

I take it from your post that you may have originally upgraded from Win 7 using the free entitlement. If so you will likely have a digital licence, so not a physical one on the PC.

If so you may find simply linking the PC to your Microsoft account will give you the correct version when you reinstall Windows. If in the installation process it asks for a product key just bypass it (I think the option is along the lines that you want to enter the key later) and it will activate itself with the preexisting digital licence. Note that through this complete process the PC must be connected to the internet so the digital licence can be accessed.

However, as you now ended up having installed Home on the PC then it may be that in your allowing it to proceed you now have a Home digital licence, in which case RodrigoFernando's suggestion is the only solution.

stumped · 12-19-2019, 11:18 AM

i have swapped HD for SSD on PCs running 10 pro and ended up with 10 pro every time
that is doing clean install to blank drive and NOT entering a key when prompted, always letting MS retrieve their copy of the digital key ( which is some cases whorl have been created long ago via a free upgrade from win 7 )
I am aware that if you download media creator, there is only a single version for both home and pro, and AFAIK with my method above, I am not asked which version I want installed. I can only guess that the license is retrieved very early in the install , so that the installer knows what version it is installing. ( unless I mis-remember that aspect ). because it " just works" I just trust it to know what to do. And a clean install its way faster than faffing about with create and restore system images like you did with Windows 7

11-29-2019, 09:03 AM	#1
RodrigoFernando Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2019 Device: future	Windows 10 Pro got downgraded to Home after reinstalling the OS Hello, I just installed a new SSD after my old one died and reinstalled Windows 10. The key on my PC always was accepted as Win 10 Pro (used to be Win 7 Pro before) so no idea what the hell just happened. It should activate Pro but whenever I go to the activation window under troubleshooting it says the key on my system is a Win10 Home key. After some googling this exact problem already happened a year before but it doesnt seem to be a thing now, so does anyone know what the reason might be? It sure as hell cant be because I switched my SSD as the key should be on my MB. I used to reinstall my OS often, so Im absolutely certain it is a Win10 Pro key.

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12-04-2019, 08:57 PM	#2
DrD123 Connoisseur Posts: 58 Karma: 233080 Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: New Mexico Device: Kindle Voyage	Contact microsoft support - they should be able to straighten it out. (they helped me when I updated from 8 to 10 and the key got scrambled)

12-19-2019, 11:18 AM	#4
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	i have swapped HD for SSD on PCs running 10 pro and ended up with 10 pro every time that is doing clean install to blank drive and NOT entering a key when prompted, always letting MS retrieve their copy of the digital key ( which is some cases whorl have been created long ago via a free upgrade from win 7 ) I am aware that if you download media creator, there is only a single version for both home and pro, and AFAIK with my method above, I am not asked which version I want installed. I can only guess that the license is retrieved very early in the install , so that the installer knows what version it is installing. ( unless I mis-remember that aspect ). because it " just works" I just trust it to know what to do. And a clean install its way faster than faffing about with create and restore system images like you did with Windows 7