Windows 10 Pro: How to download, install and activate
Option 1: Performing a clean installation
Please proceed with this when you are currently using an older Windows version than Windows 10 or a PC without an operating system
1. Download Windows Media Creation tool directly from Microsoft:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10
2. Run the Media Creation Tool
- Create installation media for another PC
- Select preferred language
- Select Edition: Windows 10 (it includes both, Pro and Home)
- Select architecture (64-bit or 32-bit)
- Select the media you want to create (USB flash drive or ISO file to create a DVD)
3. Perform a clean installation
- Boot from the USB flash drive or the DVD you have created
- Select your language, time, and keyboard preferences
- Enter product key provided by us
- Installation type: Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)
- Remove all partitions and create a new one to install Windows
- Proceed and perfrom the installation
Troubleshooting
Unable to Select Windows 10 Pro During Clean Installation?
If you're unable to select the Pro edition of Windows 10 during a clean installation, it is usually due to your system's pre-existing configuration or the way the installation media was created. Below is a step-by-step guide to address this issue.
-
Open Notepad (or any basic text editor) and add the following lines to the new document:
[Channel] Retail [VL] 0
-
Click File > Save As:
- In the Save As dialog:
- Set the File name as ei.cfg.
- In the Save as type dropdown, select All Files.
- Ensure the file is saved with the .cfg extension (not .txt).
-
Save the file in the
\sources
folder on your installation media and retry the installation.
How do I fix error code 0xc004c060?
-
Run Command Prompt as Administrator:
- Press
Win + S
, type cmd, and right-click on Command Prompt. - Select Run as administrator.
- Press
-
Delete the Pre-installed License Key:
- In the Command Prompt, type the following command to delete the current product key:
slmgr /upk
- Press Enter. You should see a message confirming the uninstallation of the product key.
-
Clear the License Information from the System:
- Run the following command to clear the residual license data:
slmgr /cpky
- Press Enter.
-
Enter the New Product Key:
- Input the new product key using this command:
slmgr /ipk <NEW_PRODUCT_KEY>
- Replace
<NEW_PRODUCT_KEY>
with the new license key provided. -
Activate the License Key:
- Activate the key by running the following command:
slmgr /ato
- Press Enter. This will attempt to activate the product key online.
-
Verify Activation Status:
- To check if the activation was successful, run:
slmgr /dlv
- Press Enter. A detailed licensing information window will appear. Look for the status indicating that Windows is activated.