Hoping to get beyond the 25H2 Milestone with my ineligible CPU

I will be more valuable to the community if I create a thread of more widespread value, but I'm seeking some guidance for my particular situation.

I have all the hardware requirements for Windows 11 Pro but one: My CPU is Kaby Lake -- just short of MS's list of "eligibles" -- beginning with Coffee Lake.

I only needed to make a single registry hack for successful installation (repair-upgrade to Win 10 Pro) of Win 11 on this system. It has been running great. Totally stable; all software from "Keep Programs and Files" is working properly. I have had Windows Updates without problem through the cumulative update for 24H2 of August 12 -- KB 5063878. There seems to be some concern about this update in the community, but this interest seems focused on the recent story about certain models of SSDs. I have no problem there.

I had figured to wait until I could download an ISO based on version 25H2. My plan was then to prepare my current installation with the same registry hack (as might be needed but not certain of that). Then I would install the ISO after mounting it as virtual drive -- as a "repair-upgrade" to my current 24H2 version. Please comment or advise if this plan seems deficient.

I'm enrolled in the "Insider Program" "Dev" category. I've examined web-sites for "UUP Dump" and the MS site for Windows Insider Preview Downloads -- the later featuring ISO downloads for my particular case. But these downloads apparently are still in the category of "Preview" updates, and they are apparently not "final".

I want to get beyond this, knowing I should be patient and avoid any hurry. When will the final 25H2 be available? Do you think my approach to this is sound?

In the event that I have insurmountable difficulties moving forward with my Win 11 installations on two computers so far which have identical hardware, I have acquired motherboard and CPU items from EBay (new in shrink-wrap) to actually upgrade the hardware -- using my existing (at one time expensive) RAM kits -- which match the needs of ASUS Z590 motherboards for Rocket Lake CPUs. I really don't want to do this right away. Since I have a year's reprieve with the existing Windows 10 ESU on a third computer (daily-driver), I am laying groundwork to "take my time", and I hope that I can get past these Feature Updates (25H2) to buy more time.

As I said already, Win 11 Pro 24H2 is running great on two of these machines -- all three (as already explained) use the same hardware.

25H2 should be available in October and there will be no foreseeable problem with any system upgrading a 24H2 system.

what comes after that is any ones guess as Microsoft haven't stated what the requirements/restrictions are for Windows 12.

best of luck, Steve ..

XxXxX said:

25H2 should be available in October and there will be no foreseeable problem with any system upgrading a 24H2 system.

what comes after that is any ones guess as Microsoft haven't stated what the requirements/restrictions are for Windows 12.

best of luck, Steve ..

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Thanks -- thank you very much. I'll just keep my fingers crossed and be patient. After that, two years to replace the hardware. But as I said, it's working great now and hopefully for the foreseeable future!

UPDATE: Just checked my Settings->. . Windows Update. it is pulling in 10.0.26200.5761 "INsider Preview" as I speak. Sitting on pins and needles. This is going to be interesting. Need to check my Macrium backup disk to see what's there in case I have to do any "roll back". I'm very hopeful, though!

BonzaiDuck said:

I have all the hardware requirements for Windows 11 Pro but one: My CPU is Kaby Lake -- just short of MS's list of "eligibles" -- beginning with Coffee Lake. I only needed to make a single registry hack for successful installation (repair-upgrade to Win 10 Pro) of Win 11 on this system. It has been running great.....
....I had figured to wait until I could download an ISO based on version 25H2. My plan was then to prepare my current installation with the same registry hack (as might be needed but not certain of that). Then I would install the ISO after mounting it as virtual drive -- as a "repair-upgrade" to my current 24H2 version....

Click to expand...

The ISO method will be unnecessary. 24H2 and 25H2 share a common set of system files. By the time 25H2 is ready to be released (expected to be in October) the 25H2 features will already be in the 24H2 code, but in a dormant state.

The feature update to 25H2 will just require installing a small Enablement Package that will turn on the dormant 25H2 features. Shortly after the release of 25H2 you should be able to download the Enablement Package from Eleven Forums, as was the case for the 23H2 Enablement Package.

