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Windows Pro magically turns into Windows Enterprise despite everything, including a clean install

Anonymous
2020-08-26T12:13:36+00:00

I've tried everything. I bought a new laptop that came preinstalled with Windows Home. I had a Windows Pro Key, so I tried to upgrade. Everything went fine at first. It activated, I had Pro. I was happy. Not for long, though. After the upgrade every few minutes/hours/days, it suddenly decides it's now Windows Enterprise and that I need to activate (which of course it can't do because it can't reach the mythical enterprise server).

I've tried the following:

Using the downgrade/default key: vk7jg-nphtm-c97jm-9mpgt-3v66t, works for a few minutes. same problem

Using the downgrade/default key while disconnected from the internet, rebooting, then trying my win10pro key, works for a bit, then the same problem

Trying a different Win10 Pro Key (Yes, I had one) - Works for a bit then the same problem.

I've tried removing the computer from my Windows Account followed by a clean install, then activate...you guessed it, same problem (that took a day, so 24 hours of peace).

Repeat from the beginning.

Nothing has worked, and I've tried it all more than once?

Any ideas?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Licensing and activation

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  1. Virginia M 40,825 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2020-08-26T13:17:39+00:00

    You can also try this from the MS Technetium site:

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

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

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

    Change ProductName to Windows 10 Professional. 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

    Open System>Change Product Key > Enter Windows 10 Pro Key > Click "Activate".

    The application will gather the registry info and treat it as a Professional version already.

    https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-...

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  2. Virginia M 40,825 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2020-08-27T11:20:57+00:00

    Thanks for the update. I can only recommend using the .cfg File & clean install Windows pro. This should work 100% as I had to do this to ensure Home wasn’t automatically installed.

    Love the Star Trek: TNG reference. :)

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-08-27T11:18:10+00:00

    The registry edits worked for a couple of hours, before the Microsoft Borg Cube reassimilated my machine and magically changed (some) of the registry edits back to Enterprise after popping up with the same old Enterprise needs activation problem. I did a search through the registry incidentally, and found a few other keys with data "Windows10 Enterprise" - beyond those listed. In any case, it proved moot.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-08-27T11:15:27+00:00

    Support has provided nothing of value other than walking me painstakingly through the steps I've already tried. The version is 2004, FYI.

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  5. Virginia M 40,825 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2020-08-26T13:14:29+00:00

    Hello, I’m Virginia an independent advisor with 20 years of expertise in fixing my own & friends’ PC problems.

    Which Windows version are you running - 1903, 1909 or 2004?

    There’s a bug which seem to do this with Pro clean installs. It should’ve been fixed by now though. Is your media up to date?

    You can force install Pro with this:

    Create a “ei.cfg” file containing the following text:

    [EditionID]

    Professional

    [Channel]

    Retail

    Save the ei.cfg file to the \Sources folder on your Windows 10 installation media (USB flash drive).

    If the license is OEM then change ‘Retail’ to OEM.

    You can either do this & reinstall Pro or contact support:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/405170...

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