# Media creation tool auto installs home instead of pro



## slayerdeath555 (Jun 15, 2009)

I have an original key for the pro version but the ISO image I got from the media creation tool automatically installs home edition. I tried with use recommended settings for this computer when creating an image and without that setting and both times got the same result.

I dont have any option to select the windows version, and it doesnt ask me for the key anywhere when doing a clean install either. So I guess there must he a home key embedded to my laptop but I really want the pro.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

After a Home version set up completes, choose Upgrade. It will ask for a product code. Should solve your problem.


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## slayerdeath555 (Jun 15, 2009)

Corday said:


> After a Home version set up completes, choose Upgrade. It will ask for a product code. Should solve your problem.


Ok thanks, but is there any other way to do it directly?


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

The version of Windows 10 is based on what product key has been installed on the computer.
The product key for Windows 10 is embedded in the Bios. If the computer originally had Windows 10 Home, then you can have a Windows 10 Pro ISO but it will only install Home. 
As stated, go to *Settings/Update and Security/Activation/Change Product key.* Once you type in the Pro License it will unlock the Pro version.
You cannot do a Clean Install of Pro if the Home license is in the Bios.


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## britechguy (Dec 6, 2019)

There is no such thing as a Pro versus Home ISO. Windows 10 ISOs have the raw materials for all editions (at least Home and Pro, and I think Enterprise - Educational is unclear).

In fact, a Windows 10 Home installation has all the components for Pro already on board, but just not activated. That's why you can upgrade from Home to Pro using Settings, Update & Security, Activation Pane, Change Product Key link. When you do so what gets downloaded is quite minimal, but the process takes a while to go through the gyrations of activating all the inactive features.

If you had a legitimately activated and licensed version of Pro on a machine, even via upgrade, a reinstall should get you Pro. If it doesn't, then supply the key as per the above instructions. You should then check to see how the activation is noted afterward. If it's not linked to your Microsoft Account, and you're using a Microsoft Account linked Windows 10 User Account, then do a web search on how to link your Windows 10 license to your Microsoft Account. There are tons of step-by-step tutorials on this.


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## tristar (Aug 12, 2008)

What spunky said ^^


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## jdsmort (Jul 29, 2008)

When you go to use the Media creation tool it will give the option to download for the current computer or for another Computer.. you can then specify the version. I must say I have never tried this on an original Home edition PC to install Pro, but I also know that if you are doing a clean install on any I have done this on (blank drive) then you are given the option of what version to install.


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## britechguy (Dec 6, 2019)

jdsmort said:


> When you go to use the Media creation tool it will give the option to download for the current computer or for another Computer.. you can then specify the version.


No, you cannot specify either the version nor the edition. The only thing you can select is the bit-depth: 32-bit, 64-bit, or both in one ISO.

The Windows 10 installation media contains the components for all editions and it is the license key supplied (or detected) that determines the edition installed.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

> if you are doing a clean install on any I have done this on (blank drive) then you are given the option of what version to install


Most Newer computers have the UEFI Bios. This keeps the Product key in the Bios, so whether you do a Clean Install to blank disk or an Upgrade install, you will only get the version of Windows that was previously installed on the computer (Ie) If you had Home, You will still have Home. 
Older computers without the UEFI Bios will show you a list of versions of Windows to choose from ( Pro, Home, N, Student etc and 32 bit or 64 bit) whatever product key you type in will only unlock that version. Type in a Home key, you only get Home version.. 
I hope that clears it up.


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## jdsmort (Jul 29, 2008)

spunk.funk said:


> Most Newer computers have the UEFI Bios. This keeps the Product key in the Bios, so whether you do a Clean Install to blank disk or an Upgrade install, you will only get the version of Windows that was previously installed on the computer (Ie) If you had Home, You will still have Home.
> Older computers without the UEFI Bios will show you a list of versions of Windows to choose from ( Pro, Home, N, Student etc and 32 bit or 64 bit) whatever product key you type in will only unlock that version. Type in a Home key, you only get Home version..
> I hope that clears it up.


True, but I was under the impression that the install was for W10Pro, though I did not see a mention of an Upgrade to this . Because of that I was also assuming that this install was a NEW install of W10 on a machine with W10 pro as the option. 
If a new machine, and the version required is Pro, then making media on a Home version would normally default to home unless otherwise specified, unless it was created for a different machine.
Also, the ORIGINAL key implies for a specific computer... with Pro as option, not a computer with Home installed.


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## britechguy (Dec 6, 2019)

No, making install media on any given machine does NOT make the edition match that machine, only the bit depth.

This will be my last post on the matter, but for the love of all that's holy, read Microsoft's own documentation. Install media has the components for all editions at the bit-depth you selected (or MS selected for you if you matched the machine).

Windows 10 Home installations have all the components for Pro already on board, they're just not activated. One does not have to reinstall to upgrade to Pro, you can simply use Settings, Update & Security, Activation Pane, _Change Product Key_ link - then off Windows 10 goes activating the components lying there unactivated and you have Pro. You can be completely disconnected from the internet and the process still works, so that tells you that nothing essential has to be downloaded to complete the upgrade.