The good thing about these enablement packages is that they make no system compatibility checks, no workaround will be needed.

I too have Kaby Lake HDD (I know it's slower, but I have patience). I've been on the DEV since 25H2 came out and it's running great. Just with the CPU registry hack. No problemos.

XxXxX said:

25H2 should be available in October and there will be no foreseeable problem with any system upgrading a 24H2 system.

what comes after that is any ones guess as Microsoft haven't stated what the requirements/restrictions are for Windows 12.

best of luck, Steve ..

Click to expand...

DEVELOPMENTS OCCURRING AT A PRODIGIOUS RATE, HERE!

I checked Win Update again, and it was downloading 10.0.26200.5761. I just told myself to let it start installing -- which it did! Then did a web-search to get an assessment of prospects, Google AI telling me "No, it won't install . . . . you'll need to go through [all these manual hoops]." It kept on rollin' . . . re-booting three times . . . each posting an updated % completed. I was getting to 98%, thinking how CRUEL it would be if Microsoft made me wait through all that and then say "Sorry . . . rolling back to previous update status". But -- NOTHING! IT WENT FORWARD! System->About shows "25H2 . . . [yada yada] Feature Experience Pack . . . . " Big wheel keep on turnin'! . . . Proud Mary keep on burnin'! Rollin' . . . Rollin' . . . Rollin' on the ri-ver!!

This blew my whole morning for exercise and chores, but I am happy as a pig . . . in . . . shee-it!

BonzaiDuck said:

DEVELOPMENTS OCCURRING AT A PRODIGIOUS RATE, HERE!

I checked Win Update again, and it was downloading 10.0.26200.5761. I just told myself to let it start installing -- which it did! Then did a web-search to get an assessment of prospects, Google AI telling me "No, it won't install . . . . you'll need to go through [all these manual hoops]." It kept on rollin' . . . re-booting three times . . . each posting an updated % completed. I was getting to 98%, thinking how CRUEL it would be if Microsoft made me wait through all that and then say "Sorry . . . rolling back to previous update status". But -- NOTHING! IT WENT FORWARD! System->About shows "25H2 . . . [yada yada] Feature Experience Pack . . . . " Big wheel keep on turnin'! . . . Proud Mary keep on burnin'! Rollin' . . . Rollin' . . . Rollin' on the ri-ver!!

This blew my whole morning for exercise and chores, but I am happy as a pig . . . in . . . shee-it!

Click to expand...

I figured it would. Not much difference between the two.

mecanicogolf said:

I figured it would. Not much difference between the two.

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Well . . . I'm supposed to be "an Old Hand". I was swapping out expansion cards in 1984. But the knowledge in this field expands prodigiously, and then becomes obsolete. I THINK I'm HUMBLE! Where do you go? Gotta "read up" to solve your problem and resolve uncertainty. I come here, go to 10 Forums, Anandtech, Tom's Hardware, Overclock.net -- using a consistent "handle", you will find my mark at all those places.

With this problem, you and I have "marginal hardware" -- we don't KNOW for SURE what's going to develop. It consumes a lot of time and energy -- anxiety and uncertainty cost energy! So what do I know? What did I know? I only knew that this Feature Upgrade was a "milestone" that buys me a couple years on this platform. I have friends who have "dropped" conversations because they just "don't want to fight it anymore". They gave up on their collections of old hardware and assumed a completely different strategy.

So what I didn't KNOW before I know now... What next? I have to wonder. Leisurely hardware updates, likely. But -- LEISURELY!

Bree said:

The ISO method will be unnecessary. 24H2 and 25H2 share a common set of system files. By the time 25H2 is ready to be released (expected to be in October) the 25H2 features will already be in the 24H2 code, but in a dormant state.

The feature update to 25H2 will just require installing a small Enablement Package that will turn on the dormant 25H2 features. Shortly after the release of 25H2 you should be able to download the Enablement Package from Eleven Forums, as was the case for the 23H2 Enablement Package.

The good thing about these enablement packages is that they make no system compatibility checks, no workaround will be needed.

Click to expand...

Is this true for all older ineligible PCs now running 24H2? I Have an old Sandy Bridge and wondering if it will be able to use the enablement rather than an an ISO repair install using rufus.

