Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware

Bree · Jul 8, 2022

fixer said:
joining Insiders in Win 11 triggers another hardware check.

That would be for the Feature Update in Windows Update. After it has failed you'll see the failure listed in Windows Update with a 'Retry' button. At this point you can replace appraserres.dll in C:\$windows.~BT\sources\ with a zero length file (create a 'new text document' on your desktop and rename it). Then click try again and it will skip the hardware check and install. That's what I have have had to do to get all my Insider feature updates to install on an unsupported device.

fixer · Jul 8, 2022

There isn't an actual test, it's that when I try to join Insiders in WU it displays a message telling me the system doesn't meet the hardware requirements and to join Insiders in Win 10.

junglee · Jul 8, 2022

Bree said:
That would be for the Feature Update in Windows Update. After it has failed you'll see the failure listed in Windows Update with a 'Retry' button. At this point you can replace appraserres.dll in C:\$windows.~BT\sources\ with a zero length file (create a 'new text document' on your desktop and rename it). Then click try again and it will skip the hardware check and install. That's what I have have had to do to get all my Insider feature updates to install on an unsupported device.

The latest feature update that I installed on 6th July was Windows 11 Home Version 22H2 (OS Build 22622.290).

spapakons · Jul 8, 2022

Why install an Insider's build? Just stay with the official release. You won't see any difference in gaming.

Superfly · Jul 8, 2022

Bree said:
That would be for the Feature Update in Windows Update. After it has failed you'll see the failure listed in Windows Update with a 'Retry' button. At this point you can replace appraserres.dll in C:\$windows.~BT\sources\ with a zero length file (create a 'new text document' on your desktop and rename it). Then click try again and it will skip the hardware check and install. That's what I have have had to do to get all my Insider feature updates to install on an unsupported device.

That's good to know.. I added the following to my BypassISO script to backup and rename a dummy appraiserres.dll

Powershell:

If (-not (Test-Path (Join-Path $Destination -ChildPath "\sources\appraiserres.dll.bak")))
{
    Rename-Item -Path (Join-Path $Destination -ChildPath "\sources\appraiserres.dll") -NewName "appraiserres.dll.bak"

    New-Item -ItemType File -Path (Join-Path $Destination -ChildPath "\sources\appraiserres.dll")
}

I was concerned that it would bork WU but seems the opposite is true - I received a CU after installing with this ISO on my oldie T61 which surprised me as I was expecting it to complain that it could not find compatibility check stuff.

Hazel123 · Jul 8, 2022

spapakons said:
Buy a relatively a refurbished PC with at least 8GB RAM and SSD and add a medium graphics card. He will be able to play many games without giving a fortune for a gaming PC

He already has a gaming PC

. A fairly good one. The laptop is for going between homes and school (stepson).

spapakons · Jul 8, 2022

In that case you have an excuse that since he already has a good gaming system, it doesn't need to have a matching laptop. He can do with a medium performance (and much cheaper) model. Just set all games to medium or less. Not high etc. He might also try to play at lower than 1920x1080 resolution to improve performance. Even better, install Bluestacks and tell him to play the Android version of some games which has much lower system requirements and an average laptop should have very good performance.

Hazel123 · Jul 8, 2022

Thanks yes - been using that excuse for some time with the current laptop

.

Hazel123 · Jul 8, 2022

So I decided to make a new Windows 11 usb using rufus 3.16 beta 2 (as before). Already have one for uefi but thought I'd make a more up to date one, rather than use the old one and wait for loads of Windows updates.

Can't seem to install the iso to usb using Rufus 3.16 beta 2 this time. It gets so far and then fails every time. Any idea why?

I can use my older usb instead - but haven't got far with that as laptop hasn't found the drive (that's on another thread ....)

Hazel123 · Jul 8, 2022

Not sure if this is old news, but just seen this too - new version of Rufus allows install of W11 without a microsoft account. Maybe I need to use the newer version of Rufus for the newer version of Windows 11?

https://liliputing.com/2022/06/rufus-lets-you-install-windows-11-22h2-without-a-microsoft-account.html

Lance1 · Jul 8, 2022

Just found this one by Britec. I plan on testing this weekend. Very interesting approach check it out!

spapakons · Jul 9, 2022

Recently a friend asked for a hacked Windows 11 USB Flash drive to install Windows 11 without compatibility check. So I downloaded Rufus 3.19 but didn't have the option to bypass compatibility check. So I used the older Rufus 3.17 which did have the option. What happened? Maybe Microsoft made a complain? I will keep a copy of Rufus 3.17 just in case they remove the download. Otherwise we will have to manually hack the Registry at first Setup screen before proceeding. Not very convenient.

