Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware

wordsworth · Nov 1, 2023

Bree said:
That's odd. The ISO I downloaded clearly states that it should be 23H2, mine is named Win11_23H2_EnglishInternational_x64.iso, though I've not yet tried an install.

As of this morning I'm waiting on a System Restore to finish as my Start Menu no longer works and I've tried everything else (DISM, sfc, etc.) to fix it but to no avail. I'm probably going to do a clean install once Microsoft gets its act together and uploads 23H2 to the MCT site. A check a short while ago shows it still offers 22H2.

Last night when I first tried to install 23H2, I used the setup.exe product server switch and still ended up with 22H2 installed when it finished. This even though the ISO downloaded directly from the MS site said it was 23H2.

Were I to write here my thoughts right now concerning Microsoft I would be banned.

Edit: The System Restore did not solve the Start Menu being corrupt either.

spapakons · Nov 1, 2023

The first part (updating from build 22621.2428 to 22621.2506) went OK on my main PC (2nd system specs). After I had already started the update I read a thread about it causing issues to some PCs. Thankfully there was no issue in mine! Of course as all major updates it reset my customized icons to default, but I will fix them once I have also installed the 23H2 enablement package. I will report again later.

wordsworth · Nov 1, 2023

spapakons said:
The first part (updating from build 22621.2428 to 22621.2506) went OK on my main PC (2nd system specs). After I had already started the update I read a thread about it causing issues to some PCs. Thankfully there was no issue in mine! Of course as all major updates it reset my customized icons to default, but I will fix them once I have also installed the 23H2 enablement package. I will report again later.

Glad your install went well. I have not been able to diagnose what went wrong with my unsupported system. My only option I see now is a clean install with either Rufus or MCT and I do want to give the MCT/appraiserres trick a chance if and when MS gets the correct file uploaded to their site.

spapakons · Nov 1, 2023

Success! I first updated Windows 11 22H2 from build 22621.2428 to build 22621.2506 and then I installed the 23H2 enablement package. Now my unsupported computer (see 2nd system specs) runs successfully Windows 11 23H2 build 22631.2506

In case you wonder, yes I replaced the default flat blue Windows 10/11 logo with the familiar Windows Vista/7 orb by editing the appropriate .dll files.

WAI · Nov 1, 2023

spapakons said:
Success! I first updated Windows 11 22H2 from build 22621.2428 to build 22621.2506 and then I installed the 23H2 enablement package. Now my unsupported computer (see 2nd system specs) runs successfully Windows 11 23H2 build 22631.2506

View attachment 76156

I replaced the default flat blue Windows 10/11 logo with the familiar Windows Vista/7 orb by editing the appropriate .dll files.

Eh I still see the white lined box so what are you doing?

spapakons · Nov 1, 2023

You mean the white background of the icon? That's because the image wasn't transparent but since it is barely visible I don't mind.

linw · Nov 1, 2023

Enablement package worked no problem on my non compliant lappie.

PatrykP · Nov 1, 2023

lipp · Nov 1, 2023

How do I get on 23H2 from here? TIA.

Code:

Edition    Windows 11 Pro
Version    21H2
Installed on    ‎2022-‎02-‎26
OS build    22000.2538
Experience    Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22001.1000.0

Edit: I hope to keep all apps and data, not clean reinstall.

WAI · Nov 1, 2023

lipp said:

How do I get on 22H2 from here? TIA.

Code:

Edition    Windows 11 Pro
Version    21H2
Installed on    ‎2022-‎02-‎26
OS build    22000.2538
Experience    Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22001.1000.0

You DL my link in my signature which ever uefi or mbr

lipp · Nov 1, 2023

WAI said:
You DL my link in my signature which ever uefi or mbr

Can you be a bit more specific?

WAI · Nov 1, 2023

lipp said:
Can you be a bit more specific?

You DL then extract the files to a folder or just mount the ISO and run it. That simple

wordsworth · Nov 1, 2023

Welp, my non-supported machine now shows this:

Trouble is, I don't know how I got here. The last time before I rebooted the Start Menu and File Explorer were not working. I rebooted again and then worked on my compatible machine for a bit then came back to the non-compatible machine and the WU icon down on the right side of the Task Bar was telling me the machine needed to restart, so I did. Lo and behold after WU installed updates the Start Menu and File Explorer worked, the Copilot icon was back also; so I just thought I'd look at winver and see what it showed and you see above. But don't ask how to fix the problems I've had...it is the day after Halloween and the gremlins and goblins have flown away.

spapakons · Nov 1, 2023

lipp said:
How do I get on 23H2 from here? TIA.

Code:

Edition Windows 11 Pro Version 21H2 Installed on ‎2022-‎02-‎26 OS build 22000.2538 Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22001.1000.0

Edit: I hope to keep all apps and data, not clean reinstall.

