Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware


spapakons said:
I think I will create a hybrid 23H2/24H2 USB rather than simply mounting the ISO.....
Click to expand...
Yes, I made a hybrid USB and used that for my upgrade.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two Other systems

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
Bree said:
I've not tested using /product server for an upgrade. The last time I tried it was for a clean install was back on build 26052 so it may not be relevant today. It seemed to take the 'server' bit too literally and left out a few things that a server wouldn't need. I've stuck to using other methods since then and not repeated this test.

Windows 11 24H2 has un-bypassable hardware requirements... - post#119

Yes it did install, but the 'product server' option seems to have made the installer leave a few things out. For example, if you look at the last screenshot in post #39 you'll see that the Widgets are missing. The GUI for Windows Security was also missing (just the GUI, the AV protection itself was running).
Click to expand...

Windows 10 (on an MBR disk) -> setup.exe /product server -> Windows 11 24H2

There are no such problems, I checked it in the virtual machine.

Windows 11 24H2.jpg
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProAMD Ryzen 9 9950X3DKingston FURY Beast 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5 6000MT/sASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 9070 OC Edition 16G...
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Motherboard
    ASRock B650E Taichi Lite
    Memory
    Kingston FURY Beast 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5 6000MT/s
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 9070 OC Edition 16GB GDDR6
    Hard Drives
    Solidigm P44 Pro 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeIntel Core Ultra 9 275HX64GB (2x 32GB) DDR5-6400NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 Laptop GPU
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 16"
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
    Memory
    64GB (2x 32GB) DDR5-6400
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 Laptop GPU
    Hard Drives
    2x 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD (SK Hynix)
Davidoo said:
Thanks for the replies. When I first did this a couple of weeks ago using the /product server trick, I had 26100.1150. After the regular Windows Update today, I moved to 26100.1882, which is a higher version than what those of you who did the public release ISO have, so I guess mine is updating and I'm good to go! So much satisfaction and fun to keep using this 11-year-old beast with the latest versions. It is lightning fast on this old ASUS UX51VZ.
Click to expand...
in your specs, you haven't changed 23H2 to 24H2.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

window 10 version 22H2 (OS Build 19045.6466Intel Core i7 @2.80GHz 57 °C Sandy Bridge 32n...4.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 665MHz (9-9-9-24)Intel HD Graphics 3000
OS
window 10 version 22H2 (OS Build 19045.6466
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
Dell/E6400
CPU
Intel Core i7 @2.80GHz 57 °C Sandy Bridge 32nm Tech
Motherboard
Dell Inc. 0K0DNP (CPU 1)
Memory
4.00GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 665MHz (9-9-9-24)
Graphics Card(s)
Intel HD Graphics 3000
Sound Card
High Definition Audio Device
Monitor(s) Displays
single
Screen Resolution
1366x768 pixels
Hard Drives
WDC WD2500BPVT-75JJ5T0
Keyboard
Device Name Standard PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse
PS/2 Compatible Mouse
Internet Speed
10mb
Browser
ms edge
Antivirus
win defender
This worked for me for an in-place upgrade to 24H2.

Work around for In-Place Upgrade to help RUFUS created USB install.

  • Command prompt as admin
  • Copy & paste each line one at a time into command window, press enter.
  • Then whilst in Windows, run setup.exe from RUFUS 24H2 install USB
Click on each line to copy to clipboard.

reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\CompatMarkers" /f 2>NUL

reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Shared" /f 2>NUL

reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\TargetVersionUpgradeExperienceIndicators" /f 2>NUL

reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\HwReqChk" /f /v HwReqChkVars /t REG_MULTI_SZ /s , /d "SQ_SecureBootCapable=TRUE,SQ_SecureBootEnabled=TRUE,SQ_TpmVersion=2,SQ_RamMB=8192,"
reg.exe add "HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup" /f /v AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU /t REG_DWORD /d 1

These will be added to the next version of RUFUS

github.com

Issue performing in-place upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 · Issue #2568 · pbatard/rufus

Checklist I have been made aware that if my problem can be summarized as "I've created or tried to create a media using Rufus, and ...", and I am not including a log, this issue will be summarily c...
github.com github.com
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two Other systems

