Please I need some help with an issue. I have a ROG laptop that had Windows 10 Home OEM already install when I bought it new back in 2016. Last night I downloaded the Win10 Consumer 1809 x64 using svf2iso and made a bootable USB. I rebooted the laptop went into bios and selected the boot from USB stick that I had windows on. Went through the setup formatting the drive wiping it clean and installing a fresh copy. Here's where I'm confused as I'm a windows 7 guy using the old style bios. After the install was complete, windows was already active back to the Home OEM? WTF Setup never ask me for a key? I have a Pro key that I was going to use. So I followed a few step-by-steps found online to change the key but it kept saying error needs elevated blah blah blah....... It's login as admin so I don't get it I have full rights. A few things I'm confused about, how and why did it automatically reuse the org. key? How can I change the key to my pro key? EDITED: Is there a reg tweak to make the start menu like windows 7 ?
another question if you don't mind; the key I bought can I use it twice or will the Microsoft servers know when it gets used and block any more activation attempts? I was going to activate my VMware install as well.
ok, and thx for all the help guys I got it working now if I ever format to install fresh on this laptop again will it auto remember this new pro key or will it go back to the org. key activation? it's tied to this hardware?
If you include an EI.cfg file as @Enthousiast suggested, the installer will present you with an opportunity to enter a product key. At which point you can enter your pro key and install or click the I don't have a product key link and select pro on the following screen and install, either way will lead to a genuinely activated installation. Otherwise the installer will detect the MSDM key embedded in your BIOS and install Home. If you haven't already, you should switch your local account to an MS account this way the activation will be tied to it.
Using an ei.cfg will disable the "I have no key" option at the initial setup plus it disables setup auto sku selection when a MSDM is onboard, it offers a selection window for all sku's available in the install.wim/esd.