I might be wrong, but build 10.0.26200.xxxx is 25H2, isn't it? 24H2 is 10.0.26100.xxxx Unless 26200 is Insider's version.

spapakons said:

I might be wrong, but build 10.0.26200.xxxx is 25H2, isn't it? 24H2 is 10.0.26100.xxxx Unless 26200 is Insider's version.

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25H2 is the DEV channel. 26200. xxxx

spapakons said:

build 10.0.26200.xxxx is 25H2, isn't it? 24H2 is 10.0.26100.xxxx Unless 26200 is Insider's version.

Click to expand...

26200 is 25H2, at present only available in the Insider Dev Channel. 24H2 and 25H2 share a common set of system files. The 25H2 features will be rolled out to 24H2 in the cumulative updates, but in a dormant state. When the 25H2 feature update is released a small enablement package will turn them on and bump the build number up by 100. You could uninstall this enablement package and drop back down to 24H2 26100.

jimminy said:

Is this true for all older ineligible PCs now running 24H2? I Have an old Sandy Bridge and wondering if it will be able to use the enablement rather than an an ISO repair install using rufus.

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I used the 23H2 enablement package to update my unsupported System Two to 23H2. That has one of the oldest Intel processors to have the required SSE4.2 for 24H2 and above, a 1st gen i5-520M. Your Sandy Bridge is a 2nd gen processor, the enablement package should do just fine.

BonzaiDuck said:

DEVELOPMENTS OCCURRING AT A PRODIGIOUS RATE, HERE!

I checked Win Update again, and it was downloading 10.0.26200.5761. I just told myself to let it start installing -- which it did! Then did a web-search to get an assessment of prospects, Google AI telling me "No, it won't install . . . . you'll need to go through [all these manual hoops]." It kept on rollin' . . . re-booting three times . . . each posting an updated % completed. I was getting to 98%, thinking how CRUEL it would be if Microsoft made me wait through all that and then say "Sorry . . . rolling back to previous update status". But -- NOTHING! IT WENT FORWARD! System->About shows "25H2 . . . [yada yada] Feature Experience Pack . . . . " Big wheel keep on turnin'! . . . Proud Mary keep on burnin'! Rollin' . . . Rollin' . . . Rollin' on the ri-ver!!

This blew my whole morning for exercise and chores, but I am happy as a pig . . . in . . . shee-it!

Click to expand...

AI is only as good as the stuff it can purloin from the internet or who ever programs it.
Microsoft don't have a good record in the programming department when it comes to 'their' AI.

you can always burn a Rufus made USB from updated ISO and then install/upgrade Windows from that
i have found that it has a greater chance of updating/upgrading Windows then Windows update.

well done and best of luck, Steve

jimminy said:

Is this true for all older ineligible PCs now running 24H2? I Have an old Sandy Bridge and wondering if it will be able to use the enablement rather than an an ISO repair install using rufus.

Click to expand...

Just noting the last remark by XxXxX, and some of our other brethren and sistern (?). This is a lively bunch on this forum!

So -- as to your Sandy Bridge. SOMEBODY ELSEWHERE mentioned installing Win 11 on a Sandy Bridge system, but I'm not too hopeful about either the chances or the results. Someone else noted doing it with an Ivy Bridge system -- a processor generation just after Sandy. If you run a web search, somebody had written a blog about experiences with dozens of systems going back that far, indicating prospects for smooth ongoing usage for various hardware more recent than that.

I honestly don't know what to say here for you. I'm most certain that I and mecanicogolf in this forum are quite lucky to have Kaby Lake systems. I have -- for myself -- "one down" and "one to go" -- latter already started with the download of the 25H2 update/install package.

I must convince myself that "I've done enough for today as an old man of 77." I was just informed by a friend on the East coast that his wife is in hospital with COVID -- very serious. Don't mean to sound callous, but the progress with Win 11 feature updates relieves a bit the frustration of not being able to do anything when you hear about such tragedies. Otherwise, I could feel overwhelmed by my day -- with everything.

jimminy said:

Is this true for all older ineligible PCs now running 24H2? I Have an old Sandy Bridge and wondering if it will be able to use the enablement rather than an an ISO repair install using rufus.

