sync: auto-sync from HOWARD-HOME at 2026-06-25 21:48:38

Author: Howard Enos
Machine: HOWARD-HOME
Timestamp: 2026-06-25 21:48:38

clients/cascades-tucson/session-logs/2026-06/2026-06-25-howard-home-to-pro-upgrades.md

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+## User
+- **User:** Howard Enos (howard)
+- **Machine:** Howard-Home
+- **Role:** tech
+
+## Session Summary
+
+Resumed the paused Cascades of Tucson Windows Home -> Pro upgrade workstream (prereq for
+domain-joining the remaining staff PCs; Windows Home cannot domain-join). Started by loading
+context from the wiki, `REMAINING-WORK-PLAN.md`, and the `feedback_windows_pro_upgrade_billing`
+memory, then ran a live RMM status check on the 5 target Home machines. Of the five
+(LAPTOP-8P7HDSEI, MDIRECTOR-PC, MEMRECEPT-PC, NurseAssist, SALES4-PC), three were online,
+NurseAssist was offline (and flagged as a possible duplicate of Assistnurse-pc), and SALES4-PC
+was offline and bypassed per the decision to repurpose Tamra's departing machine.
+
+Per Howard's direction, ran the edition upgrade using the generic public Pro key first to verify
+the process before consuming a MAK count. Confirmed all three online boxes were `EditionID=Core`
+(Home) with no logged-on users, then dispatched `changepk.exe /productkey VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T`
+via RMM. As SYSTEM, changepk flips the edition in-place without auto-rebooting, which left the
+registry EditionID and the licensing service out of sync. A single reboot per machine reconciled
+them: all three came back reading Professional. MDIRECTOR-PC self-activated as genuine Pro via a
+built-in digital entitlement (no MAK, no charge). The other two needed activation.
+
+Applied the ACG MAK to MEMRECEPT-PC and LAPTOP-8P7HDSEI (`slmgr /ipk` + `/ato`). Discovered the
+ACG MAK is actually a Windows Pro *for Workstations* MAK — `/ipk` retargets the edition to
+ProfessionalWorkstation (a higher SKU, fine for domain join). LAPTOP-8P7HDSEI activated; MEMRECEPT-PC
+hit a transient `0x8004FE92` on first `/ato` and activated on retry. Both Licensed via VOLUME_MAK.
+
+Created Syncro ticket #32466 under Cascades, added a customer-visible work note, created a reusable
+taxable "Windows Pro Upgrade" product ($99), and invoiced: 2x $99 keys (MEMRECEPT-PC, LAPTOP-8P7HDSEI,
+machine named per line) plus 1.0h remote labor. Cascades has a 47.75h prepaid block, so the labor
+auto-deducted ($0 on the invoice, block -> 46.75); invoice total $215.23 with AZ tax on the keys.
+MDIRECTOR-PC was not billed (free digital activation).
+
+## Key Decisions
+
+- Generic Pro key first, MAK second — verify the edition flip works before consuming/billing a MAK
+  count (Howard's explicit instruction).
+- Did the upgrades remotely via RMM rather than waiting for the onsite batch, since no users were
+  logged in (~8:45 PM Tucson) so the reboots were non-disruptive.
+- Rebooted to reconcile the half-applied edition state (changepk as SYSTEM does not auto-reboot;
+  registry vs licensing diverge until a reboot).
+- MDIRECTOR-PC self-activated free via digital entitlement -> NOT billed (billing rule keys $99 to
+  MAK usage, which was not consumed for that machine).
+- Created a dedicated taxable "Windows Pro Upgrade" Syncro product (id 23571919, $99) for clean
+  QuickBooks mapping and reuse on future Home->Pro billing; taxable to match ACG's other license
+  products (Howard confirmed).
+- 1.0h remote labor drawn from the Cascades prepaid block (standard behavior for a block customer).
+
