Windows 10 N Enterprise LTSB 2016 (v1607) upgrade

Have you have record that the person who built it has paid for Software Assurance (SA)?


Windows Enterprise without SA allows the customer to deploy a point-in-time LTSB release, or previous ones (downgrade rights in other words) and for that release to still be supported for 5 years.

Windows Enterprise edition is available with or without software assurance.
Windows Enterprise without SA allows the customer to deploy a point-in-time LTSB release, or previous ones (downgrade rights in other words) and for that release to still be supported for 5 years. Windows Enterprise edition with SA also gives customers the rights to new LTSB release when they become available (every 2-3 years). They can choose whether to install new releases or not. SA also means the customer gains extended support so their chosen release will be supported for 10 years.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/blogs/uktechnet/windows-10-licensing-logic

You might not be able to, but you can try the following:

1. Open Registry Editor(WIN + R, type regedit, hit Enter)
2. Browse to key HKEY_Local Machine > Software > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion
3. Change EditionID to Pro (double click EditionID, change value, click OK). In your case it should at the moment show Enterprise
4. Change ProductName to Windows 10 Pro. In your case it should at the moment show Windows 10 Professional
5. Browse to key HKEY_Local Machine > Software > Wow6432Node > Microsoft > Windows NT > CurrentVersion, change the same two values as in steps 3 and 4 above
6. Close the Registry Editor
7. Insert the Windows 10 Pro installation media, do an in-place upgrade by launching the setup from desktop (not booting with Windows 10 Pro install media)
8. When asked, enter your valid Windows 10 Pro product key and select what to keep(settings, personal files and apps, only personal files or nothing)
9. Windows 10 Pro in-place upgrade will be done now.

This assumes you have a valid Windows 10 Pro key somewhere...
Back it up first before you muck around...
No guarantees on this, as I found it somewhere else a while back...

Jackie Man, no the user has no idea about software assurance.  He has no documentation from the builder (Just a guy working out of his house who is no longer in the area).  This is a residential computer for a retiree.

Scott, I will try that.  Will that require buying a new license of W10 Pro?

Windows 10 N Enterprise version is a special version and many core components are missing. You will end up in a mess for sure if you try to update it.

I just recently completed a project at work upgrading a bunch of Win10 Enterprise 2016 LTSB machines to 1903. I used an offline installer that was @ 3-4 gigs in size. Process takes a good 30-45 minutes per machine to complete.

You should be able to get the offline installer from the Microsoft Volume Licensing site, provided you have access to it.

Yes my solution would require a license...
But you could even buy a windows 7 retail license from somewhere like ebay if you can find one and get it pretty cheap...
It would activate 10

William, are you upgrading to 2019 LTSC or v1903 W10 Pro?
I have volume license access, but not for LTSB or LTSC downloads.  I was not responsible for this mess.

We had several dozen with Windows 10 2016 LTSB Enterprise and upgraded to 1903 Enterprise. OS Build 18362.1256

We had several dozen with Windows 10 2016 LTSB Enterprise and upgraded to 1903 Enterprise. OS Build 18362.1256

Poster said it was a private build by a "grey" builder, so he most likely has an invalid license anyway and no access to the legal update channel.

Ah, I didn't catch that. Some local yahoo selling pirated Windows. I used to deal with that at an old job a while back. Might be cheaper to just get something new. Otherwise you're buying a new license and putting a lot of time in loading and configuring on an old computer.

Well technically Windows 10 will run indefinitely unlicensed. You just can't customize the UI...
And Windows 7 keys still work if you have one...

Made the registry changes, and now I can get past the first block of the Upgrade media.  Now it fails during upgrade with 0xA0000400.  As far as I can tell by that error, it means not eligible for the upgrade.  I have tried old versions 1809 and it will not allow an update, informs me I MUST download and install the new media creation tool and make new media.  Also I tried to just type in the new Product Key for W10 Pro, but it tells me invalid Key.  It is a left over of mine, so I know it is legit.  It still shows as 2016 LTSB in System Properties.