[SOLVED] Bought New PC with Enterprise installed

[MrPoster]

Bought New PC with Enterprise installed


I bought a pc from a backyard builder that was custom built with all new parts.

He said It has windows 10 installed but I had to activate the windows myself and get a key at my own cost, which I was fine by me.

But I discovered that windows is already activated.

This is whats installed.
Windows 10 Enterprise
Version 1803
OS build 17134.915

When I click on activation page it says this.
Windows is activated using your organizations activation service.

Checking the license using comand prompt and I see its got 173 days left.

So its good for six months but I want to purchase my own copy of windows 10 so i can get my own key.

Is there a major difference between home and pro OEM ?

Do i keep this version of windows 10 enterprise installed and just change the key with the one i will get with my new windows 10.
Or will i have to wipe everything off that i have installed and start again with a new installation of windows 10 OEM.

Thanks

 

[Colif]

Enterprise is neither home or Pro, its the version for big corporations

If you want to use the key you have now, the only way to get to that version is a clean install of windows as there is no downgrade path.

download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/

and tell off the backyard guy for installing a trial of enterprise when he could have just installed Pro/home without a licence

 

[USAFRet]

For multiple reasons, I recommend you do a full wipe and reinstall of either Home or Pro now, instead of waiting until that Enterprise runs out.

When the Enterprise runs out, you'll have to do a full reinstall anyway. But 6 months from now, you'll have a bunch of stuff already installed, and a bunch of your personal docs.
Do it now, before you really start using the system.

You can leave the Home or Pro Unactivated for now, and purchase your valid license key later.

Full wipe and reinstall

How To - Windows 10 clean install tutorial

If you are looking for the Windows 11 Clean install tutorial, you can find that here: Windows 11 Clean install tutorial (Click here) Otherwise, welcome to the Windows 10 Clean install tutorial This tutorial is intended to help you, step by step, to perform a clean install of Windows...

forums.tomshardware.com

 

[britechguy]

Downgrade Windows 10 Enterprise to Windows 10 Pro

The "Change Product Key" link method has worked for some time now. At one point a registry hack was necessary (see Andre Da Costa's second answer, here:
How do I downgrade from windows 10 Enterprise to Pro) but to my knowledge and according to a number of newer tutorials that's not necessary now.

 

[USAFRet]

From an Insider Preview install, that may work.
I wouldn't count on it working from a regular Enterprise, non Insider Preview, install.

I wouldn't bother, but you can try it.

New to you system, brand new Enterprise install...there is nothing of 'you' to keep in there.

 

[britechguy]

It's not that I don't agree that a completely clean install would be the preferable option in a case like this, but from all indications from some pretty reputable sources it is entirely possible to "downgrade" from Enterprise to Pro.

If the OP decides to give this a try I hope they'll report back on how the process went.

 

[USAFRet]

Well, that link specifically related to downgrading from an Enterprise Insider Preview.
That may work. And it only referred to downgrading to Pro, not Home.

From a regular Enterprise install? Unknown.

And the second one from Andre, regarding mucking around in the Reg? Why bother?

Anyway, the OP has multiple recommendations of how to proceed.

 

[MrPoster]

Great stuff, thanks for the help.
I want to buy OEM because its cheaper.
I am aware that once installed it can only be used once and is bound to that motherboard. .

Im not a guy that formats windows again and again so the retail version isnt not needed.
lMy current PC has the original OEM installation of win 7 pro from back in 2013, I never needed to reinstall that system.
Just how much should i pay for home?
If i go to my local new pc store the price for OEM home version on dvd will cost $160 or $175 for usb. (The latter says it includes creators content)

But online I have seen the win 10 home product prices range from $15 to $225 !!!
The most popular ones on google search seem to be Pro versions and have seen those for 5 bucks?

 

[USAFRet]

The "OEM" label has mostly gone away with WIn 10, except for something that was preinstalled when you bought it. Like from Dell or HP.
Anyone advertising an "OEM license" is simply dragging along old concepts.
With Win 10, there is no difference between 'Retail" and "OEM" for something you buy and install.

And those inexpensive ones are not in any way 'valid'.
A valid Win 10 Home will cost around $95, a Pro license $130+

PCPartPicker Part List

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM 64-bit ($99.95 @ Amazon)
Total: $99.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-02 11:09 EDT-0400


PCPartPicker Part List

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Pro OEM 64-bit ($145.00 @ Amazon)
Total: $145.00
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-09-02 11:10 EDT-0400


Any particular reason you're looking at Win 10 Pro?
Performance is identical, just that Pro has some extra features.

 

[Wolfshadw]

A Windows 10 Home license goes for around $140 direct from Microsoft. You can get Home for around $100 and Pro for about $140 from reputable resellers (recommended). Anything that is significantly less than that (unless you're a student), I'd be very wary of.

-Wolf sends

 

[MrPoster]

Just was reading some reviews from Read a few stories where dvd install was slow and prone to errors.
So.......probably better to get the USB home version.
Plus the new system doesn't have a DVD drive anyway. .....wow how times are changing.
Thanks again for the help. Your all very kind

 

[USAFRet]

You can create your own USB install, direct from Microsoft, for free.

From any current working PC, here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

When you 'buy' Windows, you're paying for the license, not the install media.

 

[britechguy]

While I have generally used USB install media, I have also used DVD media and never had any problem with it provided the actual optical drive was functioning properly.

I generally use the Media Creation Tool (downloadable at the Win10 Download Page given by @USAFRet) to fetch the ISO file, then create the USB media using Rufus (or similar utility of your choosing). One can, however, have the MCT create USB media directly. The reason I don't do that is I have had several occasions where the download was occurring via slow DSL, and the ISO had to have completed behind the scenes as the "creating bootable media" step commenced, but the MCT bombed for some unknown reason before it completed. When that has occurred, I have never been able to find the ISO it downloads and if you kick it off again it always starts from the very beginning of the process.

Having the ISO file allows you to create bootable USB or DVD media on demand after you have it, and there are times where you may want to do that for a friend or acquaintance to save them having to download the ISO themselves.

In any case, you do not pay for Windows 10 installation media. That can be and generally is created at no cost using the MCT. It is the license key you purchase (though there are some that come with media - but I wouldn't use it anyway as who knows how long it's been on the shelf and whether it's media for a prior version. You always get "the freshest" with the MCT).

 

[popatim]

I always save the ISO too. Mainly because i like having different versions I can go back to if I need to.