Is there a downside to upgrading Windows 10 Pro to Enterprise?

[Kubla]

Just curious; I was browsing a certain major bidding site for Windows 10 Home upgrade for my Dads Windows 7 computer when I found the enterprise versions for sale pretty cheap.

It looks like you get the applocker, app control, and an upgraded version of windows defender according to this: Compare Windows 10 editions

I also remember reading a while back that the enterprise version does not get the telemetry stuff.

The only downside I remember reading about was you can't downgrade back to Pro once you upgrade to enterprise.

Any other downsides?

 

[Lightning_Brian]

Legal?...I'd question how your getting a enterprise license - don't think that would be "legal". If it is please let me know, because whoever may be selling it is breaking terms with many agreements. Just a FYI. If I'm wrong - someone - please correct me!

Stay on the right side of the law. You don't want people hunting for you.

Now let us say everything is a'ok... Slim to none for the chance here, but there aren't any "downsides" that I could think of other than everything being not legal.

~Brian

 

[Kubla]

Just browse Ebay the only thing i can think of is people are buying bulk licenses then reselling them individually at a profit.

 

[509322]

Just browse Ebay the only thing i can think of is people are buying bulk licenses then reselling then individually at a profit.

Enterprise and Education licenses are not retail licenses for re-sale. Transactions on eBay are illegal for both the seller and the buyer. And Microsoft often deactivates such licenses not long after the buyer activates them - if you can activate it at all.

The sellers are probably people who have purchased a Microsoft Visual Studio account illegally selling the license keys. It is a well-known illegal practice.

The proper upgrade path from Windows Home is to Pro.

Unless you are a "power" user, then upgrading from Home to Pro won't be very worthwhile. The features that a Pro Windows license adds are for advanced users.

 

[Marko :)]

Enterprise does not receive frequent updates. If I remember right, it gets updated twice a year. That is a major minus, as far as security is concerned. It's good for businesses with custom software that gets trashed by Windows updates. But it's bad for home users.

As far as I know, Enterprise version gets updates like any other version of Windows 10. You're talking about Enterprise LTSB version, which gets only security updates, while feature updates are released every two or three years.

 

[shmu26]

As far as I know, Enterprise version gets updates like any other version of Windows 10. You're talking about Enterprise LTSB version, which gets only security updates, while feature updates are released every two or three years.

Thanks for the correction. I was thinking of the ability to delay updates, which businesses like to do, but if you want the updates, you can get them also on Enterprise.
Quick guide to Windows as a service (Windows 10)

• Quality updates deliver both security and non-security fixes. They are typically released on the second Tuesday of each month ("Patch Tuesday"), though they can be released at any time. Quality updates include security updates, critical updates, servicing stack updates, and driver updates. Quality updates are cumulative, so installing the latest quality update is sufficient to get all the available fixes for a specific Windows 10 feature update. The "servicing stack" is the code that installs other updates, so they are important to keep current. For more information, see Servicing stack updates.

 

[Ink]

Stick to Windows 10 Pro.

If you have a Windows 8.1 Pro license, you may be able to use that for Windows 10 Home to Pro upgrade.

 

[Al-Faqir]

Stick to Windows 10 Pro.

If you have a Windows 8.1 Pro license, you may be able to use that for Windows 10 Home to Pro upgrade.

How so? I have a windows 8.1 pro key and I have not used it yet.

 

[Ink]

How so? I have a windows 8.1 pro key and I have not used it yet.

With a valid, genuine license key: Open Settings > Update & Security > Activation > Change product key (under Update product key).

 

[Al-Faqir]

With a valid, genuine license key: Open Settings > Update & Security > Activation > Change product key (under Update product key).

I cannot thank you enough. I was just going to buy Win 10 pro key. I have activated the Pro version using my 8.1 product key. Does this key have any limitations?

 

[Ink]

Does this key have any limitations?

Only Hardware changes.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/12440/windows-10-activation
Tutorial - Keep your FREE Windows 10 Digital Entitlement License after a Hardware Change (Recommended)

 

[Kubla]

Enterprise and Education licenses are not retail licenses for re-sale. Transactions on eBay are illegal for both the seller and the buyer. And Microsoft often deactivates such licenses not long after the buyer activates them - if you can activate it at all.

The sellers are probably people who have purchased a Microsoft Visual Studio account illegally selling the license keys. It is a well-known illegal practice.

