Upgrade windows 10 professional to home. How to change Windows edition without reinstalling Windows

The promotion to upgrade Windows 7 and 8.1 to Windows 10 for all users ended at the end of summer 2016. Despite the fact that the free transition promotion expired a long time ago, many other methods worked for a long time - from changing the time in the system, to activating Windows 10 with existing keys of previous versions of the seventh or eighth generations.

But due to the fact that in January 2018, Microsoft representatives announced the official closure of any update opportunities, it seems that it is no longer possible to get a free licensed Windows 10. But as practice shows, many options that worked previously are still active. Let's look at the most convenient and effective of them.

At the moment, three methods of free updating are working: using the Windows Upgrade Assistant utility, activating the system with a key from previous versions, and a clean installation of Windows 10 (relevant for users who have previously made the transition, but for some reason returned to previous versions) versions).

Possible update options:

Before considering current upgrade options, you need to consider the following points:

1. The process of upgrading to Windows 10 cannot be completed with Windows Vista or XP.
2. The system from which the transition is made must have the latest updates installed.
3. The current system must be activated or an official key purchased.
4. The computer hardware must be supported by Windows 10.

Updating via Upgrade Assistant

For a long time after the termination of the free update promotion for all users, Microsoft provided the opportunity to freely upgrade to a new version of Windows 10 for people with disabilities. At first, the period of this promotion was extended until December 31, 2017, but after this period expired, the opportunity to upgrade was active until January 18, 2018.

The company even created a separate one to make the upgrade as comfortable as possible. One of the features of this promotion was that the user, to confirm his incapacity, did not need to undergo any special checks or confirmations. Anyone could update by going to the website and downloading the Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant utility.

At the moment, on the main page of the Microsoft website for updates for people with disabilities, there is an announcement about the termination of this promotion. The company indicates that now the only option is to purchase the original version already pre-installed on the new device, or to purchase a separate full version of the software. No download links for this utility are provided.

BUT The downloader file (Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant) is still available on the Microsoft website, download while you have access.
If the file disappears from the downloads, write in the comments, we’ll try to simply put it on the site (if at that time this update option in general still works).

During the first installation, the program will check the current version of the update assistant.

After this, you will need to read and agree to the terms of the license agreement.

Setup Assistant will check if your computer can be upgraded to Windows 10.

And, if all the points have passed a positive check, after clicking the OK button, the update process to Windows 10 will begin. After the update is completed, the key of the previous version is picked up, and at the end the user can use the activated system.

If the utility gives an error when you first launch it, this may be due to what was said earlier - Microsoft has officially closed the possibility of this update. But to get around this limitation, it is enough to change the system time to any one that will be earlier than 12/31/2017.

To do this, click on the clock on the taskbar and go to change the date and time settings.

Then you need to go to the section to change the date and time.

And then choose any date that is earlier than the agreed date of 12/31/2017.

After this procedure, you can try to run the update assistant program again, it should start smoothly and update the system.

Updating using a key from previous versions

This method is the simplest and fastest. To get started, you already need to be the owner of a Windows seventh or eighth generation key. To switch to Windows 10 you need to:

The system must accept the key from the previous version and perform activation.

Clean installation of Windows 10.

It is necessary to make a reservation once again that this method is suitable for users who have previously upgraded to Windows 10. It consists of simply performing a clean installation of Windows 10, and the activation key should be automatically picked up by the system.

The activation key should be automatically accepted due to the fact that the user became a digital license holder when they first upgraded to Windows 10. This means that the activation key is tied to the hash of the equipment installed on the user's system. Then, after logging into your Microsoft account, activation data is stored on the company’s servers, and the digital license is automatically assigned to both the user account and the system hardware.

Here it is necessary to take into account the fact that if for some reason the computer configuration was previously changed, then restoring the license will be problematic and only through technical support from Microsoft.

