Get Windows Enterprise...for home use?

J

jyi786

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Messages
5,758
I was wondering if this is even possible. Even if I wanted to upgrade all my PCs at home to the enterprise version, Microsoft doesn't seem to give me a mechanism to do that; it's very convoluted.

Probably really not applicable, but I was just curious. :D
 
Enterprise is the same as Pro, with KMS activation required (instead of product keys).
If you don't have a KMS server (which I assume you don't), then you won't be able to activate it.
If you don't mind running without it being activated/registered, you can certainly do it.
 
You can have MAK keys for Enterprise licensing. KMS is not required, depending on how you purchase licensing.
 
If I ever get Windows 10, I'll thoroughly investigate this option first. Would be nice to know exactly how to license it, if I only want a single digit number of licenses.
 
ajm786 said:
I was wondering if this is even possible. Even if I wanted to upgrade all my PCs at home to the enterprise version, Microsoft doesn't seem to give me a mechanism to do that; it's very convoluted.

Probably really not applicable, but I was just curious. :D
Click to expand...

You don't "upgrade to" Enterprise. Enterprise is a completely separate branch. You only buy Enterprise (in some minimal license allocation).
 
SuperSubZero said:
You don't "upgrade to" Enterprise. Enterprise is a completely separate branch. You only buy Enterprise (in some minimal license allocation).
Click to expand...

Ok, shouldn't have used the word "upgrade", because I really didn't mean that. I meant to say, if I wanted to buy Enterprise versions of Windows for all my devices instead of just regular Pro.
 
SuperSubZero said:
You don't "upgrade to" Enterprise. Enterprise is a completely separate branch. You only buy Enterprise (in some minimal license allocation).
Click to expand...

This right here. No point in using ENT unless you plan on doing VDI, applocker, direct access or branch cache. Most home users dont have an AD server let alone the rest of what is needed to make any of of the extra features useful.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/WindowsForBusiness/Compare
 
ajm786 said:
Ok, shouldn't have used the word "upgrade", because I really didn't mean that. I meant to say, if I wanted to buy Enterprise versions of Windows for all my devices instead of just regular Pro.
Click to expand...

You need a volume licensing agreement.

Again, why would you want ent over pro?


As a side note, you would think that after 15 years in IT, I could spell licensing reliably... nope.
 
schizrade said:
You need a volume licensing agreement.

Again, why would you want ent over pro?

As a side note, you would think that after 15 years in IT, I could spell licensing reliably... nope.
Click to expand...

Merely curious, that's all. :D

SuperSubZero said:
You don't buy it from Microsoft, oddly enough. You would go through a certified Microsoft reseller.

http://pinpoint.microsoft.com/compa...plink_USLicense_Home_2_LicenseSpecilization&q
Click to expand...

I was wondering if that would ever change. It seems more like maybe they'd want to do this with a model like Office 365. To me, it feels like they are still sticking with the old model which is applicable only to selling actual, physical media and licenses (ask me how, I used to do it for a living about 10+ years ago).
 
zero2dash said:
Enterprise is the same as Pro, with KMS activation required (instead of product keys).
If you don't have a KMS server (which I assume you don't), then you won't be able to activate it.
If you don't mind running without it being activated/registered, you can certainly do it.
Click to expand...

Enterprise is not the same as Pro and you don't need a KMS server. Enterprise has a few features that differ from pro. Some weird ones you wouldn't expect either. An example of this is that in windows 7 enterprise supported a higher max resolution in RDP. I'm not sure if that is the same or not in 10 but you have some other features.

SuperSubZero said:
You don't "upgrade to" Enterprise. Enterprise is a completely separate branch. You only buy Enterprise (in some minimal license allocation).
Click to expand...

You kinda do. For desktops the windows enterprise is an upgrade license. You need the machine to be stickered for windows to install it. The server versions don't have this requirement.

As others have said OP you just need to go through a volume license reseller to buy them. You have to buy 5 licenses for a volume license order. They can be mixed though. If I look at my volume licensing account I think I have a bunch of MS math licenses for example from times I needed to do an order for something and they were the cheapest things.
 
I run W10-Enterprise at home as my main OS. I can configure it better to run in my VM domain than I can Windows 10 Home/Pro. I do have an MSDN account as well.
 
One thing I did find advantageous for Enterprise is that because Captain Kirk edition work in a completely different realm compared to all other editions, Win 7 doesn't nag me about Win 10 upgrade because they are not eligible for that upgrade, we need a completely separate license for Win 10 Captain kirk edition.

That being said, some websites have stated that Win 10 Enterprise can completely shut off telemetry data collection, but I have not figured how/where to do that, as it still only gives me an option of sending Basic, Normal or Advanced data to MS without an option to switch it off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top