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8655Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770K CPU @ 3.50GHz32.0 GB of I forget and the box is in storage.Gigabyte nVidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super OC 6GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Sin-built 2013
    CPU
    Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4770K CPU @ 3.50GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus VI Formula
    Memory
    32.0 GB of I forget and the box is in storage.
    Graphics Card(s)
    Gigabyte nVidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super OC 6GB
    Sound Card
    ROG SupremeFX Formula 8-Channel High Definition Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    5 x LG 25MS500-B - 1 x 24MK430H-B - 1 x Wacom Pro 22" Touch Screen Tablet
    Screen Resolution
    All over the place
    Hard Drives
    Too many to list. OS on Samsung 1TB 870 QVO SATA
    PSU
    Silverstone 1500
    Case
    NZXT Phantom 820 Full-Tower Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Elite Class Dual Tower CPU Cooler / 6 x EziDIY 120mm / 2 x Corsair 140mm somethings / 1 x 140mm Thermaltake something / 2 x 200mm Corsair.
    Keyboard
    Corsair K95 / Logitech diNovo Edge Wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech: G402 / G502 / Mx Masters / Mx Air Cordless
    Internet Speed
    2000/500Mbps
    Browser
    All sorts
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky Premium
    Other Info
    ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
    TP-Link BE9300 WiFi 7 Bluetooth 5.4 (Archer TBE550E)
    TP-Link TX201 V1 2.5GB Lan

    Grandstream HT812 - VoIP
    ASUS DSL-AX82U - Mesh
    ASUS RT-AC68U - Mesh
    ASUS RT-BE88U Router

    Brother MFC-L2880DW Printer

    I’m on a horse.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8655 (Wifes)13th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1340P Process...16GB LPDDR5-52001x Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8655 (Wifes)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    LENOVO Yoga 7 14IRL8 - Type 82YL
    CPU
    13th Generation Intel® Core™ i5-1340P Processor(Core™ i5-1340P)
    Memory
    16GB LPDDR5-5200
    Graphics card(s)
    1x Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Optimized with Dolby Atmos®
    Screen Resolution
    QHD 2880 x 1800 OLED
    Hard Drives
    M.2 512 GB SSD PCIe
    Mouse
    Logiteck MX Master 3S
    Internet Speed
    2000/500
    Antivirus
    Defender / Malwarebytes
    Other Info
    …still on a horse.


    Wireless Network: Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 AX; Bluetooth® 5.1 or above
    Ports: 1x 1 Novo button; 2 in 1 Audio Combo jack; Micro SD Card Reader; HDMI 1.4b; 2 x USB Type-C (TBT4)
    USB 3.2 Gen 2 DP 1.4a
    PD 3.0); 1 x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A
    Camera
    1x 1080P FHD IR/RGB Hybrid with Privacy Shutter and Dual Array Microphone
    Graphics
    1x Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    Monitor
    14" WUXGA
    Form Factor
    Convertible Notebook
  • Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Build 26200.8655 (Wifes)

    Yoga 7 2-in-1 14IML9 - Type 83DJ

    Processor: Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 155H Processor(Core™ Ultra 7 155H)

    Memory: 32GB LPD5X-7467

    Hard Drive: 1 TB SSD PCIe

    Wireless Network: 1x Wi-Fi 6E 2x2 AX; Bluetooth® 5.1 or above

    Ports: 1 x HDMI 2.1 TMDS; 1 x Novo Button; 1 x Combo Audio Jack
    2 x USB-C (USB 4.0)
    1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1

    Camera: 1080P FHD IR Hybrid with Dual Microphone

    Graphics: Intel® Arc™ Graphics

    Monitor: 14" 2.8K

    ...Where's my horse?
aubergine said:
Windows 10 (on an MBR disk) -> setup.exe /product server -> Windows 11 24H2

There are no such problems, I checked it in the virtual machine.

View attachment 111014
Click to expand...
I'm afraid that installing Windows 11 on virtual machine you are not reliably checking compatibility for the host PC. I had no issues upgrading my virtual machine from 23H2 to 24H2 with the "server" method, but my main PC (host) failed at first attempt. "Something is rotten in the Kingdom of Denmark...", as Shakespeare put it.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz4GBMobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generat...2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB...
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB (GV-N3050WF2OCV2-6GD)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
spapakons said:
I'm afraid that installing Windows 11 on virtual machine you are not reliably checking compatibility for the host PC.
Click to expand...

Windows 10 on an MBR disk .png

"The PC must support Secure Boot" means that the disk has an MBR partition table.
 