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This article discusses the most current free methods of upgrading to Windows 10 from previous versions. If you know about other effective methods, be sure to share them in the comments.

Also on the site:

How to upgrade to Windows 10 for free now updated: March 31, 2018 by: Denis

There are several editions of Windows 10: home, professional and enterprise. Each of them is suitable for a certain range of users. But by installing one of the proposed assemblies, you can switch to another version without losing your personal data and installed third-party applications.

Transition from home to professional

The main rule of the transition is that you can only upgrade to one level higher. That is, from home to Pro, and from Pro to corporate. In both cases, you will not have to reinstall the system; all data stored on the computer will not be affected, and the functions inherent in the new edition will appear automatically.

Using a key and license

To migrate, you will need a license key for the version of the system you want to receive. Free keys for the transition can be found on the Internet, but you will not be able to activate the system using them. The only way to officially activate a new edition of Windows is to purchase a key for the desired version on the official Microsoft website or in the Windows Store application installed on all Windows 10 computers by default. At the moment, the key on the website costs 15,299 rubles, in the store - 8,129 rubles.

Buy Windows 10 Professional through the Microsoft website

The transition is also possible if you have previously installed and activated the professional edition of Windows 10 on your computer. In this case, the product code is stored in the memory of the motherboard, if you did not replace it, and it will be used automatically when you try to change the edition. That is, the transition will be performed using a digital license.

The transition takes place immediately after entering a new key, so before starting the process, save all the most important data from your computer to third-party media so that in case of unexpected errors you do not lose it.

1. Expand PC settings.

   

   Open computer settings

2. Expand the "Update and Security" section.

   

   Go to the “Update and Security” section

3. Select the “Activation” subsection.

   

   Open the “Activation” subsection

4. If you want to make the transition using a digital license, then click on the “Go to Store” button if you currently have an activated home edition of Windows on your computer, or click on the “Troubleshoot” button if you do not have an activated home edition on your computer.

   

   Click on the “Go to store” button

5. If the transition is planned through a key, click on the “Change product key” button.

   

   Click on the “Change Product Key” button

6. Enter the key code you received earlier in the store or on the Microsoft website.

   

   Enter the product key for the desired edition

7. Wait until the program verifies that the key is correct, and then start the update procedure.

   

   Click on the “Start update” button

8. The standard update process will begin, do not interrupt it until it is complete. Provide your computer with a stable internet connection and power supply.

   

   We are waiting for the system to update

9. After the process is completed, do not forget to activate the system in any convenient way so as not to receive restrictions imposed on non-activated Windows.

   

   Don't forget to activate the system

Transition from professional to corporate

For this transition, all the same rules apply as described in the previous paragraph of the article. You will need a digital license or a key for enterprise Windows, which can be purchased in the Store application or on the official Microsoft website. At the moment, online purchasing on the company’s website is not available for some reason, but you can find out the current price in the Windows Store application.

All the steps that need to be taken to make the transition if you have a digital license or key completely coincide with the steps described above in the article. The only difference is that the product key must belong to the enterprise version, not the professional version.

Video: editorial update

You can switch from one edition to another, but only if you have a key or a digital license. Upgrading is only possible one step higher. It is strongly recommended to purchase a key only in official Microsoft stores; purchases in other places do not provide a guarantee.

Hello, tell me, is it possible to change the edition of Windows without reinstalling? For example, from the home version to p professional?

The short answer is that you can, but this is not a documented feature and not all functions may work, and it is also a violation of the license if you have not purchased an upgraded edition.

By introducing various editions of the Windows operating system to the market, the manufacturer implies that the user will choose the edition that best suits his needs and financial capabilities. However, in life everything is different: ready-made PCs usually come with a pre-installed system of the simplest (and cheapest) edition, and unlicensed users, without bothering too much, install one of the older editions. All this often leads to the fact that the Windows edition needs to be changed, preferably without reinstalling the system.

