Downgrading Windows 7. How to change the edition of Windows without reinstalling Windows? Which publications can be upgraded?

Greetings, dear reader of the blog site!

If you want to update your computer's license Windows system 7 Starter (Initial) or Home Basic (Home Basic) to Ultimate (Maximum) without reinstallation, and even for free, then you are exactly where you need!

It is in this article that we present to your attention a 100% working method with which you can quickly update Windows 7 to the Maximum version at the official level and without payment.

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There are at least two update methods known to me: a complete reinstallation of the Windows OS, which means all user settings and files will be lost, and you will agree with me that it is not convenient to restore everything again.

It will take a lot of time to do everything about everything, so this option disappears, and we will not even consider it.

Let's start right away with the second option and find out how to update Windows 7 to the maximum version without reinstalling the system. It won’t take much time, and all the settings and file data of your computer will not go anywhere; everything will remain, as they say, in its original form, and this is not an unimportant fact!

I don’t want to outline all the advantages of the Ultimate version over the others, but what is the cost of the mode, which is not intended at all in the Starter version, and Home Basic is there, but with restrictions.

If you are on this page of my blog, then you have an idea about the benefits, you just want to know how to update Windows 7 to the Maximum version, so without further ado, let’s move on to the technical part of the article.

How to update Windows 7

With help Win keys go to the Start menu on the right side, right-click on the Computer item in the window that opens, select Properties.

The Basic information about your computer window will open. At the top of it you can see installed version Windows, which we will need later. At this stage we need to know whether there is an Update Pack or not?

You should have the same inscription as shown in my screenshot of Service Pack 1, if it doesn’t, then it doesn’t matter, just move on to the next paragraph of the article.

Installing Windows 7 Service Pack 1

In the search bar of the Start menu, enter the following phrase: “Center Windows updates».

We launch the found utility.

A window similar to this should pop up, click on the Install updates button.

After the updates are installed, the yellow shield will change to green as shown in mine.

If suddenly, after downloading the updates, the color of the shield still has not changed and remains yellow, you need to select the Search for updates ⇒ Install updates tab.

We repeat these steps until there is a green shield. Don't forget to restart your computer after each update installation.

After the updates are successfully installed, the message Service Pack 1 should appear in the computer’s basic information.

Now you need to check whether it is possible to update your computer to the Maximum version? To do this, download via my direct line this link to the Yandex disk of the Transition Advisor.

For speed and convenience, I suggest choosing the option with an unpacked file, but this is not important. The main thing I want to say right away is that you need to be very careful when updating the system, follow the strictly written text of the article precisely because of inattention and haste, some people don’t get everything right the first time!

Run the downloaded Windows7UpgradeAdvisorSetup upgrade advisor file.

After the message Installation is complete, close the window.

Now launch the created Advisor shortcut from the Desktop and in the window that appears, click the Start scan button.

When the compatibility check is completed, you will see that the update can be completed or otherwise it cannot, which is unlikely.

Windows 7 update process

Finally we got to the most interesting part, download G key generator, for Windows 7, run it and a window with three versions will appear operating system:

Home Premium;

Professional;

Ultimate;

Important!
The system should be updated in an ascending order, first set to Professional, then Ultimate, and nothing else!

To generate a key, click the “Generate” button and the key will be generated immediately.

Leave the window open and go to the Start menu ⇒ All Programs ⇒ find the “Windows Anytime Upgrade” utility there ⇒ run it.
Select: Enter update key.

Next, copy the previously generated key and paste it into the input line.

Then you agree to the license terms and click the Update button.

When the update process is completed, the computer will reboot, the OS will be updated according to the version you selected.

To check whether Activation was successful, you need to enter the Computer Basic Information settings, as we already did at the very beginning of the article. At the very bottom of the window there should be a joyful inscription waiting for you: Windows activation done!

But that’s not all; it’s too early to congratulate you. We are only halfway to our cherished goal; we have just installed Professional, and even then only for three days (that’s exactly what happened to me), but we need “Maxi” on an ongoing basis.

To do this, we will need to repeat some of the steps described above, generate a new key ⇒ run the “Windows Anytime Upgrade” utility, and so on, I will not repeat the same thing. I wish you good luck, like many who have used this guide, everything will work out!

The article was written for informational purposes and all actions you perform are performed at your own peril and risk without further claims to the author of the article!

With this, I tell you, as long as you have any questions, please contact me, I will definitely help.
PS. Especially for those who say that the method supposedly no longer works, I can assume that the whole reason is in “crooked hands” because on June 10, 2016. I returned my laptop, not for the first time, to standard settings.

Using the method described above, the update went off with a bang! I am again the owner of Windows 7 Ultimate, which I recently upgraded for free to Windows 10, those who did not do this, I’ll tell you in vain, did not take advantage of the free opportunity, which was valid for exactly a year until July 29, 2016.

For dessert, watch an interesting video about secret hotkeys in Windows.