PS: I preferred the hacked Windows 11 USB over the hybrid Windows 10/11 USB so it can also be used for upgrade from Windows 10, not only for a clean installation.

Superfly · Jul 9, 2022

spapakons said:
Recently a friend asked for a hacked Windows 11 USB Flash drive to install Windows 11 without compatibility check. So I downloaded Rufus 3.19 but didn't have the option to bypass compatibility check. So I used the older Rufus 3.17 which did have the option. What happened? Maybe Microsoft made a complain? I will keep a copy of Rufus 3.17 just in case they remove the download. Otherwise we will have to manually hack the Registry at first Setup screen before proceeding. Not very convenient.

PS: I preferred the hacked Windows 11 USB over the hybrid Windows 10/11 USB so it can also be used for upgrade from Windows 10, not only for a clean installation.

Have you tried this? Win11BypassISO

SlicEnDicE · Jul 9, 2022

fixer said:
No go though, joining Insiders in Win 11 triggers another hardware check.

Yeah, don't join the insider channels. MS does not want incompatible hardware there. Because it throws off their stats and misreports bugs that are caused by old hardware rather than bugs in Windows code.

BruceR · Jul 9, 2022

spapakons said:
Recently a friend asked for a hacked Windows 11 USB Flash drive to install Windows 11 without compatibility check. So I downloaded Rufus 3.19 but didn't have the option to bypass compatibility check. So I used the older Rufus 3.17 which did have the option. What happened?

It just moved:

Changelog

Version 3.19 (2022.07.01)

Add a new selection dialog for Windows 11 setup customization:

Secure Boot and TPM bypass have now been moved to this dialog

Rufus 3.19

Superfly · Jul 9, 2022

BruceR said:
It just moved:

Changelog

Version 3.19(2022.07.01)

(NB: Network MUST be temporarily disabled for the local account creation to be proposed)

.. this is not required in my bypass ISO creation script.

spapakons · Jul 9, 2022

BruceR said:
It just moved:

Didn't had the time to look carefully all the available settings. I will do it sometime later.

Regarding the Registry patch, yes I have read that you can incorporate it in the USB but I just saved a script that patches the Registry in my UEFI Windows 11 USB. So all I have to do is boot a computer or laptop in UEFI mode, press SHIFT+F10 at first screen, run the script to patch Registry, close the Command Prompt and proceed. For Legacy BIOS installations I use my hybrid Windows 10/11 USB. No further hacking needed.

Incorporating the Registry patch in the USB has the disadvantage that you have to do it every time there is a new Windows 11 version. While the script file can be added to any new USB you create. Besides I don't like writing cide. I prefer an easy to use script.

Superfly · Jul 9, 2022

spapakons said:
Didn't had the time to look carefully all the available settings. I will do it sometime later.

Regarding the Registry patch, yes I have read that you can incorporate them in the USB but I just saved a script that patches the Registry in my UEFI Windows 11 USB. So all I have to do is boot a computer or laptop in UEFI mode, press SHIFT+F10 at first screen, run the script to patch Registry, close the Command Prompt and proceed. For Legacy BIOS installations I use my hybrid Windows 10/11 USB.

Incorporating the Registry patch in the USB has the disadvantage that you have to do it every time there is a new Windows 11 version. While the script file can be added to any new USB you create. Besides I don't like writing cide. I prefer an easy to use script.

For Legacy you just need an Active partition to install from... no need for hybrid.

spapakons · Jul 9, 2022

Superfly said:
For Legacy you just need an Active partition to install from... no need for hybrid.

I could just create a Windows 11 USB in MBR so as to boot in Legacy mode and use the same script. But I already had created a hybrid Windows 10/11 USB since this was the first method I had read about and was easier than manually hacking the Registry every time. I discovered the script many days later, so I thought I would make an UEFI mode USB to cover both new and very old computers. Just boot with UEFI or Legacy USB depending on what hardware I have.

Superfly · Jul 9, 2022

spapakons said:
I could just create a Windows 11 USB in MBR so as to boot in Legacy mode and use the same script. But I already had created a hybrid Windows 10/11 USB since this was the first method I had read about and was easier than manually hacking the Registry every time. I discovered the script many days later, so I thought I would make an UEFI mode USB to cover both new and very old computers. Just boot with UEFI or Legacy USB depending on what hardware I have.

The point is that we add bypasses to each iso being released so that we don't worry about install or upgrade compatibility issues. I keep these iso's and just extract them to an external's partition (incl. MBR) to install or upgrade. Pretty standard stuff.