Installation setup Home instead of Pro.

Today I had to do a clean install of Win10 which I did from a USB with the Win 10 install software on it.

When completed the installation I notice it is now running 10 Home.

When I run ShowKey it seems that the installation has picked up the original 8.1 OEM key from the bios and installed 10 Home.
When I try to change the product key and enter the 8.1 Pro key in Settings/Activation the response is 'You are running Windows 10 Home. The Key you entered cannot be used to activate this edition'

Anyone any suggestions how to get around this problem.

TIA

Change the product key to the Windows 10 Pro generic product key. It ends in -3V66T

How to get Windows 10 product key and start activation

If you insert a PID.txt file containing the Windows 10 Pro generic product key into your installation USB, it will install Pro automatically and skip checking the BIOS for which version to install. Google PID.txt.

Thanks Navy.

Just after posting I came acrossthis page and followed the instructions - which also mentioned the generic key, and this worked.

I also added the 8.1 pro key to the /sources directory in the root of the Win 10 USB stick for future reference.

Thanks for your input.

It's the Windows 10 Pro generic key you will want in the PID.txt file in the /sources directory - not the Windows 8.1 Pro key.

It's the Windows 10 Pro generic key you will want in the PID.txt file in the /sources directory - not the Windows 8.1 Pro key.

Thanks for the heads-up.

My search came up with lots about using PID for Win 8 and they all seemed to suggest using the purchased product key.

If the Generic key works, doesn't that make it possible for anyone to install Win 10 pro without buying a license?

If the Generic key works, doesn't that make it possible for anyone to install Win 10 pro without buying a license?

Yep. But there is a big difference between installingWindows 10 Pro and activatingWindows 10 Pro. You can install Windows 10 Pro with the generic product key (and even with no product key at all) - but it won't activate unless there is a matching digital entitlement for it installed on that computer on Microsoft activation servers - or a unique product key for Windows 10 Pro is entered.

Your computer has a digital entitlement for Windows 10 Pro stored on Microsoft activation servers and that is how it activates from the generic product key.