The proper upgrade path from Windows Home is to Pro.

Unless you are a "power" user, then upgrading from Home to Pro won't be very worthwhile. The features that a Pro Windows license adds are for advanced users.

It is tempting buy one and upgrade just to test out the Applocker, the Windows Defender ATP and not get the telemetry stuff, but you are right the risk is probably not worth the reward here.

 

[overdivine]

you can't test windows defender ATP

No subscriptions found
Before you can start using Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, you need to subscribe to the service.
See Windows Defender ATP product site or contact your Microsoft account team for information.

 

[Kubla]

you can't test windows defender ATP

No subscriptions found
Before you can start using Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, you need to subscribe to the service.
See Windows Defender ATP product site or contact your Microsoft account team for information.

It is listed as part of the Enterprise version on link in the OP however it looks like it could be tested on Pro with the trial from your link.

I might try and see if I can test it out that way, thanks!

 

[509322]

It is tempting buy one and upgrade just to test out the Applocker, the Windows Defender ATP and not get the telemetry stuff, but you are right the risk is probably not worth the reward here.

Windows ATP is not included with Enterprise by default; you have to pay a separate license\subscription fee. You can trial it.

Enterprise is full of telemetry, just like Home. It can be managed via various settings.

 

[Kubla]

Windows ATP is not included with Enterprise by default; you have to pay a separate license\subscription fee. You can trial it.

Enterprise is full of telemetry, just like Home. It can be managed via various settings.

I could have sworn I read some place that it was not in the enterprise version because it is used or corporate systems, guess I was mistaken.

 

[509322]

I could have sworn I read some place that it was not in the enterprise version because it is used or corporate systems, guess I was mistaken.

Windows 10 Enterprise: Updates and the Telemetry trap | Born's Tech and Windows World

softScheck

You can modify Windows 10 Enterprise telemetry, but it isn't simply a matter of checking a tick box or selecting a radio button. It involves "IT Pro" stuff. If you disable telemetry using Level 0, then you will not get Windows Updates. Level 0 is for organizations that are using their own standalone Windows Update server = where they are downloading the updates from Microsoft and then pushing the updates to the clients (endpoints).

 

[Deleted Member 3a5v73x]

You can modify Windows 10 Enterprise telemetry, but it isn't simply a matter of checking a tick box or selecting a radio button. It involves IT Pro stuff. If you disable telemetry using Level 0, then you will not get Windows Updates. Level 0 is for organizations that are using their own standalone Windows Update server = where they are downloading the updates from Microsoft and then pushing the updates to the clients (endpoints).

I have Education and have set to 0. I recieve cumulative updates just fine.

 

[509322]

I have Education and have set to 0. I recieve cumulative updates just fine.

Unless Microsoft changed something without telling us (like they usually do...), Level 0 results in only security updates. You might have it set to 0, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is working as intended.

Windows 10 Enterprise: Does setting telemetry to zero disable cumulative updates? @ AskWoody

Microsoft official documentation:

Security level

The Security level gathers only the diagnostic data info that is required to keep Windows devices, Windows Server, and guests protected with the latest security updates. This level is only available on Windows Server 2016, Windows 10 Enterprise, Windows 10 Education, Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise, and Windows IoT Core editions.

Note

If your organization relies on Windows Update for updates, you shouldn’t use the Security level. Because no Windows Update information is gathered at this level, important information about update failures is not sent. Microsoft uses this information to fix the causes of those failures and improve the quality of our updates.

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) and System Center Configuration Manager functionality is not affected at this level, nor is diagnostic data data about Windows Server features or System Center gathered.

 

[DeepWeb]

As someone who has Windows 10 Enterprise, it's exactly what I thought: Microsoft selling an overpriced version of what they already have to business. It's Windows 10 Pro wrapped up with a few bells that you will never ever use because they are buggy and slow your computer down (Credential Guard, HVCI and Windows Defender Application Guard comes to mind). You won't get Windows Defender ATP, that costs extra. So other than those 3 features it's exactly like Windows 10 Pro. Don't even bother. Like many others have already said, the Enterprise licenses on ebay are breaking terms of condition. Eventually Microsoft will come after everyone and just deactivate those licenses for good.

tl:dr Windows 10 Enterprise is an over-glorified Windows 10 Pro. You can enable all of Enterprise's features in Group Policy of Pro already.