Now that the big November Update has been released and Microsoft is letting users activate their Windows 10 installation using Windows 7/8.1 key, a significant percent of Windows 10 users downloading fresh ISOs (which now includes November Updates) and performing clean install of Windows 10 from ISO or USB.
To help users easily download ISO images of Windows 10, an official tool called Media Creation Tool is available ever since the release of Windows 10, and the ISO that you download using Media Creation Tool now includes November Update.
While the procedure to download Windows 10 ISO using the Media Creation tool is pretty much the same, many users who have used the Media Creation Tool over the past few days have been reporting that there is no option to download the Windows 10 Pro edition.
That is, the screen where you are asked to select the edition of Windows 10 that you want to download doesn’t list the Windows 10 Pro edition. The list shows only Windows 10 and Windows 10 N editions, and there is no mention of Windows 10 Pro.
Well, the fact is that the Windows 10 ISO that you download using Media Creation Tool includes both Home as well as Pro, meaning Microsoft is no longer offering separate ISOs for Home and Pro editions.
When you create a bootable USB of Windows 10 using the ISO and attempt to install Windows 10 from it, the setup of Windows 10 automatically checks your BIOS/UEFI for embedded product key (if available), and installs the right version based on its findings. And when you are installing Windows 10 on a new PC or on a PC without the embedded product key, it displays the prompt asking you to select the edition of Windows 10 that you would like to install.
In simple words, for instance, if you had previously activated Windows 10 Home edition on the PC, when you run the setup of Windows 10, it automatically installs the Home edition without allowing you to select the edition.
If you want see the edition selection screen while installing Windows 10 on a PC which includes the product key in the BIOS, you need to edit the ISO file to include ei.cfg file or add ei.cfg file the bootable USB.
Follow the directions in Method 1 to add ei.cfg file to the bootable USB and follow Method 2 to include ei.cfg file in the bootable ISO of Windows 10.
Method 1
Add ei.cfg to bootable USB to see the edition selection screen
Step 1: Create the bootable USB of Windows 10 either using Rufus, Media Creation Tool, or any other software. To create the same using Command Prompt, please refer to our how to install Windows 10 from USB guide.
Step 2: Once the bootable USB of Windows 10 is ready, open This PC, double-click on the USB drive icon to open up the same.
Step 3: Open up Sources folder, download ei.cfg ZIP file by clicking here, extract the ZIP file to get ei.cfg file, and place it in the Sources folder.
NOTE: You can open the downloaded ei.cfg file with Notepad to see what it includes. Following the is picture of the same.
That’s all. You can now boot from the USB drive to see the edition selection screen as shown below.
Method 2
Add ei.cfg file to bootable Windows 10 ISO
If you plan to reinstall or perform a clean install of Windows 10 from an ISO image file instead of bootable USB/DVD, you can do so by following step-by-step instructions given below.
Step 1: We need to extract the contents of the ISO file to the newly created Install Files using 7-Zip (free), WinRAR or any other tool. We are using the free 7-Zip in this guide.
Step 2: Navigate to the folder containing Windows 10 ISO image, right-click on it, click 7-Zip, click Extract files, select a location with at least 5 GB of disk space. When you extract the file, 7-Zip will create a new folder and will name it after your ISO file name.
7-Zip might take a couple minutes to complete the extraction job. Once done, proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Download ei.cfg ZIP file by clicking here, extract the ZIP file to get ei.cfg file, open up the Windows 10 folder containing extracted ISO file contents, open up the Sources folder, and then place the ei.cfg file under Sources folder as shown in the picture below.
Step 4: Next, to create a bootable ISO image of Windows 10 containing this newly added ei.cfg file, please follow the instructions in our how to create bootable 10 ISO of Windows from files/folders guide for step-by-step instructions.
NOTE: Some paid software like UltraISO and MagicISO allow you edit the bootable ISO without having to extract it. If you feel that this method is tiresome, simply download the ei.cfg file from the link mentioned above and place it in the Sources folder of the ISO file using one of these paid software. Our how to add files to bootable Windows ISO image guide might also you.
Louis Wu says
Thanks. Worked for me. PC last owner had Home, this allowed me to install new Pro.
Sam says
Really great thing
Trying since last few days bro
Keep it up
Thanking says
Thanks, that works
Dave says
Thanks!!! Been fighting this for 2 days. Simple fix & it works great..
Anthony says
@m85 I feel the same way, Microsoft (Dumbsoft) has made me HATE Windows 10 for the same reason plus others, like working on a project and suddenly BAM the computer restarts and says it’s updating!!! No warning nothing it just shut down while you’re working!!!
Then update 1705 came in and the laptop started playing up with many problems!
Going the pirate way because Microsoft has pushed that way even so I paid their “forced” garbage with the laptop anyways!
m85 says
Yea, this is such bs, Microsoft could have very easily add override button and forced version select, they honestly want everyone into HOME version and be a sheep for automatic updates?
I do want to keep my computer up to date, but only when i want it to! I am gamer, i dont want it to do anything on the background when i want 100% performance, so automatic updates are bull.
There is no reason they could not give us the very same button they have given in every previous windows updates.
Most laptops do come preinstall with HOME, and then these issues will happen…
If you have activated youre keycode once, and lets say youre ssd brakes up that has the oem on it, you aint gonna buy whole new computer, you just wana buy that new ssd on it and reinstall everything, yea?
If it does not recognise youre already once activated keycode, then this might work: install it offline (unplug youre internet connections), so it wont try to activate it, gotta do this via phone, atleast you have been able to do this on every past versions.
Thierry says
Very good guide. worked perfectly
ned dalari says
Worked Like a Charm. Thanks for you efforts.
GANGA says
Thank you so much.. I struggled for whole day for getting option pro.. Finally with your tip, i was able to solve the issue.. thank u..
Guillermo says
This just worked for me. A simple fix to a very frustrating issue.
Thank you very much indeed.
mkcar says
Windows 10 Download automatically recognises what edition you need when installing it on your computer. Seeing as if you already upgraded or installed windows 10 previously. There is no need for the ei.cfg file.
Windows 10 is activated digitally and assigns to the computer and edition you qualified for or purchased.
Jahn says
This worked for me. Ran factory install on brand new HP Envy. Discovered it had Win 10 Home which was activated. So ran Media Creation Tool to make a bootable USB stick. Ran that and still Win 10 Home was installed. Found this webpage, added the sources\ei.cfg to the USB stick. Re-ran the install and was prompted to select a version. Selected Win 10 Pro. After install, Win 10 Pro was installed but not activated. Entered our customer’s volume license key and activated. Now I can add it to the domain, unlike that pesky Win 10 Home version. We mostly purchase new computers with Win 10 Pro. Glad to have this workaround when a customer buys a Win 10 Home computer and needs to add it to their company domain.
Barry says
Just excellent. Has worked a treat and saved me a bucket of time. Thanks gang.
Todd says
Is this supposed to then make tis into a 32bit and 64 bit installer. For me it didn’t seem to change my USB at all as I was still offered Windows 10 Pro, Home, Home Single Language, and Windows 10 Education (all 64bit). This are the same options I was offered before I added the ei.cfg. Like the other comment I to was using the latest Windows 10 installer from Microsoft (July 2016)
Alan says
This didn’t work for me with latest build as of June 2016 of windows 10.
I added the ei.cfg to the sources folder but I’m never prompted for the HOME or PRO question