The main problem is that the user is faced with the need to change the Windows edition when the system is already “lived in”: the necessary software and equipment are installed and configured, data is laid out in the usual way, etc., etc.

There are two scenarios for changing the edition. One of them can be conditionally called “official”. Microsoft supports the transition from minor to senior editions quite officially. It is enough to purchase a special key or box.

It’s worse when the editorial team needs to be demoted. This usually happens when licensing pirated versions, when boxes or licenses of the required edition are purchased, which does not coincide with what is actually on computers. Officially, Microsoft does not support such changes and recommends installing the system from scratch, but there is one undocumented possibility that we will consider.

Everyone knows that if you run the Windows installer on a loaded OS, then one of the available options will be to update the system while preserving all installed applications and settings.

However, such an update is only possible if the edition of the installed system matches the edition of the distribution, otherwise we will only be offered a new installation:

There are no official ways to get around this limitation, so it's time to turn to undocumented possibilities. We find it difficult to imagine why Microsoft does not support arbitrary changes to the Windows edition by entering the appropriate key and/or updating using the distribution kit of the desired edition, especially since there are no technical obstacles here.

Empirically, it was found that the installer receives information about the system edition from the registry branch:

as a parameter value EditionID. To successfully update with a change of edition, we need to change this parameter so that it matches the edition of the target distribution.

Some sources also recommend changing the parameter ProductName, however, this is completely unnecessary. After change EditionID You should perform the update immediately without rebooting the system. This method is suitable for all current Windows client systems and below we will consider compliance EditionID editions of the operating system.

Windows 7

This version of Windows has the largest official number of editions, but the naming system is simple and clear, which makes it easy to identify the one you need. For Windows 7 the following values ​​are valid EditionID depending on edition:

• Starter- The initial, most limited edition, was distributed only in the OEM channel, most often with netbooks
• HomeBasic- Home Basic
• HomePremium- Home extended
• Professional- Professional
• Ultimate- Maximum
• Enterprise- Corporate, distributed only under the volume licensing program

All editions, except for the Starter and Corporate editions, were available both at retail and through OEM channels, differing in nothing except the type of license, but you will not be able to update from the OEM distribution using the key from the boxed version and vice versa.

Windows 8.1

At first glance, there are fewer editions of Windows 8, just Basic, Professional and Enterprise. But in fact, Microsoft managed to segment them in such a way that, in fact, the editions of Windows 8.1 and acceptable values EditionID it turned out to be even more:

• Core- Basic
• CoreSingleLanguage- Basic for one language, OEM only
• ConnectedCore- Basic with Bing, free for major OEMs
• CoreConnectedSingleLanguage- Basic with Bing for one language, for manufacturers only
• Professional- Professional
• ProfessionalWMC- Professional with Windows Media Center
• Enterprise

As we can see, there are four Basic editions alone, although you can purchase only two of them at retail or as an OEM supply: Basic and Basic for one language. The versions with Bing are only available to manufacturers, and you can only get it with hardware. However, you may need to revert to this version if you uninstalled the pre-installed version and now want to return the license. In this case, you will need to find an installation distribution, which is quite difficult (they are not and never were publicly available).

Windows 10

The situation with Windows 10 tends to completely repeat the history of Windows 8.1; three editions are also officially announced: Home, Professional and Enterprise. In reality, there are more editions; Home is already available for one language and, perhaps, other options will appear.

At the moment, we can talk about four editions, but this list does not pretend to be complete and will be updated as information becomes available.

• Core- Home
• CoreSingleLanguage- Home for one language, OEM only
• Professional- Professional
• Enterprise- Enterprise, only in the volume licensing channel

To ensure that the above data is updated and updated in a timely manner, we ask our readers, especially those who purchased devices with pre-installed Windows 10 or updated pre-installed versions of Windows 8.1, to check the meaning of the keys EditionID And ProductName.