+## Problems Encountered
+
+- First changepk dispatch failed before running: doubled single-quotes around a PowerShell registry
+  path inside a single-quoted bash `$SCRIPT` collapsed the string, leaving the "Windows NT" path
+  unquoted; `$ErrorActionPreference="Stop"` aborted on line 1, so changepk never executed (machines
+  untouched). Fixed by using double-quotes for paths inside the single-quoted bash script. Logged to
+  errorlog as --friction (ref feedback_windows_quote_stripping).
+- MEMRECEPT-PC `/ato` transient `0x8004FE92` on first attempt -> succeeded on retry (ancient Pentium
+  box on a 100 Mbps NIC; likely a momentary reach to the activation server).
+- LAPTOP-8P7HDSEI briefly reported `EditionID=Enterprise` mid-transition; self-resolved to Professional
+  after the reboot.
+
+## Configuration Changes
+
+- Modified: `clients/cascades-tucson/docs/REMAINING-WORK-PLAN.md` — recorded the 3 boxes upgraded to
+  Pro (process, results, billing) and that NurseAssist/SALES4-PC remain pending.
+- Modified: `.claude/memory/feedback_windows_pro_upgrade_billing.md` — MAK is Pro-for-Workstations;
+  the working remote flow; per-machine activation status; invoiced status (#32466).
+- Appended: `errorlog.md` — bash/PowerShell quoting friction entry.
+- Created (in Syncro, not repo): Windows Pro Upgrade product, ticket #32466, invoice #1650806091.
+
+## Credentials & Secrets
+
+- ACG Windows Pro (for Workstations) MAK: vault `infrastructure/windows-pro-mak.sops.yaml`, field
+  `credentials.product_key`. Used `/ipk` + `/ato` on MEMRECEPT-PC and LAPTOP-8P7HDSEI (2 counts
+  consumed). No new secrets created. Generic public Pro key (not secret): VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T.
+
+## Infrastructure & Servers
+
+- GuruRMM: http://172.16.3.30:3001. Cascades agent IDs — MDIRECTOR-PC 6b7990aa-edad-41c7-8f2d-5efdcaa41046,
+  MEMRECEPT-PC e93ac0b6-c593-4fa2-b1f7-56ebf3816efb, LAPTOP-8P7HDSEI d8e9502f-7061-4574-8cc3-a84f60bb3471,
+  NurseAssist fc88f14b-06eb-47ac-b9e6-971c44d700ba (offline), SALES4-PC 975f70d8-cd6d-45d7-9da1-6ce2f1ae59ab (offline).
+- Syncro: Cascades of Tucson customer_id 20149445; prepay block 47.75 -> 46.75 hrs.
+
+## Commands & Outputs
+
+- Edition flip (per machine, as SYSTEM): `changepk.exe /productkey VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T`
+  -> EditionID Core->Professional, exitcode 0, no auto-reboot. Reboot once to sync registry+licensing.
+- Activation: `cscript //nologo slmgr.vbs /ipk <MAK>` then `/ato`; retry `/ato` if `0x8004FE92`.
+  Verify with `/dli` (License Status: Licensed, VOLUME_MAK).
+- Trust `EditionID` over `ProductName` (ProductName reads "Windows 10 Home" on Win11 boxes - stale).
+
+## Pending / Incomplete Tasks
+
+- Domain-join the 3 now-Pro boxes (MDIRECTOR-PC, MEMRECEPT-PC, LAPTOP-8P7HDSEI) into cascades.local
+  -> dept OUs -> drives. Deferred to tomorrow (Howard).
+- NurseAssist: offline; verify it is a real distinct machine vs a duplicate of Assistnurse-pc before
+  upgrading/joining.
+- SALES4-PC: bypassed (Tamra departing); decide repurpose vs upgrade.
+- Broader Cascades migration workstreams continue per REMAINING-WORK-PLAN.md.
+
+## Reference Information
+
+- Syncro ticket #32466 (id 113090740): https://computerguru.syncromsp.com/tickets/113090740
+- Invoice #1650806091 — total $215.23 (2x $99 keys + AZ tax; 1.0h labor applied to block).
+- Syncro product "Windows Pro Upgrade" id 23571919 ($99, taxable).
+- Generic Pro key: VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T (edition flip only, does not activate).