You still run the first Windows 11 version, 21H2. To skip 22H2 and directly upgrade to 23H2 you must download the new Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft's site. Search for Windows 11 Media Creation Tool and you should see the site at the first results. Scroll down to the third option, download the ISO directly. Make sure you download the same language (such as English US) as you are currently running in order to allow you to do a full upgrade keeping both your data and applications. Once you have the ISO disconnect from the internet (remove the LAN cable or switch off the WiFi), right-click on the ISO and select Mount (or Open with->File Explorer). Run Setup. Before doing anything else make sure you show hidden files and don't hide known extensions, then right-click on your desktop and create a new text file. Don't open it, just rename it to appraiserres.dll without the .txt extension at the end. Load File Explorer, go to This PC and open your Windows drive C: Then open the hidden folder $Windows.~BT and then the subfolder sources. Find and delete the original file appraiserres.dll and then copy-paste the fake file you created earlier on the desktop. If at any step you see a confirmation, always click Yes. With the original file replaced you may now proceed with the installation. When asked select to keep both your data and applications and continue. Don't connect back the internet until the upgrade is complete and you have Windows 11 version 23H2.

spapakons · Nov 1, 2023

wordsworth said:
Welp, my non-supported machine now shows this:

View attachment 76193

Trouble is, I don't know how I got here. The last time before I rebooted the Start Menu and File Explorer were not working. I rebooted again and then worked on my compatible machine for a bit then came back to the non-compatible machine and the WU icon down on the right side of the Task Bar was telling me the machine needed to restart, so I did. Lo and behold after installing updates the Start Menu and File Explorer worked, the Copilot icon was back also; so I just thought I'd look at winver and see what it showed and you see above. But don't ask how to fix the problems I've had...it is the day after Halloween and the gremlins and goblins have flown away.

It is possible for an unsupported computer running 22H2 to upgrade to 23H2 without compatibility check if you first install all the updates up to build 22621.2506 and then install the 23H2 enablement pack. I did that on my main PC a few hours ago (see my 2nd system specs).

Bree · Nov 1, 2023

lipp said:
How do I get on 23H2 from here? TIA.

Code:

Edition Windows 11 Pro Version 21H2 Installed on ‎2022-‎02-‎26 OS build 22000.2538 Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22001.1000.0

Edit: I hope to keep all apps and data, not clean reinstall.

22H2 can go to 23H2 with a small enablement package, but your version 21H2 is too old for that. It requires an in-place upgrade using an ISO to get 23H2, this will keep all apps and data. The process is described in Option Two here.

Repair Install Windows 11 with an In-place Upgrade Tutorial

This tutorial will show you how to do a repair install of Windows 11 by performing an in-place upgrade without losing anything. If you need to repair or create a new recovery partition or having problems with the Windows 11 operating system on your PC, and the usual solutions will not fix it...

www.elevenforum.com

Download the ISO from here: Download Windows 11 (use the last option at the bottom of the page).

For an unsupported machine you'll need to bypass the compatibility checks. Disconnect from the internet before starting. Mount the ISO and run the Setup.exe you'll find there. On the first screen click 'Change how Setup downloads updates' and select 'Not right now'. Next replace C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\appraiserres.dll with an empty dummy file, make one by making a new text document on your desktop and renaming it as appraiserres.dll. You can now continue the install and it will skip the compatibility checks.

I have just successfully tested upgrading an incompatible Windows 10 machine to Windows 11 23H2 using these steps.

wordsworth · Nov 1, 2023

spapakons said:
It is possible for an unsupported computer running 22H2 to upgrade to 23H2 without compatibility check if you first install all the updates up to build 22621.2506 and then install the 23H2 enablement pack. I did that on my main PC a few hours ago (see my 2nd system specs).

I think what happened is last night I installed the enablement package and for some reason it took several restarts before WU found the updates it needed to make 23H2 happen, most of all it found KB5031455, the 23H2 Preview update; so, oddly, although unsupported processors are not supposed to be "updated" by WU but rather have 23H2 installed by some trick, this one ended up getting updated by WU after the enablement package had been installed by WU which worked a treat.

Edit: Having looked at the date of install, 10-31-2023, that was when I "tried" to install 23H2 from the ISO so it did install it after all but did not change winver from 22H2 to 23H2 until the following day when I installed the KB5027397 Enablement Package.

Pirilampo2 · Nov 1, 2023

With an in-place upgrade using an ISO 23H2 and replacing the appraiserres.dll successfully installed on unsupported machine (unsupported CPU)..

spapakons · Nov 2, 2023

KB5031455 is to go from build 22621.2428 to 22621.2506 This is still version 22H2. It is required before installing the 23H2 enablement package. The package is not offered in Windows Update for us with unsupported computers, but thanks to @Brink we are able to download it and install it anyway ang upgrade to 23H2. Thanks @Brink

PS: The "traditional" method to upgrade an unsupported computer requires to download the ISO and disconnect from the internet. It cannot be done remotely, you need to go there. The enablement package can be installed remotely, so I could upgrade my father's unsupported computer without waiting for an opportunity to visit my parents. It is a lot faster too and it doesn't need to have enough free disk space as there is no Windows.old folder involved. So it is ideal for old PCs with limited free disk space.

Scott · Nov 2, 2023

spapakons said:
there is no Windows.old folder involved.

Interesting.

I snagged 23H2 back in early October when MS left the door open while doing a in-place upgrade/repair install. I guess it was more of a traditional upgrade to a new version as all three of my computers had a Windows.old folder. I noticed it on my system two, which was the first one to get 23H2. After tidying up, I did a MR backup and noticed the image size was about 20GB larger than it should have been. Started looking around and sure enough a Windows.old folder about 20GB.

@Bree, did you also have a Windows.old folder?