Last edited:

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProAMD Ryzen 9 9950X3DKingston FURY Beast 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5 6000MT/sASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 9070 OC Edition 16G...
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D
    Motherboard
    ASRock B650E Taichi Lite
    Memory
    Kingston FURY Beast 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5 6000MT/s
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 9070 OC Edition 16GB GDDR6
    Hard Drives
    Solidigm P44 Pro 2TB M.2 NVMe SSD

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeIntel Core Ultra 9 275HX64GB (2x 32GB) DDR5-6400NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 Laptop GPU
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 16"
    CPU
    Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX
    Memory
    64GB (2x 32GB) DDR5-6400
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GDDR7 Laptop GPU
    Hard Drives
    2x 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD (SK Hynix)
aubergine said:
"The PC must support Secure Boot" means that the disk has an MBR partition table.
Click to expand...
No, not necessarily. I have UEFI based systems that don't support secure boot.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-14650HX32 GBNo GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    OS
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic
    CPU
    Intel i7-14650HX
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Varies as machine will often be moved to locations with different monitors
    Screen Resolution
    Varies
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    120W Power Brick
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-1255U16 GBIntel Iris Xe Graphics
    Operating System
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
I decided to build a AMD Ryzen 5 8600G based system. I really wanted to avoid it since my FX-8370 was otherwise working and supposedly SSE 4.2 compatible, (shoot I was even playing games that required SSE 4.2 and they actually were running good with the 1080 Ti installed shockingly), but I'll just take my 1080 Ti, start building a new system and eventually get a new GPU, but have a new foundation to build on top of.

While my FX-8370 was still fairly fast, I guess it's time to let it go. It's been a decade of honestly loyal service (it never once had a BSOD nor ever crashed actually. Always rock solid.) I'm sure I'll be happy with an 8600G.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11AMD FX-837032GB DDR3 1600MHzNvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
OS
Windows 11
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Lenovo ThinkCentre
CPU
AMD FX-8370
Memory
32GB DDR3 1600MHz
Graphics Card(s)
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
Sound Card
PreSonus Studio 24c
Monitor(s) Displays
19" CRT (Adobe RGB), 34" Ultrawide (Display P3)
Screen Resolution
1600x1200 72Hz, 3440x1440 144Hz
Hard Drives
2x 2TB SSD
PSU
Seasonic 850W
Keyboard
IBM Model F XT
Internet Speed
500/500
hsehestedt said:
No, not necessarily. I have UEFI based systems that don't support secure boot.
Click to expand...

I have an old Dell machine with 2nd generation i5 cpu. It also has UEFI but no secure boot as far as I can tell.

I have it set up to boot UEFI and all disks are GPT. Yesterday I installed win 11 24H2 and so far it seems to be working OK. I used rufus but had to also start the setup with the /product server switch.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    win 11 pro, 25H2i5-240032 GB DDR-3Intel HD Graphics 2000 (on-board)
    OS
    win 11 pro, 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 790 (Mt)
    CPU
    i5-2400
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    32 GB DDR-3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 2000 (on-board)
    Sound Card
    Intel Cougar Point PCH [B2] (On-Board)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27MN60T

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 home, 25H2Intel I7-3630QM16GB DDR3
    Operating System
    Windows 11 home, 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720
    CPU
    Intel I7-3630QM
    Memory
    16GB DDR3
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 500GB SSD
I created a Windows 11 23H2 USB flash drive with Rufus and selected to remove all compatibility check. I then replaced the file sources\install.wim with the respective file of 24H2 ISO. This way I created a hybrid 23H2/24H2 USB flash drive that uses the 23H2 Setup to install 24H2 which doesn't check for SSE4.2 instructions. I removed my wireless USB dongle so Windows had no way to connect to the internet. I also disabled all startup applications and non-Microsoft services, just in case. I then disabled the LAN adapter, the audio card, my TV tuner, my Bluetooth adapter, basically anything not required for the upgrade, so Windows wouldn't try to find drivers for it and fail. Just for extra precaution I also executed these commands as Administrator:

Code: 
reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\CompatMarkers" /f 2>NUL
reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Shared" /f 2>NUL
reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\TargetVersionUpgradeExperienceIndicators" /f 2>NUL
reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\HwReqChk" /f /v HwReqChkVars /t REG_MULTI_SZ /s , /d "SQ_SecureBootCapable=TRUE,SQ_SecureBootEnabled=TRUE,SQ_TpmVersion=2,SQ_RamMB=8192,"
reg.exe add "HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup" /f /v AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU /t REG_DWORD /d 1

Then I typed these commands to begin the upgrade with the "server" cheat:
Code: 
D:
setup /product server