You have a new (or old but recently updated) PC withWindows 10 Home. Do you want to go toWindows 10 Pro. Here you will learn how to quickly deal with this. You can evenupgrade this at no additional cost if you have an unused product keyProorUltimatefrom an older versionWindows.

Microsoft's new activation rules for Windows 10 take some getting used to. The biggest change in the way product keys are used is a method called Digital Entitlement. If you took advantage of Microsoft's offer to upgrade from Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 for free, you won't need a Windows 10 product key at all. Instead, your system's hardware digital tag stored on Microsoft's activation servers will be used - it will allow you to reinstall the new version of Windows without entering a product key.

Additionally, starting with Windows 10 update 1511 released in November 2015, you can use Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 keys to activate your Windows 10 installation.

And for added complexity, Microsoft supplies standard Windows 10 keys that can be used to unlock the Pro version without the activation process. I have already come across a note from one source known for sensationalism and inaccuracy in presenting information, which claims that this allows you to “upgrade for free” to Windows 10 Pro.

Actually this is not true.

However, the new rules do allow for some interesting scenarios, especially in the case of version upgrades, such as moving from Windows 10 Home to the Pro version.

For example, if you might have some old product keys lying around, now suddenly they become valuable. So, at one time, Microsoft sold an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro at large discounts for several months. It is possible that you also have keys to no longer used licenses for boxed versions of Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate.

You can use these keys again to upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 10 Pro, saving $100.

To test how this all works, I recently tested the upgrade and activation scripts on a variety of hardware. I share my experience.

Scenario 1: Clean Reinstall

I recently upgraded the SSD on an HP Specter x360 laptop originally sold with Windows 8.1 Home, which was then upgraded to Windows 10 Pro. After replacing the drive, I used a USB flash drive to reinstall a clean copy of Windows 10 Pro.

During the installation process I was prompted to enter the product key twice. Both times I selected the option to skip key entry (Fig. 1)

Once the installation was complete, I logged in and checked the activation status (Settings, Update & Security, Activation). The system was properly activated because the Microsoft servers recognized my hardware and used the digital resolution.

Scenario 2: Clean reinstall and upgrade

In my tests, I also used a Surface 3 tablet that originally shipped with Windows 8.1 Home and was upgraded to Windows 10 through Digital Entitlement. Next, it was updated once again from Home to Pro using the Windows 10 product key from MSDN. Therefore, this device was actually registered on Microsoft's activation servers with digital permissions for two versions of Windows 10 (Home and Pro).

After that, I downloaded the Microsoft OS recovery image for the Surface 3, copied it to a USB flash drive, and restored the original Windows 8.1 Home OS.

Then I used Windows Update to upgrade this system to Windows 10. It turned out fine, but with one problem. The new OS was Windows 10 Home version. But I have digital resolution for Windows 10 Pro. How to force such an upgrade?

This is where a standard product key comes in handy. I clicked Change Product Key from the System Control Panel (there is a similar button in Settings on the Activation page). This opens a dialog box (Fig. 2).

I entered the standard Windows 10 Pro key into it:

VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T

This signaled to Windows that I wanted to upgrade from Home to Pro (Figure 3).

I clicked Start Upgrade and within a few minutes the system rebooted. Since I was connected to the Internet, the Windows activation process checked my hardware details against Microsoft's servers. Since it was already registered with digital resolution on Windows 10 Pro, the system activated immediately without entering a product key.

Scenario 3: upgrading a new PC from version Home on P ro

Let's say you bought a new PC with an OEM installation of Windows 10 Home. Then open the Activation page in Settings (Fig. 4), and if you have a Windows 10 Pro product key, you can click the Change Product Key button and enter it - it's as simple as that.

If you don't have a Pro product key and want to buy one, you can click Go To Store and purchase the $100 upgrade. Also easy.

But what if you have a Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate key, or a Windows 8/8.1 Pro key? In this case, you need to update in two stages.

First of all, make sure that you are using OS version 1511 and have the November update installed.