Hello everyone, today I’ll tell you how to upgrade Windows 7 home to professional or ultimate 1 part, there are several update methods. Today we will look at a method in which we use Windows 7 anytime upgrade upgrade keys. Often, when purchasing initial versions of Windows 7 (Starter, HomeBasic, HomePremium), users begin to realize that the capabilities of these versions are very limited, and they are faced with the problem of updating Windows versions 7.

To update the version of Windows 7, Microsoft created the Windows Anytime Upgrade program. This program is a single release Windows OS updater. This Windows 7 edition upgrade method is designed for users who are planning to upgrade to new versions of Windows 7. The Windows Anytime Upgrade program has made many improvements, including reducing the upgrade time to approximately 10 minutes, and also upgrading license keys can be purchased at retail stores.

how to upgrade windows 7 home to professional or ultimate

Possible ways to update Windows 7 editions are given in the table. As you can see for the example, you can upgrade Windows 7 Basic to Maximum in two updates, first to Home Premium, and then to Maximum.

Windows Anytime Upgrade options

Here is my test site, I have a virtual machine on the VMware ESXI 5.5 hypervisor with Windows 7 Home Premium installed. To go to Windows Anytime Upgrade, you need to click Get access to additional functions installing a new edition of Windows 7

Or through the Start menu

As a result, a window will open Windows programs Anytime Upgrade. There are two options

• Connect to the Internet and select the edition of Windows 7 that suits you best - you're essentially sent to the store
• Enter the update key - our option assumes that you have the key. Below I will give a link to a generator that will give Windows 7 anytime upgrade update keys

Windows 7 anytime upgrade keys

Launch Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade Keygen 1.0 (You can download Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade Keygen 1.0 from the Yandex disk below) Select the desired edition and click Generate

We copy the resulting key for further use.

We copy and paste our key, please note that certain OEM companies may have their own keys, below I will post a file with such keys.

The key verification will begin

We accept the license

Click update

The update process will begin, the update will take approximately 10 minutes, it all depends on the Internet speed.

Also, if you are missing any updates, their download will start automatically and you will have to reboot and start the procedure again.

After installing Windows 7 Home to Professional updates, the computer will reboot itself.

To avoid additional problems before and after updating, I strongly recommend uninstalling updates KB971033 And KB2859537, and prohibit their installation through the “Update Center”

Possible error codes

Error Code Description

• 0xC004C003 The activation server has determined that the specified product key is already in use.
• 0xC004C001 The activation server has determined that the specified product key is incorrect.
• 0xC004C008 The activation server has determined that the specified product key cannot be used.
• 0xC004C812 SL_E_CHREF_BINDING_0UT_0F_T0LERANCE: The activation server has determined that the activation count for the specified product key has been exceeded.
• 0xCD004F050 Licensing service software reported that this product key is incorrect.
• 0xC004C4CE Cannot be found detailed description errors.
• 0x8007232B DNS name does not exist.
• 0xC004F027 The Software Licensing Service reported that this license has been modified in an illegal manner.
• 0xC003E004 The Software Licensing Service reported that this license is not verified.
• 0xC004E003 The Software Licensing Service reported that an error occurred while validating the license.
• 0xC004F033 The Software Licensing Service reported that the installation of this product key is not valid. See the event log for more information.
• 0XC004D401 The security processor reported a system file mismatch error.
• 0x80080250 Unknown error.
• 0x8004FC03 unknown error.
• 0X8004FE2D HTTP_STATUS_DENIED.
• 0x8004FE33 HTTP_STATUS_PROXY_AUTH_REQ.
• 0x8004FE91 HTTP_STATUS_NOT_SUPPORTED.
• 0x80072EE7 A server with the same name or address cannot be found.
• 0x80072EFD A connection to the server cannot be established.
• 0x80072F78 The server returned an invalid or unrecognized response.
• 0x80072F8F A security error has occurred.

After rebooting we see that the version has become Professional

Download key generator for windows 7 anytime upgrade (password website) and windows file 7 oem key

Just like that, it’s easy to update Windows 7 home or starter to any other edition, even to the maximum one. I advise you to watch part 2: How to upgrade Windows 7 home to professional or ultimate.

Often, users who do not have the skills necessary to install, update or configure an operating system on their own buy a computer or laptop with a certain version of the OS already installed by the gadget manufacturer. True, almost always the installed operating system turns out to be a stripped-down edition of Windows 7 - Starter, Home Basic or Home Premium. The functionality of this edition is limited, and it may not always be enough for comfortable work. In this case, to change the current release to a more functional one, you can use special utility called Window anytime upgrade (WAU).

Determining the current edition of Windows

The very first step should be to determine the edition of the operating system installed on the PC, its version and bit depth, as well as the capabilities that this edition provides to the user. To do this, go to “System Properties” by right-clicking on the “My Computer” desktop shortcut and selecting the “Properties” menu item. Here you can see the type of installed OS, its version and other necessary data. You can familiarize yourself with the functionality of each edition on the official website of the Microsoft company in a special section that tells in detail about existing versions Windows.

