Windows 10 Pro - Insider Previews Downgraded to Home.

[Formaleins]

Just curious if anyone running the latest standard build of Win 10 pro has had the pleasure of Microsoft downgrading their Win 10 Pro to Home edition?

It happened tonight on my machine after years of trouble free activation.

It seems there is some problem with their activation servers, and no doubt due to the recent fiasco with their October Update.

 

Looking at the news reports it looks mainly to affect parts of Asia and the USA, and by most accounts affects the insider preview - mine has been working fine until today running 18272 Pre Release 181026-1425.

Has anyone else had this problem (which is NOT fixed by re entering your original 25 digit code.

 

Cheers.

[bendejo]

Maybe things have changed since, but as of last week 1809 was not available.

I tried upgrading in mid-October and it turned out to be a re-install of 1803; not what I expected but it worked out well, as it cleared up a few glitches I was experiencing. 

But my version is Home to begin with.  Maybe best to wait until 1809 (or whatever they'll call the fixed version) is re-announced and see what happens, save you some grief in chasing this down.

 

 

[Formaleins]

5 hours ago, bendejo said:

Maybe things have changed since, but as of last week 1809 was not available.

I tried upgrading in mid-October and it turned out to be a re-install of 1803; not what I expected but it worked out well, as it cleared up a few glitches I was experiencing. 

But my version is Home to begin with.  Maybe best to wait until 1809 (or whatever they'll call the fixed version) is re-announced and see what happens, save you some grief in chasing this down.

 

 

It has just been fixed this morning! back to the correct Pro licence and running 10 Pro Insider Preview, Evaluation Copy, Build 18277rs. 181102-1446. When things go wrong with Microsoft, they certainly don't do it by half. From what I have seen online, it was a problem with their activation servers and was likely to be down for 2 days.

 

I have been running 1809 (Eval) since September - And this 1809 version is actually next Aprils new version which will pick up the new release a month or two prior to release. (1809 Final...cough cough, was out in early October, until it died a death when it was pulled due to glitches)

What I did not realise was that your activation is actually LIVE and not a one off thing. Basically if their servers go to pot, your Windows version can do the same.

I had wrongly assumed that once activated, that was it and your licence was good.

Edited November 9, 2018 by Formaleins

[KhunBENQ]

You are a victim of some "problems" at Microsoft's license servers.

I read an article today in German language with the symptom that you describe.

If I find it in English I will provide.

[KhunBENQ]

One of many reports:

https://www.itnews.com.au/news/microsoft-server-outage-deactivates-windows-licenses-515335

 

[Formaleins]

18 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

One of many reports:

https://www.itnews.com.au/news/microsoft-server-outage-deactivates-windows-licenses-515335

 

Thanks for that, this now makes sense. They were directing users to the Microsoft Store to BUY a new copy of Win Home!

[bendejo]

Here's another article, this one mentions the downgrade directly.

Microsoft’s activation servers have started accidentally downgrading expensive Windows 10 Pro systems into cheaper Windows 10 Home PCs, then invalidating their licences. Needless to say, that's a nasty financial hit (Home is $119, Pro is $199) and affected users are furious.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2018/11/08/microsoft-windows-10-update-problem-crash-windows-10-home-pro-downgrade

 

 

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

Yesterday evening a "activate Windows" appeared on my laptop which is a Win7 upgrade to W10.

I didn't care and after today's power-on no more problem shown ("Windows is activated").