Activate Windows notice

I purchased a Surface Pro, 11th edition from a reputable supplier, but continue to receive the notice that Windows is not Activated.
It came installed with Windows 11 Home, but some things like Teams and obtaining bitlocker recovery key didn't seem to work right.
I thought it was about deficiencies in the Home edition, so went online to MS and purchased an upgrade for $99 Windows 10/11 Pro.
I thought I'd ordered a digital version and so tried to install an updated version. But it looks like I accidentally hit Enterprise instead.
Since then I have been seeing the Activate Windows notice on my screens, and when I check Activation status it reports Windows is not activated.
Does this mean that I'm still running Windows Home? Do I need to factory reset to get the machine back to default? Afraid to do that since the device did not come with a Windows key and I am unable to retrieve it using the cmd prompt run as Admin: wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey (which seems to suggest Enterprise is installed, right?) Anyway, it's a mess. I don't seem to have my purchased version of the upgrade available digitally. I am waiting to see if it shows up physically at my home. But in the meantime, can someone tell me
1) if I'm currently running Home
2) if so, when my upgrade disc shows up, do I just try to install it?
3) if not, do I need to somehow uninstall the Enterprise version? Uncomfortable doing that since I don't have the Home Product key. In such case would a factor reset be successful?
Thanks.

Bar said:

I purchased a Surface Pro

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New?

Bar said:

from a reputable supplier

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By whose definition?

Bar said:

and obtaining bitlocker recovery key didn't seem to work right.

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To activate Bitlocker or to de-activate?

Bar said:

Does this mean that I'm still running Windows Home?

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Start > Settings > System > About

Bar said:

2) if so, when my upgrade disc shows up, do I just try to install it?

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For my upgrades Home > Pro have been done digitally only after logging to my user account email used to purchase the Pro edition. Can't be done with a local account, but after Windows login upgrade to Pro, user can then manually remove Windows account and revert to local account

First of all, see what is installed.
Run winver to see the version and build. Post it here.

Windows 11 Version 24H2 (OS Build 26200.4946
The Windows 11 Enterprise Operating system and its user interface....etc.

How can it be installed, but not activated?
I am, after all, using this machine more or less successfully.

Bar said:

How can it be installed, but not activated?
I am, after all, using this machine more or less successfully.

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You can use non-activated versions of Windows more or less successfully minus a few features. This is common knowledge. However, an Enterprise key was not made to activate Windows Home Edition. The way to use that key correctly is to apply it to a newly installed Enterprise Edition. One option would be to purchase another digital key for your Home Edition and run with dual boot. Get an inexpensive key for your H.E. You really shouldn't have to pay more than 20 bucks for it. Another option would be to simply let H.E. run keyless while you enjoy the benefits of an Enterprise Edition on a separate OS.

Unfortunately, I don't have access to either the Enterprise Key or the Home Edition Key that came pre-installed, and I cannot extract either using the command line (apparently). And I've purchased an upgrade for Home Edition to Windows Pro 10/11 (which I hope will work). Given these circumstances, what would you do?

FYI this machine is under warranty

If you purchased a PC with Windows Enterprise then it would not be pre-activated as the expectation would be that you would 'self-activate' through an existing business volume license.

Windows 11 does operate without activation but with limitations, the most obvious being that most of the personalisation options won't work until the installation is activated.

I believe you should contact the seller and discuss the issue with them. Basically, you need a clean installation of Windows Home/Pro., not Enterprise which is only intended for use in 'large' organisations which purchase volume licences from Microsoft.

Bar said:

Unfortunately, I don't have access to either the Enterprise Key or the Home Edition Key that came pre-installed, and I cannot extract either using the command line (apparently). And I've purchased an upgrade for Home Edition to Windows Pro 10/11 (which I hope will work). Given these circumstances, what would you do?

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Depending on my experience I would clone that drive and factory reset the whole thing. There is a setting somewhere when you are first setting up that allows you to let the machine find your key. The unit must be connected to the internet, I believe, so that MS can validate but it will find your key. At least that has been my experience. The reason I suggest a factory reset is because you should already have a record of the Enterprise key you purchased. IF the factory reset fails then take it back to the retailer for warranty service.

idgat said:

To activate Bitlocker or to de-activate?

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Recovery key is not used for either.

This may be of some help:

Thanks, everyone! You've been great. Am going to try a factory reset.