[SOLVED] Upgrade 8.1 Home to 10 Pro

[ViperCS]

What would be the best way to Upgrade 8.1 Home to 10 Pro?

Free upgrade to 10 Home and then purchase the Pro upgrade

or

Purchase new windows 10 Pro license

any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[nlinecomputers]

Nuke and pave is the best way to do any windows upgrade so which ever way is the cheapest. And you should consider your time involved as well when making that determination.

 

[nlinecomputers]

I would jump directly to Win 10 Pro. Any other method would require a needless install just for upgrade purposes.

 

[ViperCS]

How will that affect the reinstall process in the future? Will I need to reinstall 8.1 -> 10 -> 10 Pro?

 

[Porthos]

Purchase new windows 10 Pro license

If the client really needs pro and the current 8.1 home wasn't working for their needs just buy a retail pro and you wont have any issues installing in the future.

How will that affect the reinstall process in the future? Will I need to reinstall 8.1 -> 10 -> 10 Pro?

 

[ViperCS]

In an effort to save a headache in the future I will purchase the full license because it is only $3 more than the upgrade.

Thank you everyone for your input, it is greatly appreciated!

 

[nlinecomputers]

How will that affect the reinstall process in the future? Will I need to reinstall 8.1 -> 10 -> 10 Pro?

Not if you jump directly to a retail copy of Win 10 Pro. That is a full license, not an upgrade. So what was installed on the previous version is irrelevant.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Also, the way ANY version of Windows 10 is installed, OEM, Upgrade, or Full retail. Once installed Windows 10 makes a hash of the system hardware and creates an install key that is recorded with Microsoft. If for some reason you have to nuke the system again you just install Windows 10 and it will activate. You don't have to find the old key. Now if you make a major change in hardware, for example, you replace the motherboard, you will have to find the key.

 

[Porthos]

In an effort to save a headache in the future I will purchase the full license because it is only $3 more than the upgrade.

Thank you everyone for your input, it is greatly appreciated!

Keep in mind that there are OEM and Retail full installs for sale. OEM is tied to the first device you activate on forever. Retail can be moved to another device anytime