This time the upgrade succeeded! I successfully upgraded my unsupported main PC (see 2nd system specs) from 23H2 to 24H2. Then I installed all updates in order to reach build 26100.1882

Right now I am trying the same method in my unsupported test laptop without SSE4.2 instructions. It has already reached 64% without any warning. I will let you know if the upgrade was successful which means the SSE4.2 is another fake requirement which can be bypassed.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz4GBMobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generat...2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB...
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB (GV-N3050WF2OCV2-6GD)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
spapakons said:
Right now I am trying the same method in my unsupported test laptop without SSE4.2 instructions. It has already reached 64% without any warning. I will let you know if the upgrade was successful which means the SSE4.2 is another fake requirement which can be bypassed.
Click to expand...
Good luck with that! I haven't yet found any machine that lacks SSE4.2 that can even boot 24H2.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two Other systems

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
Bree said:
Good luck with that! I haven't yet found any machine that lacks SSE4.2 that can even boot 24H2.
Click to expand...

I LOVE experiments too. Not so much for their success, but for the possibility of learning something new about unknown things. Even a tiny clue can be valuable.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    win 11 pro, 25H2i5-240032 GB DDR-3Intel HD Graphics 2000 (on-board)
    OS
    win 11 pro, 25H2
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 790 (Mt)
    CPU
    i5-2400
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    32 GB DDR-3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 2000 (on-board)
    Sound Card
    Intel Cougar Point PCH [B2] (On-Board)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 27MN60T

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 home, 25H2Intel I7-3630QM16GB DDR3
    Operating System
    Windows 11 home, 25H2
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 17R SE 7720
    CPU
    Intel I7-3630QM
    Memory
    16GB DDR3
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 500GB SSD
I'm a bit confused bc those .wim are actually the main os. I tried to do the switch to product server and and that wim move but still my pc just restarts after the install but I guess I'm fine with it. Again my cpu don't support the 4.2
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    WiN11 ProXeon E5450 3.0GHZ (OC 3.6GHZ)8GB (2GBX4)NVIDIA Quadro K2200 4GB
    OS
    WiN11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom 775 System
    CPU
    Xeon E5450 3.0GHZ (OC 3.6GHZ)
    Motherboard
    ASUS PQ5-EM
    Memory
    8GB (2GBX4)
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA Quadro K2200 4GB
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS 24"
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    1TB|750GB USB, 3 SSDs 2 240GB 1 128GB, 750GB HDD
    PSU
    650WATT Rosewill
    Case
    Rosewill with side Window
    Cooling
    5 Fans and a big HSK for cpu
    Keyboard
    Rosewill RGB
    Mouse
    Rosewill RGB
    Internet Speed
    AT&T 150MB DL\UP
    Browser
    FireFox
    Antivirus
    None
    Other Info
    I'm lucky to even be here after 6yrs from my car accident

  • At a glance

    WiN10 LTSCi7 2670QM 2.20GHZ8GB (2X4GB) DUAL ChannelIntel HD Graphics 3000
    Operating System
    WiN10 LTSC
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Hp 8460p
    CPU
    i7 2670QM 2.20GHZ
    Motherboard
    Hp 161C
    Memory
    8GB (2X4GB) DUAL Channel
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel HD Graphics 3000
    Sound Card
    Intel high Def (basically onboard)
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    OS 128GB l Storage (caddy) 320GB
    PSU
    AC (IDK the watts)
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    A USB 3.0 in the Express Card Slot
spapakons said:
Right now I am trying the same method in my unsupported test laptop without SSE4.2 instructions.
Click to expand...
That is a 100% guaranteed futile effort. As has been stated in this forum MANY times, that will NEVER EVER WORK, guaranteed!

There is absolutely nothing you can do to change that. There will NEVER be a workaround for the lack of support of CPUs that do not support POPCNT.

To even try this shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue.

Sorry to be so blunt, but after this has been made clear so many times now, I feel it necessary. :-)
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-14650HX32 GBNo GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    OS
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic
    CPU
    Intel i7-14650HX
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Varies as machine will often be moved to locations with different monitors
    Screen Resolution
    Varies
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    120W Power Brick
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-1255U16 GBIntel Iris Xe Graphics
    Operating System
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor
Bree said:
Good luck with that! I haven't yet found any machine that lacks SSE4.2 that can even boot 24H2.
Click to expand...
Murphy's Law. It just booted into 23H2 with an error message that failed at the SafeOS stage or similar. I will post the error message tomorrow. I will try some other trick.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz4GBMobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generat...2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB...
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB (GV-N3050WF2OCV2-6GD)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
hsehestedt said:
That is a 100% guaranteed futile effort. As has been stated in this forum MANY times, that will NEVER EVER WORK, guaranteed!

