---
name: reference_windows_edition_upgrade_rmm
description: Verified fleet procedure to upgrade a Windows machine Home->Pro/Pro-for-Workstations via RMM, with the three gotchas (DISM error 50, shutdown /t drop, PfW MAK auto-upgrade).
metadata:
  type: reference
---

Verified on ACG-Tech03L 2026-07-06 (Home 26200 -> Win 11 Pro for Workstations, permanently activated).

**Procedure (all steps as SYSTEM via `/rmm`, byte-exact via -EncodedCommand):**
1. Probe: EditionID/LicenseStatus (`.rmm-key-probe.ps1` pattern), confirm no logged-in user
   (`query user`) so a reboot is safe.
2. Flip edition: `changepk.exe /ProductKey VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T` (generic Pro key).
   Flips EditionID Core->Professional **live** (registry) + sets CBS RebootPending. exit 0.
3. Reboot to finalize (see gotcha #2).
4. Install MAK + activate: `slmgr /ipk <MAK>` then `slmgr /ato`; verify `slmgr /xpr` =
   "permanently activated" and WMI SoftwareLicensingProduct LicenseStatus=1.

**Gotcha 1 — DISM is a dead end for online edition change.** `DISM /online /Set-Edition:Professional`
returns **Error 50 "Setting an edition is not supported with online images"** even though
`/Get-TargetEditions` lists Professional. Use `changepk.exe`, not DISM, for online Home->Pro.

**Gotcha 2 — `shutdown /r /t N` is silently DROPPED in the SYSTEM service session.** The command
returns exit 0 but the box never reboots (verified twice on tech03l). Also `shutdown /c "comment"`
fails outright because the RMM->cmd.exe layer strips the quotes ([[feedback_windows_quote_stripping]]).
Reboot reliably with `Restart-Computer -Force` (encoded PS) or `shutdown /r /t 0 /f` (no comment).
NOTE: on a fast SSD the edition-upgrade reboot can be <30s of downtime — a 30s-interval last_seen
monitor can miss the gap entirely; confirm the reboot by `LastBootUpTime` advancing, not by catching
the offline window. `is_connected` is null fleet-wide — track `last_seen` age, never that flag.

**Gotcha 3 — the ACG MAK `infrastructure/windows-pro-mak` is a Pro-for-WORKSTATIONS MAK** (mislabeled
"Pro"). `slmgr /ipk` of it on a Professional machine AUTO-UPGRADES the edition to ProfessionalWorkstation
(a strict superset of Pro). If a client genuinely needs *plain* Pro, this key will over-shoot to PfW —
there is no plain-Pro MAK in the vault. Billing: each activation consumes one MAK count = $99 to the
customer (ACG-internal machines: no invoice, still burns a count).