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## britechguy (Dec 6, 2019)

And I actually found that I am mistaken, but not about Home and Pro being included in a single ISO and once Home is installed that the Pro components are installed but not active, but that's all that's in this single ISO.

Enterprise and Educational are both volume licensed products, so their respective ISO files are separate from the Home/Pro ISO. I had not been certain about this until stumbling over a definitive statement in Microsoft's documentation this morning.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

As stated, it doesn't matter what version of 10 you are running on a computer when you download an ISO image of 10, and burn the image to Flash drive, only if the machine is a 32 bit or 64 bit. In fact you do not need Windows 10 at all on the machine that you download the ISO image to, and burn it, it could be Windows 7 or 8 for that mater. 
After the ISO is burned and you go to install it, if Home was installed on the machine at the factory, and you put a new Blank HDD into the machine and boot off of the newly created Flash drive, and the computer has the UEFI Bios, you will only be able to install Windows 10 Home, because the Window 10 product key is embedded into the Bios firmware of the computer. You can easily update it to Pro, if you have a Pro key, which you can type in after the install in Settings/Activation.
Again, as stated before, if the computer is much older, and does not have the UEFI Bios, you can install 10 and it will ask for the Product key, you can skip this, but, in most cases, it will not be activated until you type in a Windows 7, 8 or 10 Product key, and if you type in a Pro key, you will get Pro, if you type in a Home key, you will get Home, out of the same ISO image.
If this is a brand new motherboard that has not had Windows installed, when you boot off of the installer, it will ask for the Windows key, again, you can skip it, but you will have to type in a product key to activate it.


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## jdsmort (Jul 29, 2008)

spunk.funk said:


> If this is a brand new motherboard that has not had Windows installed, when you boot off of the installer, it will ask for the Windows key, again, you can skip it, but you will have to type in a product key to activate it.


I have installed on many machines, new and old.. If old, and already had W10 installed, so long as you specify the correct version when doing a clean install, no key is needed. It does not matter whether UEFI or not, if W10 was already installed and activated, the re-activation is automatic.. there is no need to enter any product key.
With ANY clean install you will always have the option from media installs to specify the version ( Home or Pro or whatever) and be given the option to give a product key. You do NOT at install time have to provide a product key, and if a New install, can from within the settings App, add the product key later. 
However, if the product key is for Home and you opted for Pro as the install it will not activate, with an error. 
I have to say I have never tried to install with a Pro product key from a Home install, so I cannot say what the result would be if you use a Pro key on a Home install. 
I can, however say that if the wrong version is installed on a previously licensed version, without giving a product key, then it will not activate automatically (Home will not be activated on a previously Pro machine) I am not sure of the other way round as I have never tried it (Pro on a previously Home machine)but I would guess the error will show when looking in the Settings App under Update and Security/Activation


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## britechguy (Dec 6, 2019)

jdsmort said:


> I have installed on many machines, new and old.. If old, and already had W10 installed, so long as you specify the correct version when doing a clean install, no key is needed.


Not that I disagree with a single thing you've said, but it doesn't apply in the case cited by @spunk.funk, which was a machine/mobo that has *never*/not had Windows 10 installed at any point.

You can even install then without a key, and I believe you'll get Home as the initial unactivated base (it's been a while), but you will have to supply a key to activate at some point. Who knows how long, though, as I have known a couple of people running unactivated instances (not cracked, just installed but never activated) of Windows 10 for months on end. Microsoft, so far, hasn't been doing anything like the 30-day trial period with Windows 10 and unactivated instances can do almost everything activated ones can. It's strange.


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## spunk.funk (May 13, 2010)

Actually, Windows 10 that is not activated cannot make Personalization changes to the computer (ie) Colors, Desktop Background, Fonts etc Access to certain areas of the computer are also restricted.


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## britechguy (Dec 6, 2019)

spunk.funk said:


> Actually, Windows 10 that is not activated cannot make Personalization changes to the computer (ie) Colors, Desktop Background, Fonts etc Access to certain areas of the computer are also restricted.


Hence my use of "almost."


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## jdsmort (Jul 29, 2008)

britechguy said:


> Not that I disagree with a single thing you've said, but it doesn't apply in the case cited by @spunk.funk, which was a machine/mobo that has *never*/not had Windows 10 installed at any point.
> 
> You can even install then without a key, and I believe you'll get Home as the initial unactivated base (it's been a while), but you will have to supply a key to activate at some point. Who knows how long, though, as I have known a couple of people running unactivated instances (not cracked, just installed but never activated) of Windows 10 for months on end. Microsoft, so far, hasn't been doing anything like the 30-day trial period with Windows 10 and unactivated instances can do almost everything activated ones can. It's strange.


On a Clean install on a New system... (No windows ever) if you use Creation tool created media, using the correct option when downloading ( for another computer) you will ALWAYS be given the option of Version of W10 to install.
If you are using a DVD obtained with MS license, you will only get the version that the license applies to. 
If when you create the Media, you do it on a machine with Home installed, and do not change the option from "this computer" to "another computer" then the version is set to that of the computer you are using.


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