Click to expand...

Just noting the last remark by XxXxX, and some of our other brethren and sistern (?). This is a lively bunch on this forum!

So -- as to your Sandy Bridge. SOMEBODY ELSEWHERE mentioned installing Win 11 on a Sandy Bridge system, but I'm not too hopeful about either the chances or the results. Someone else noted doing it with an Ivy Bridge system -- a processor generation just after Sandy. If you run a web search, somebody had written a blog about experiences with dozens of systems going back that far, indicating prospects for smooth ongoing usage for various hardware more recent than that.

I honestly don't know what to say here for you. You could try it! If you actually get it installed with enough hacks applied as necessary, maybe the 25H2 feature update would also "take". But I'm most certain that I and mecanicogolf in this forum are quite lucky to have Kaby Lake systems. I have -- for myself -- "one down" and "one to go" -- latter already started with the download of the 25H2 update/install package.

I must convince myself that "I've done enough for today as an old man of 77." I think if I take a shower, I will achieve a feeling of accomplishment! Is that weird, or what?!

BonzaiDuck said:

Just noting the last remark by XxXxX, and some of our other brethren and sistern (?). This is a lively bunch on this forum!

So -- as to your Sandy Bridge. SOMEBODY ELSEWHERE mentioned installing Win 11 on a Sandy Bridge system, but I'm not too hopeful about either the chances or the results.

Click to expand...

I've beem running Windows 11 on this old machine for severals years. Currently 24H2. I guess I confused you. Sorry.

jimminy said:

I've beem running Windows 11 on this old machine for severals years. Currently 24H2. I guess I confused you. Sorry.

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Sandy Bridge, hey? Nice to know. I think the prospects may be reasonable for the Feature Update 25H2, but I cannot be sure. Try it!

I didn't have to make any registry hacks to get it to go. some of the members here note that the code for it significantly overlaps the 24H2 version.

There was no obstruction to its moving through the installation routine as if it was a very natural thing. I'm impressed with your Sandy Bridge Win 11. Really. See -- I've got behind in all of this -- could've installed Win 11 on these boxes back in 2021 or 2022. Too busy in those years, didn't want to take the chance. This has been a "learning experience" -- I have to tell you!

your Intel i7-7700K (Kaby Lake) will run Windows 11 24H2 no problem
my laptop, a refurbished 13" dell, with a i5 7200u runs it with ease.

just make a bootable USB stick with Rufus using the 25H2 ISO when its released
then browse to the USB stick and double click the setup file within the bootable USB

Windows will then start the upgrade to 25H2 direct from there
also with having the 25H2 ISO on a bootable USB will ensure you have an installable copy of Windows handy.

just as a note.
i have had COVID twice 2021 and 2022, the second bout nearly killed me.
it took several months to recover enough to get back on my feet
even now 3 nearly 4 years later i still suffer re-occurrence's
that will teach me being an expendable, sorry, an essential worker
thankfully i am now retired and hopefully with a few years left in me yet.

best of luck, Steve ..

If you bypass compatibility check, Windows 11 21H2, 22H2 and 23H2 can be installed on ALL 64-bit systems except first generation AMD-64 that lack certain instructions and cannot run Windows 8 64-bit or higher (they can run Windows 8 and 10 32-bit). For 24H2 and 25H2 which have the same hardware requirements, you need a CPU with SSE4.2 instructions. This is 1st generation Intel Core-i3 or equivalent AMD. So ALL higher generations, including my 3rd generation Intel Core-i7 CAN run Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. If you already run 24H2, you don't have to use the ISO to upgrade to 25H2. Just install all the available updates to reach the required build and then the 25H2 Enablement Package. Same method as we did from 22H2 to 23H2.

PS: The oldest system I have successfully installed Windows 11 23H2 is an Intel Pentium 4 640 3.2GHz socket 775 (1st Intel 64-bit CPU family), with 2GB SDRAM, 250GB IDE mechanical hard disk and a graphics card without WDDM drivers. No UEFI, no Secure Boot, no TPM. It cannot be more unsupported than that.