Perhaps you were hoping that a standard key would magically give you a $100 upgrade? Alas, this is not the case, even if you read about it somewhere.

Instead, click the Change Product Key button and enter your Windows 7 Pro/Ultimate or Windows 8/8.1 Pro key. In case this key is real and you are running Windows 10 version 1511 or later, your activation should complete successfully.

All this, I agree, looks somewhat cumbersome, but it won’t take much time.

In this article we will answer the question, how to update Windows 10 features And install cumulative updates. Having on your computer not only the latest version of the operating system, but also all the latest patches for it significantly increases the safety of its use. Outdated software is one of the most common reasons why viruses enter a PC. Not only Microsoft, but also all the largest antivirus laboratories in the world recommend keeping Windows 10 up to date.

In general, all the latest updates in Windows 10 are installed automatically by default. This applies to both small patches and major upgrades. The question of forced renewal stimulation, which is almost certainly of interest to readers of this article, may arise in several cases:

• Immediately after a clean reinstallation of Windows 10. Even the latest version of the OS installation image needs to be updated.
• When there is news about another major update or important security update. Many people want to be among the first to try out a new product.
• Before temporarily disabling the update center (for example, before going on a business trip or to the country, where downloading large packages will be impossible due to a limited Internet connection). By the way, we have an article where you can read how to temporarily turn off Windows 10 updates.

There are four main ways to update Windows 10.

Method 1: Update Windows 10 features using built-in OS tools

The very first and most obvious method of obtaining the latest version of Ten is to use the Update Center built into the operating system. In order to open it, you need to:

1. Go to Options(gear icon in the Start menu or in the Notification panel, or faster - key combination Win+i).
2. Then go to the " Update and Security».
3. And press the button Check for an update».

Unfortunately, this method does not always work quickly. The fact is that from a purely technical point of view, it is impossible to simultaneously distribute update packages to all Windows 10 computers in the world. Inevitably, a kind of queue arises in which updates and upgrades (smaller and larger updates) are distributed in waves. This process, depending on the size of the downloaded files, can take days or even weeks. In this regard, the question arises: Is it possible to speed up the Update Center?Answer: yes!

Accelerate updates using built-in Windows 10 tools

You can get the latest Windows 10 updates and new features faster by changing just one setting in the Settings menu. Finding it yourself is quite difficult.

1. It is located in the already mentioned “Update and Security” item.
2. Click on the “Advanced options” link.
3. There we select the link “ Delivery optimization».
4. Here you can activate the “ Allow downloads from other computers" and select sources " PC on the local network and PC on the Internet».

Enabling this option in Settings may Get the latest Windows 10 updates faster. This is due to the fact that files will be downloaded not only from Microsoft servers, but also from the computers of ordinary users (this is exactly how torrents work). In this case, your computer will also distribute parts of already downloaded updates to other users on the Internet. With a metered Internet connection, such transmission will be stopped. If further in this paragraph of parameters you click on another link “ Extra options", then you can do it yourself limit download speed from other Windows 10 users on the Internet, as well as giving them your updates.

Here you can set a monthly traffic limit for downloading downloaded update packages (from 5 to 500 GB). If you have a slow Internet (up to 10 Mb/s), then it would be reasonable to set the return rates to a minimum: 5% of the channel width and 5 GB.

Method 2: Program to update Windows 10

This option is only suitable for Speed ​​up your big annual Windows 10 update, which is usually published every six months and announced in the media. This method is not suitable for installing regular small patches.
First you need to go to the downloads section of the official Microsoft website and select the button “ Update now", download and run the Windows10Upgrade program.

The program will check the currently installed version of Windows 10 to see if it can receive the update and, if possible, install it. If the computer does not need to update the operating system, the message “Thank you for updating to the latest version of Windows 10” and the “Exit” button will appear.