There is absolutely nothing you can do to change that. There will NEVER be a workaround for the lack of support of CPUs that do not support POPCNT.

To even try this shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue.

Sorry to be so blunt, but after this has been made clear so many times now, I feel it necessary. :-)
Click to expand...
Because the really smart Window Preview people on Twitter/X who told us months ago it wasn't gonna work, turned out to be.... SMART?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 7
OS
Windows 7
hsehestedt said:
That is a 100% guaranteed futile effort. As has been stated in this forum MANY times, that will NEVER EVER WORK, guaranteed!

There is absolutely nothing you can do to change that. There will NEVER be a workaround for the lack of support of CPUs that do not support POPCNT.

To even try this shows a complete lack of understanding of the issue.

Sorry to be so blunt, but after this has been made clear so many times now, I feel it necessary. :-)
Click to expand...
Hope dies last as they say. I know the chances are almost zero, but I want to try anyway just in case I do something the others didn't think about it.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz4GBMobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generat...2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB...
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB (GV-N3050WF2OCV2-6GD)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
spapakons said:
Hope dies last as they say. I know the chances are almost zero, but I want to try anyway just in case I do something the others didn't think about it.
Click to expand...
could always try to spoof the id and see what happens during an upgrade

github.com

GitHub - jonatan1024/CpuidSpoofer: x64dbg plugin for simple spoofing of CPUID instruction behavior

x64dbg plugin for simple spoofing of CPUID instruction behavior - jonatan1024/CpuidSpoofer
github.com github.com

superuser.com

Can any VM software simulate SSE 4.2 on a machine that does not have it?

I am using Intel Core2 Duo which has only SSE 4.1. Is there any VM software that can simulate SSE 4.2 instructions on such a machine? I don't need performance; I just hope some software think it is
superuser.com superuser.com
 
Last edited:

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro
OS
Windows 11 Pro
spapakons said:
Hope dies last as they say. I know the chances are almost zero, but I want to try anyway just in case I do something the others didn't think about it.
Click to expand...
Again, sorry if this sounds a little harsh, but this tells me that you don't fundamentally understand the issue.

Suppose I gave you a set of instructions like this:

1) Take out the trash
2) Wash the dishes
3) jhsgdfjh ksjdfkj jdhf
4) Vaccuum the floors

Would you know what to do for item #3? No? That's because the words there are jibberish to you and you don't understand them.

It's even worse with Windows 24H2. The instruction that CPUs without SSE4.2 (POPCNT) are unable to understand occurs throughout Windows. There may literally be many thousands of instances of this spread across many, many different files. There is simply no fixing this. If the code asks the processor to do something it cannot do, that is a dead end. It looks like corrupt or garbled code to the CPU. Tell me what kind of workaround could possibly solve that.
 

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-14650HX32 GBNo GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    OS
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic
    CPU
    Intel i7-14650HX
    Memory
    32 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    No GPU - Built-in Intel Graphics
    Sound Card
    Integrated
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Varies as machine will often be moved to locations with different monitors
    Screen Resolution
    Varies
    Hard Drives
    1 x 1TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    120W Power Brick
    Keyboard
    Corsair K70 Max RGB Magnetic Keyboard
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1 Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

  • At a glance

    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)Intel i7-1255U16 GBIntel Iris Xe Graphics
    Operating System
    Win11 Pro 25H2 (RTM+)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Gen 2
    CPU
    Intel i7-1255U
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel Iris Xe Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek® ALC3306-CG codec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    13.3-inch IPS Display
    Screen Resolution
    WQXGA (2560 x 1600)
    Hard Drives
    2 TB 4 x 4 NVMe SSD
    PSU
    USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 Power / Charging
    Keyboard
    Backlit, spill resistant keyboard
    Mouse
    Buttonless Glass Precision Touchpad
    Internet Speed
    1Gb Up / 1Gb Down
    Browser
    Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    WiFi 6e / Bluetooth 5.1 / Facial Recognition / Fingerprint Sensor / ToF (Time of Flight) Human Presence Sensor

My Computers My Computers

System One System Two Other systems

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October 2021 it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround.

    In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround.
    Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
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