Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware

Zardoc · Nov 29, 2021

You can also put an unattended XML in root folder Call it "AutoUnattend.xml"
SOURCE MDL

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <RunSynchronous>
               <RunSynchronousCommand>
                  <Order>1</Order>
                  <Path>cmd /c for %a in (TPM SecureBoot Storage RAM CPU) do reg add HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\LabConfig /t REG_DWORD /v Bypass%aCheck /d 1 /f</Path>
               </RunSynchronousCommand>
            </RunSynchronous>
            <UserData>
                <ProductKey>
                    <Key></Key>
                </ProductKey>
            </UserData>
        </component>
    </settings>
</unattend>

Image XML location 2021-11-29 120350.png

Zardoc · Nov 29, 2021

Also,
Again source MDL
Win 11 Boot And Upgrade FiX KiT v2.2

It's a very good tool made by the best of the best at coding
Option 2 is best

This tool provides these fixes: VERSION 2.2

================================================================================
Select the desired FiX...
================================================================================

[ 1 ] - Puts the Win 11 install.wim/esd in a Win 10 ISO (Provide a Win 10 ISO in the "Source_ISO\W10\" Folder).

- This method is usefull for clean installs from boot, using the standard W10 setup.
- A generic EI.CFG file will be copied to the sources folder.

[ 2 ] This option mainly utilizes UFWS v1.4 (recommended option).

- It circumvents all Win 11 minimum requirements (CPU-RAM-Disksize-TPM-Secureboot)
- This works for clean installs and upgrade scenarios using standard setup.
- Integrates Diskpart & Apply Image script (v1.3.1) for those who still like to use it.
- A generic EI.CFG file will be copied to the sources folder.
- For when public release (all Win 7/8/10) to DEV channel release ISO upgrades fails, i've put in a cmd
called "Upgrade_Fail_Fix.cmd", run this as admin, after rebooting you can simply run standard setup.

KCMichaelB · Nov 29, 2021

mackie said:
Hi all,

I am running Windows 11 on my Dell Optiplex 960 desktop which does not meet any of the Win 11 specs for installation
at all. I tried various methods to install and had no luck. I had just about given up on it, and last week was looking on youtube
when I saw this recent video. The comments on it were positive, and it was very, very easy to do. So I gave it a try and was pleasantly
surprised when 11 started installing. If you haven't had any luck installing on your old hardware and you want to give it a try, this is it:

And good luck.

Btw, I run a dual-boot on this desktop Win 11/Linux Mint.

p.s The only problem I encountered with Win 11, was the first day after I installed it and went to do a shutdown that night. It kept coming
back up, and not in the Grub boot loader, but in Win 11 itself. I did a physical shutdown on the pc. I was expecting this the next day, but it never reappeared and it's been normal since then.

I used this method on 2 unsupported machines(both without TPM a few weeks ago, 1/w-AMD Athlon, 1/w-Core i5-4440.) Worked perfectly.

dany007119966 · Nov 30, 2021

install this software and everything works ok not need anything bypass or had turn on tpm or secure boot
just after install go to bios and change booting. Works on every unsuported processor.

wintohdd

i make 3 installation ok on i3 2100 i5 7400 Intel® Core 2 Duo/Celeron Processor

spapakons · Nov 30, 2021

I used the hybrid USB Flash drive method (Windows 10 installation medium with install.wim replaced with that of Windows 11) without any issues. It works on any unsupported computer capable of running Windows 10 64-bit. Even on my very old, Windows Vista era, Acer laptop. See my specs. It is a lot easier than hacking the registry. Just boot the hybrid medium and proceed. If there is any newer Windows 11 build, all you need is to replace install.wim with that of the newer ISO. It is as easy as it gets. The next step would be to ask a more advanced friend to do it for you.

PS: This works only for clean installation on any unsupported computer. If you want to upgrade from 10 or from one build to the other, it doesn't work, you have to download the Windows 11 ISO, mount it and run Setup. Then go at the cache folder and delete the appropriate file to bypass compatibility checks (see older posts in this thread).

The-Hive · Nov 30, 2021

mackie said:
Hi all,

I am running Windows 11 on my Dell Optiplex 960 desktop which does not meet any of the Win 11 specs for installation
at all. I tried various methods to install and had no luck. I had just about given up on it, and last week was looking on youtube
when I saw this recent video. The comments on it were positive, and it was very, very easy to do. So I gave it a try and was pleasantly
surprised when 11 started installing. If you haven't had any luck installing on your old hardware and you want to give it a try, this is it:

And good luck.