Method 3: Download Windows 10 update

It is also relevant only for receiving large and rare improvements to the OS, which its creators themselves call upgrades.
On the already mentioned download page Microsoft official website can be downloaded full image of the latest Windows 10 and then, as they say, “roll” it on top of the old one. To do this, select the second button “ Download the tool now"(seen in the screenshot above). The installation image of the Media Creation Tool program will be downloaded to your computer. To understand whether there is a new version of Windows 10 for your computer, you need to compare the “ten” build on the PC and in the program. For this:

• Right-click on the downloaded Media Creation Tool file and select “ Properties" and go to the tab " Details" Let's watch the story.
• Right click on the menu Start and select the item “ System" We look at the build number.

In both cases, we are only interested in the 5-digit number. By comparing the version and build of the operating system here and there, you can understand whether it is worth downloading the update. The picture below shows that this makes no sense. The same is installed on the computer version 16299, which is also offered in the program for updating.

There are also cases when a more recent version of Windows 10 is already installed on the computer through the Update Center than is offered in the program.

If a major update for your computer exists, then we launch this utility and it gives us the opportunity to choose actions to install it: either, as in the previous method with Windows10Upgrade, by updating, or by downloading the full image to the computer and manually installing it. For the second method, when starting the program, select the item “ Create installation media" You can burn a full image of the latest Windows 10 either to a flash drive or to your computer’s hard drive (in this case, you need to select the “ISO file” option). After downloading, in both cases the installation program is launched by clicking on the application setup in the folder with downloaded files. The ISO image must first be unzipped.

Method 4: Cumulative Windows 10 updates from the official website

This method is suitable for finding and installing small, so-called cumulative, or cumulative updates from an official source. Like major upgrades, they can be obtained not only through the automatic Update Center built into Windows 10, but also directly from the official “ Microsoft Update Catalog" To find updates for your computer, you need to enter the build number of your OS in the search bar of the portal (for example, 16299). Let us remind you that you can view it by selecting “System” when clicking on the Start menu with the RIGHT mouse button. In addition to cumulative updates, the list will include driver updates for all types of hardware. Needless to say, they need to be installed only with a clear understanding of the need for this action.

Please note that using this method of obtaining and installing cumulative updates carries an additional risk of their incompatibility with your computer. The fact is that if problems arise with specific updates for certain brands of laptops or computer motherboards, Microsoft, as a rule, quickly suspends their installation through the Update Center and gradually solves the problems. By downloading such packages manually and essentially installing them forcibly, you risk encountering incompatibility problems. This happens quite rarely, but you need to keep it in mind. It is most convenient to use the official catalog to download cumulative updates during a clean reinstallation of Windows 10. To be on the safe side, you can see in advance which updates have already been installed on your computer before.

Where to find installed updates in Windows 10 and how to remove them

To view a list of all Windows 10 updates installed on your computer, you need to open Settings (Win+i), go to the “Updates and Security” tab and click on the link “ View the log of installed updates" Here they will be presented as
component updates and fixes, as well as driver updates, the installation of which in the “top ten” occurs automatically in the vast majority of cases.

Uninstall specific Windows 10 updates This is done as follows: at the very top of the update log, you need to select the “Delete updates” link, and then in the window that opens, select the items that are no longer needed and, by right-clicking on them, click “Delete”.

Conclusion: Which Windows 10 update method is best to use?

Finally, let's summarize. In this article we have described all the main methods update Windows 10 features, receive cumulative or major updates. However, in our opinion, the preferred method is the one described first - this is Windows 10 update using built-in tools. Using the mentioned option " Delivery optimization", you can get all the necessary updates and upgrades faster than other users in the safest way. Thus, once again we can conclude that “ten” in most cases is already configured optimally by default. Manual solutions here should be used when there is an urgent need or an irresistible attack of curiosity. For example, they are suitable for those who want to receive the latest Windows 10 features announced in the media here and now, rather than wait several days for the update to spread in waves to all computers on the Internet automatically. You can especially safely experiment if it is not difficult for you