Upgrading from Windows 7 Home to Pro. Key is not "Anytime" key

Sunshineschool · 28 Aug 2013

Our school has a laptop that runs Windows 7 Home Edition. We are wanting to connect it to our domain, and can't without an upgrade. We purchased several Windows 7 Professional licenses earlier this year during an upgrade of our system. I right clicked on Computer and selected Properties. I clicked on the upgrade link. When I enter the key I get a message that the key is not an "anytime upgrade" key. Do I need to use the download Windows 7 Professional and install it, and then use the key. Or will I have to get a new key that is an "anytime" key?

NoelDP · 28 Aug 2013

What you probably have is an MSDNAA Key?
If so, then that can only be installed as a full upgrade, or a clean install.
This requires the use of the DVD, so you'll have to download it.
Before you do that - from where did you get the Keys, as most sources of Key-only licenses are counterfeits, so only legit MSDNAA sources would be legal.

Sunshineschool · 28 Aug 2013

My keys are located on the Microsoft Volume License Center as purchased through Tech Soup. There it shows my key type as MAK.

From the MVLC I can create an installation disk, and install from there. Would that work? That is how I have been installing all of our Microsoft Office products.

NoelDP · 28 Aug 2013

Yep - that'd work fine.
(Tech Soup is a reasonably good company - but they could really do with improving their customer information! I've had dealings with them about this type of issue before)