Btw, I run a dual-boot on this desktop Win 11/Linux Mint.

p.s The only problem I encountered with Win 11, was the first day after I installed it and went to do a shutdown that night. It kept coming
back up, and not in the Grub boot loader, but in Win 11 itself. I did a physical shutdown on the pc. I was expecting this the next day, but it never reappeared and it's been normal since then.

Although I do not agree with installing on an incompatible machine. This was a very useful video, I will try it on the old test machine after creating an image and if it was as slow now as it was when I tried it back in the early days it's back to 10

Zardoc · Nov 30, 2021

For an upgrade it's just removing the appraiserres.dll file from sources folder

Bree · Nov 30, 2021

Zardoc said:
For an upgrade it's just removing the appraiserres.dll file from sources folder

That what the video says too, but it takes nearly 9 minute to explain what you expressed in 12 word

spapakons · Nov 30, 2021

For a business machine, I would rather not risk installing Windows 11 if the hardware is not supported, but for a home computer, the worst it can happen is to stop working properly and won't be able to ask Microsoft for help. That's what this forum is about. Everyone can post his problem and let others help him solve it. Usually we reply faster than Microsoft and we provide solutions without asking any irrelevant questions in order to buy time. Microsoft's first question would be what is your hardware. Once they find out it is unsupported they might refuse to continue. We here at Elevenforum don't care if your system meets all the specs, as long as it is capable of running at least Windows 10 64-bit (64-bit CPU 1GHz, RAM 2GB, graphics card with 64-bit WDDM drivers. CPU must have certain instructions to run Windows 8/10/11 64-bit, one known exception are the first generation AMD Athlon 64 CPUs, they lacked these instructions)

Zardoc · Nov 30, 2021

I still don't understand the reason for installing Win 11 on a computer that's not supported by MS or distributor. I get the part of just for the sake of trying it, I might even do it, but after the fun, I will revert to Win 10.

Why ?

Because it works really, really well with 10 and 11 has nothing more to offer on an old machine and even less I might say with all the headaches of trying to get it to run like 10.

spapakons · Nov 30, 2021

It is not about performance, probably there is no difference in performance between Windows 7/8/10/11 running with the same drivers and the same applications. It is about having the latest Windows with the latest hardware and application support. Windows 11 just got out, so in theory they have exactly the same device and application compatibility with Windows 10. But eventually there will be some new devices or applications that will not work on Windows 10 and will require Windows 11. I also have heard some rumors, haven't confirm them, that common Windows 10/11 drivers from Intel/AMD/nVidia favor Windows 11 where they work perfectly while in Windows 10 they have some incompatibilities. The rumors say this is done intentionally to force us upgrade to Windows 11. If we have to buy a new compliant computer, even better for manufacturers. Of course we all reading this thread know it is not necessary to buy a new computer in order to install Windows 11.

Zardoc · Nov 30, 2021

But eventually there will be some new devices or applications that will not work on Windows 10 and will require Windows 11. I also have
heard some rumors, haven't confirm them, that common Windows 10/11 drivers from Intel/AMD/nVidia favor Windows 11 where they work perfectly while in Windows 10 they have some incompatibilities.

I'm sorry, I might be confused here but if your installing Windows 11 on a machine that must be at least - let's be reasonable - 4 years old, you already have the best drivers. It's not a rumor newer drivers will be adapted to newer hardware with Windows 11. Windows 10 doesn't need newer drivers and old machines that work with 11 don't need newer drivers, they are what is known as end of useful life (All be that it's way out of proportion).

So what new devices are you going to try to run on an old machine that is already considered incompatible with Win 11 ?

The-Hive · Nov 30, 2021

I agree with @Zardoc I can honestly say I tried windows 11 on an incompatible pc (only the i-7 failed) just to try it and it was slower than slow, back to 10 and it was fine again

6391mb · Nov 30, 2021

The-Hive said:
I agree with @Zardoc I can honestly say I tried windows 11 on an incompatible pc (only the i-7 failed) just to try it and it was slower than slow, back to 10 and it was fine again

I had it running on a spare Dell XPS i7 and there was no difference in performance that I could see. So I guess it's all a trial and error play around time.

