Upgrading Windows Editions with PowerShell and a MAK Key

Wesley EllisDec 11, 2024

Introduction

This PowerShell script facilitates the upgrade of Windows 11 Education to the Enterprise edition using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK). It automates the process of installing the MAK product key, activating Windows, and verifying the activation status.

Use Case

This script is valuable for:

Automating Upgrades: Simplifying the upgrade process for Windows 11 Education to Enterprise, reducing manual intervention.
Large-Scale Deployments: Enabling efficient upgrades across a large number of devices.
Centralized Management: Allowing administrators to manage Windows edition upgrades from a central location.

Script

PowerShell

# ---------------------------------------------
# Script: Upgrade-WindowsEdition.ps1
# Purpose: Upgrade Windows 11 Education to Enterprise using a MAK key
# ---------------------------------------------

# Define the Windows 11 Enterprise MAK product key
$enterpriseProductKey = "<Your MAK Key>" 

# Function to log messages
function Write-Log {
    param (
        [string]$Message
    )
    $timestamp = Get-Date -Format "yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss"
    $logPath = "C:\Windows\Temp\Upgrade-WindowsEdition.log"
    # Ensure the log directory exists
    if (-not (Test-Path -Path "C:\Windows\Temp")) {
        New-Item -Path "C:\Windows\Temp" -ItemType Directory -Force
    }
    Add-Content -Path $logPath -Value "$timestamp - $Message"
}

# Start the upgrade process
try {
    Write-Log "Starting Windows 11 Education to Enterprise upgrade using MAK key."

    # Install the Enterprise MAK product key
    Write-Log "Installing the Enterprise MAK product key."
    cscript C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk $enterpriseProductKey | Out-Null 

    # Activate Windows with the new MAK key
    Write-Log "Activating Windows with the Enterprise MAK product key."
    cscript C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato | Out-Null 

    # Verify activation status
    Write-Log "Verifying activation status."
    $activationStatus = (Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingProduct -Filter "LicenseStatus=1 AND PartialProductKey <> null").LicenseStatus 

    if ($activationStatus -eq 1) {
        Write-Log "Windows activated successfully with the Enterprise edition."
    } else {
        Write-Log "Windows activation failed. Please check the MAK product key and network connectivity."
        exit 1
    }

    # Restart the computer to apply changes
    Write-Log "Restarting the computer to apply changes."
    Restart-Computer -Force 
}
catch {
    Write-Log "An error occurred: $_"
    exit 1
}

Explanation

MAK Key: The script defines a variable to store the Windows 11 Enterprise MAK product key.
Logging Function: It includes a function Write-Log to record messages with timestamps in a log file.
Install Product Key: The script uses slmgr.vbs /ipk to install the MAK product key.
Activate Windows: It then uses slmgr.vbs /ato to activate Windows with the new key.
Verify Activation: The script checks the activation status using Get-CimInstance to ensure the upgrade was successful.
Restart Computer: Finally, it restarts the computer to apply the changes.
Error Handling: The script uses a try-catch block to handle potential errors during the upgrade process.

Outro

This script provides a streamlined method for upgrading Windows 11 Education to Enterprise using a MAK key. It can be integrated with other deployment tools or used independently to automate the upgrade process.