Limitations of the Window anytime upgrade utility

Those who decide to use the WAU OS functionality extension utility should know that it has several significant limitations:

Using the program, you can update the edition only within one bit depth: 32-bit to 32-bit, and 64-bit to 64-bit, respectively;

Initially, the utility does not work in the Maximum and Enterprise editions of Windows 7 (however, there is a way to bypass this limitation, which can be found below);

The utility is designed to perform updates only between releases of Windows, and it cannot be used to update from previous versions OS.

Windows editions can be divided into levels according to the available functionality in each of them:

• 1st level: Beginner, or Home Basic.
• Level 2: Home Extended.
• Level 3: Professional.
• Level 4: Maximum.

Increases are made based on increasing functionality. Thus, for example, the Basic edition can be upgraded to any of the subsequent, more functional ones, but the Professional edition can only be upgraded to the Maximum edition.

It is also worth considering that during the update process only additional functions are added, which is unlikely to affect the speed of the PC, and the extended edition will not lead to an increase in its performance.

Windows 7 anytime upgrade: getting new OS features

Before using the utility, you need to make sure that all the necessary updates from Windows Update, as well as the latest "Service Pack".

The WAU utility will require a stable Internet connection, as well as a Window anytime upgrade key purchased through a retail store.

To start the program, you need to go to “System Properties” through the control panel or the context menu of the “My Computer” icon and select “Gain access to additional features by installing a new edition of Windows 7.” Next, the system will ask you to enter the WAU key, offer to read the terms and conditions and display the “Update” button, which you should click on. The update process may take up to half an hour, during which the OS will reboot several times. As a result, the required edition of Windows 7 will be installed on the computer.

Downgrading Windows 7

One of the main reasons for downgrading a publication may be the transition from a pirated “professional” edition to a licensed one. It may be more stripped down, but user settings and updates are not lost during the transition. Windows anytime upgrade allows you to do this, but you will need to do some additional steps as the installer checks the edition before upgrading.

In order for the utility to successfully pass the compatibility check, you must use the Registry Editor to change the value of the installed OS edition.

In the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE section, you need to go to the SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion path and change the EditionID parameter to the one corresponding to the edition you are installing: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate or Enterprise.

Next, using the Window anytime upgrade utility, you need to select the “Update. Change edition of Windows 7." After the update process is completed, a new edition of the operating system will be installed on the PC, preserving all applications and settings of the previous one.

As you know, Windows 7 has six editions:

• Initial (Starter);
• Home Basic;
• Home Premium;
• Professional;
• Corporate (Enterprise);
• Maximum (Ultimate).

Everything except corporate can be distributed under OEM licenses. It's no secret that you always want the maximum of everything, even if it is not necessary. As the saying goes, “stealing a million like that!” This is exactly our case of buying a computer (laptop) with a pre-installed operating system.

Pros of a pre-installed Windows operating system

I came across a laptop with Winows Seven Home Basic pre-installed:

And I remembered about OEM off-line activation :)
Actually about the right one BIOS firmware The manufacturer has already taken care of the certificate.

Where to get the activation key

All that remains is to get the key to the richer version. It couldn’t be simpler, we go to any large store that sells laptops (MVIDEO, Eldorado, etc.) and take a photo of the serial number of the desired version of Windows Seven from the exhibits on display. As is known he ( serial number Windows) one for the entire zoo of laptops, regardless of model and configuration. Naturally, each manufacturer has its own serial number. So you won’t deceive anyone with activation by stealing the key. However, you can look through the Internet and find these keys without going to the store.

Upgrading the Windows edition

Click on “Get access to additional features...” and we see the following:

Here we select the second option “Enter the update key” by clicking on it with the mouse.

Date: 07/06/2011
Windows 7 downgrade Ultimate to Professional/HomePremium

There are situations when installation disk Windows7 22in1 The version of Windows that we need is not installed. And it's good if it's HomePremium or Professional, because do update before Ultimate will not be difficult. You just need to change the product key and Windows itself will do all the necessary operations. But what to do if you need to do the so-called Downgrade? Those. everything is the same, but in reverse order. Get from already installed Windows 7 Ultimate the one we need Professional or HomePremium.

So, for a successful so-called Downgrade, firstly you need to change 2 keys in the registry to already installed Windows 7 Ultimate. This is a thread HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion

In our installed Windows 7 Ultimate, this branch looks like this:

In order for us to receive Windows 7 HomePremium need to change EditionID on HOMEPREMIUM And ProductName on Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM:

If we need Windows 7 Professional, then change the keys to Professional And Windows 7 Professional respectively:

After this we need to start update operating system from the installation disk. Exactly update, not a new installation.

For Downgrade to HomePremium We choose HomePremium from the proposed options:

Well, what if we downgrade to Professional, then we select it from the list of proposed options:

During the update process, the compatibility of components and software will be checked for a long time, after which the update itself will begin. The duration of this process depends on the amount of installed software in the system.

After this process, functions become unavailable Ultimate, available only to her, and when Windows starts, we already see our “downgraded” HomePremium or Professional:

Good luck. Everything you do, you do at your own peril and risk. I recommend doing it backup copy systems. For example, an image of a system disk using a special program