Windows 7: Revert back to Home Premium from Professional

I performed an Anytime Upgrade to Professional from Home Premium because I wanted to use XP Mode. But the XP Mode, which was the only reason I wanted the Upgrade, won't work on my computer as it doesn't support virtualization.

Am I stuck with having to activate Professional or can I revert back to Home Premium?

My Home Premium is a full retail version which I had activated prior to the Anytime Upgrade to Professional.

Hello Hopsteiner, welcome to Seven Forums!



If you entered the 'upgrade' key when you ran the upgrade to Pro I believe that nullifies the previous key making it no longer possible to use to activate Windows.

There is an update that Enables Windows XP Mode for PCs without Hardware Assisted Virtualization Technology. Download Windows XP Mode

There is a way to go back to Home Premium without reinstalling.
UNAWAVE - Downgrade Ultimate to Home Premium or Professional
I used this method to go back to Home Premium from Ultimate. I think there is a tutorial on this, on this site, but I couldn't find it. If you have already activated with your anytime upgrade key it may be tied to that PC. If you can't reuse it on another PC I wouldn't bother trying to go back to Home Premium.

Why do you need to downgrade anyways? Professional has everything Home Premium does and more. You paid for the upgrade you might as well keep and use it.

Why revert back to Home Premium?

Because it does everything I need except for the XP issue and I would like to save the upgrade for a new computer that is virtualization capable. Some may call me cheap but I prefer the term frugal. Why waste the upgrade on a computer that can't utilize all of the features of the Professional version? As I said I'm not cheap, but?????


EDIT: My computer is becoming very insistent about the need to activate Professional. If I don't and the OS would default automatically back to the last activated OS I would be as happy as a tornado in a mobile home park. Gotta run. County Superior Court jury duty won't wait.

These are retail keys which can migrate for life. No key is invalidated when an Upgrade is done over it's installation - it is only made unavailable for use under the EULA while it is acting as qualifier for Upgrade version.

To revert from Pro back to HP, use the workaround suggested by Alphnumeric by which many beta testers migrated to their paid version of Windows 7.

By changing the two Registry Keys show below to exactly HOMEPREMIUM for the EditionID, and Windows 7 HOMEPREMIUM for the ProductName, it tricks the installer into doing an always-allowed Repair Install which is an in-place Upgrade:


Then run the HomePremium DVD from the desktop, agree to remain connected to internet to get latest drivers and Updates into installer, resolve any issues given, select Upgrade install.

Afterwards you'll need to reactivate using Home Premium key at Computer>Properties which may require a robocall to update the hardware profile. Your Pro Anytime Upgrade key is then free to migrate.

If you haven't activated yet you shouldn't have any problem using that any time upgrade product code on another PC. I wouldn't think it would be so easy once activated. The work around works well, I didn't have to reinstall any of my previously installed programs. All I had to do was hit windows update again to reapply all the updates.

Playing in and with the registry, if you don't know what you are doing, is not a good thing.
It is not a good place to experiment. As a result I don't and haven't so I am a complete
novice at this project. I opened Registry Edit and couldn't get a display anything like
shown on UNAWAVE or as shown by gregrocker's screen shot.

I opened regedit and clicked on Computer which produced these drop down options:


Next I clicked on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE which produced these options:


From these I selected SOFTWARE which gave a list of all software on the machine:


As there was only one Windows type option I clicked on it then the options that followed
(CurrentVersion, then Explorer, then Browser Helper Objects). The right side of the page
remained blank unless I clicked on the words directly. It made no difference which of the
words (other than Computer which had no effect). They all produced the same response
on the screen's right side. And when I clicked on Default nothing happened.







So here are my next questions:
“Where is Windows NT hiding?” or most importantly
“How do I get to a place where I can edit the registry keys?”


HELP! Further guidance is needed.




After a few hours sleep my brain is starting to function a bit more. It dawned on me,
I should be looking for hidden files. So did a search of the Help files and followed that advice.
I went to Folder Options>View and under Advanced Settings:
clicked Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
I also deselected the Hide extensions for known file types and the
Hide protected operating system files buttons.
Pressed the Apply button then the OK button. I even restarted the computer.
Then back into RegEdit.... No Change, still no Windows NT.
Everything just the same as before. Things are getting desperate.
I don't have very much hair on my head to pull out.


Is the fact that the computer is now operating with reduced functionality
having an effect on all this?

You missed Microsoft and jumped to Windows.

Before proceeding set a System Restore Point - Create and back up your files.

Take your time and ask back any questions. It is a great learning experience.

Remember the changes have to appear exactly as typed.