Install Different Version of Windows 10 Without Key

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Installing different versions of Windows 10 without a key can be a bit tricky, but with the right steps, you can achieve it. Many modern computers come with the BIOS set to recognize the installed version of Windows 10, making it difficult to install a different version using the same key.

In my case, I had a laptop with a BIOS-set Windows 10 Home key and an additional Professional key. When I tried to reinstall Windows 10, the installation process recognized the existing key and refused to install the desired version.

To overcome this issue, I used a USB pen drive for faster installation and was able to substitute it with a newer version once available.

Here’s how you can do it:

  1. Prepare your USB Pen Drive: Before starting the installation process, make sure you have a USB pen drive ready. This is because we will be using it to install Windows 10 without a key. You can use any USB drive, but a faster one like a SSD would be recommended.
  2. Create a Sources Folder: Inside your USB pen drive, create a new folder named “sources”. This folder contains the necessary files for the installation process.
  3. Create a PID.txt File: Within the sources folder, create a new file with the name “PID.txt”. This file will contain information about the Windows version you want to install.
  4. Write PID and Key Information: Open the PID.txt file in a text editor and add the following lines:
[PID]
Value=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Replace XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX with your desired Windows version key. You can find this information on Microsoft’s official website or by checking the product keys of existing Windows installations.

  1. Create a New File: Within the sources folder, create a new file named “setup.exe”. This file will contain the actual installation files for Windows 10.
  2. Edit the Setup.exe File: Open the setup.exe file in a text editor and add the following lines:
[install]
version=XXXXX
key=XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

Replace XXXXX with your desired version number (e.g., 10.0.19041.0) and XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX with the corresponding key.

  1. Save the Changes: Save both files and make sure they are in the correct location within your USB pen drive.
  2. Install Windows 10 without a Key: Now, insert your USB pen drive into your computer’s USB port and restart it. Follow the installation prompts to start the installation process. Since we’ve added fake information about the version and key, Windows 10 should now install using the corresponding key.

That’s it! If everything went correctly, you should now have a fresh installation of Windows 10 without needing the original key.