The problem is of course that maybe and that's all it is, MS may step in at anytime during the future and stop updates for the non-compliant machines.

spapakons · Nov 30, 2021

I was talking about buying a new printer, for example, or any other peripheral. The same was with earlier versions of Windows. At the time of Vista and 7 many peripherals has also Windows XP drivers, but eventually XP support dropped. The same will become for Windows 10 in the far (I hope) future. So now one can stick with Windows 10 but eventually it will become obsolete. By then he will probably buy a new computer anyway... Also the latest AMD drivers, for example, are not only for the most recent AMD graphics cards, but many older models. If you attempt to install the latest driver on these models, rumors have it, will have trouble in Windows 10 while on 11 they work perfectly and even improve performance. Of course I do not believe that rumor, as I haven't confirm it.

spapakons · Nov 30, 2021

The-Hive said:
I agree with @Zardoc I can honestly say I tried windows 11 on an incompatible pc (only the i-7 failed) just to try it and it was slower than slow, back to 10 and it was fine again

I suspect you didn't install any driver in Windows 11, only whatever Windows discovered automatically. This explains why you did not have the best performance. Generic Microsoft drivers make the devices work, but usually they provide basic functionality without exposing all device features to the applications. For example, a generic printer driver makes the printer print, but you can only select between draft, normal and best quality and the only available paper is plain. Installing the manufacturer's official driver will give you a choice of quality settings and many different paper types and sizes. A generic graphics driver will make the graphics card display on screen, but you have no access to the Graphics Properties (or Control Panel) so you cannot change any 3D performance settings. The default settings are not always the best. I think you get the idea... If you ever decide to install Windows 11 again, make sure you download and install as many official OEM drivers you can, avoid Windows Update. Once all drivers are installed you should have comparable performance to Windows 10.

PS: Just remembered, Windows Update frequently fails to identify properly old graphics cards and resorts to Microsoft Basic Display Adapter. This is equivalent to the good old Basic VGA driver (or similar) of Windows XP, no acceleration at all, so the system literally crawls as every single graphics effect has to be processed by the CPU before displayed. Maybe that was your issue in the first place. Always have a look at Device Manager, Display adapters section. If you see Microsoft Basic Display Adapter download and install the latest graphics drivers. The performance will be much higher. Also as said in another thread, there is some incompatibility in some old graphics card that causes the Settings screen to flicker. If you disable Transparency in Personalization the flicker stops and the computer is faster as well. For very old graphics cards you can even go to System, Advanced Performance settings and disable any fancy visual effect. You will see great improvement.

The-Hive · Nov 30, 2021

@BunnyJ I am only doing this to see if a newer version of 11 is any faster than the old one I tried, I will defo go back to 10 on the old machine though. The old machine did work perfectly except for some of the known issues at the time, it just had long pauses between clicking and appearing on the screen

BunnyJ · Nov 30, 2021

The-Hive said:
@BunnyJ I am only doing this to see if a newer version of 11 is any faster than the old one I tried, I will defo go back to 10 on the old machine though. The old machine did work perfectly except for some of the known issues at the time, it just had long pauses between clicking and appearing on the screen

You're testing and you know what your getting yourself into. My concern is that a novice will want to do this and get into a big mess. Yes,, they can take to a shop but there are many areas that don't have a pc shop near them and that's the big issue

My mantra.. if it ain't broke.. don't fix it.

Zardoc · Nov 30, 2021

I suspect you didn't install any driver in Windows 11, only whatever Windows discovered automatically. This explains why you did not have the best performance.

If you would of asked, I would have answered, but you suspected wrong. I've been doing this for almost 25 years and I agree with you, the default driver installed on OLD hardware with Windows will not always give you the best settings.

This is often done with video cards. 7-10 year old computers will only have the default video driver without color adjustments. Sometimes you can either add the ID code to a driver that only supports newer cards and it might work, or you can to and add hardware and some drivers will already have the id code for your card but they are still old drivers.

Now if I buy a new printer today and it doesn't have Windows 10 drivers, I won't buy it. Most, reputable companies will offer drivers for the O/S's currently used on the market. Win 10 is far from being flushed by hardware makers.

Again, is it really worth all the trouble and you say performance gain, with a printer??

spapakons · Nov 30, 2021

No sweat! Windows 7 is EOL but I see no issues installing new devices on them and new applications. I recently repaired a laptop running Windows 7 and I could upgrade many applications including VLC, Firefox, and others without any complain of running Windows 7. I even installed Microsoft dotNET 5 and 6 on Windows 7 which I fear might not be possible. My point is, if Windows 7 are not yet obsolete, Windows 10 will be useable way beyond 2025.