Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware

Bree · Jun 8, 2025

spapakons said:
That's the only method (except using Rufus) that still works for upgrade to 24H2. The old method of replacing a specific file doesn't work for 24H2. For clean installation the Registry hack still works, but I would first switch to the old Setup (click that option when prompted), just in case.

Registry hacks work for an upgrade too, Option Three in the tutorial. I believe they're the same ones that Rufus uses.

Bypass Windows 11 System Requirements on Unsupported PC

This tutorial will show you how to bypass the Windows 11 CPU, RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0 system requirements allowing you to clean install or upgrade to Windows 11 on a unsupported PC that doesn't meet these requirements. Installing Windows 11 on a device that does not meet Windows 11...

www.elevenforum.com

spapakons · Jun 8, 2025

I will choose an easy command over Registry hack for upgrading. If you refer to the Registry keys Rufus describes on their site before releasing version 4.6, these are not the same keys used for a clean installation, if I remember correctly. It's a different hack.

Edit: Just checked, they are not the same keys. I don't know if these work for a clean installation.

Bree · Jun 8, 2025

spapakons said:
I will choose an easy command over Registry hack for upgrading. If you refer to the Registry keys Rufus describes on their site before releasing version 4.6, these are not the same keys used for a clean installation, if I remember correctly. It's a different hack.

Yes, they are different keys, and Brink's Option Three has the correct ones for an in-place upgrade. I have put them in a .bat file on my 24H2 install USB and just run it as an administrator before stating an upgrade, that my 'easy command'

I also have the clean install keys in another .bat file, I use Shift+F10 to run it before starting a clean install.

spapakons · Jun 8, 2025

When upgrading my main PC to 24H2 I used both these keys and the server parameter, just in case. I didn't know which one worked, but I don't care. Latest I used the server parameter on another incompatible computer and confirmed it was the server parameter, so I use it in all upgrades to 24H2. To be extra sure, I also disconnect from the internet and disable all startup applications and non-Microsoft services until the upgrade is complete.

garlin · Jun 8, 2025

For a clean install, Rufus uses the Bypass* reg keys.

For a live upgrade, Rufus deletes the AppCompatFlags reg keys (which @Brink's tutorial currently matches). Setup will check certain keys to see if they recommend blocking the upgrade.

Running "setup /product server" triggers logic in Setup to ignore the compatibility checks.

You guys keep running around in a circle. Nothing's changed in a half a year.

spapakons · Jun 8, 2025

An earlier post asked how we upgrade to 24H2 and we replied. We didn't claim these are new methods.

Bree · Jun 8, 2025

garlin said:
For a live upgrade, Rufus deletes the AppCompatFlags reg keys (which @Brink's tutorial currently matches). Setup will check certain keys to see if they recommend blocking the upgrade.

I have found that deleting the keys under TargetVersionUpgradeExperienceIndicators is unnecessary. In my .bat file I've left out that step and still been able to upgrade.

spapakons · Jun 25, 2025

I just created a virtual machine and installed Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit to test upgradeability. Trying to upgrade directly to Windows 11 24H2 wasn't successful as the new modern installer crashed while determining if I could upgrade. I then went to the sources folder and tried the other setup executables. It looks like sources\setup.exe is the old installer, but I could not bypass compatibility check and failed. I tried the Registry hacks, didn't seem to work. I then changed to the Windows 11 23H2 ISO and executed the d:\setup.exe /product server command. This time it worked, see screenshot. I will let it finish and post another screenshot to confirm you can upgrade directly from Windows 8.1 to Windows 11 23H2. However, if you plan to upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 it beats the purpose. Why upgrade directly from Windows 8.1 to 2Windows 11 3H2 and then to Windows 11 24H2 and not upgrade from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 22H2 and then to Windows 11 24H2 which has less compatibility risks? Probably I am missing something in Windows 11 24H2 and did not bypass compatibility check and failed, anyone can comment on that?

Windows 8.1 Pro to 11 Pro 23H2 direct upgrade.webp

garlin · Jun 25, 2025

In general, it's bad to drag a W8.1 system to W10, to W11. The top reason for failed Windows upgrades is incompatible drivers or apps. That's why compatibility checks exist in the first place, and running "setup /product server" simply ignores it and hopes for the best.

A VM isn't a very good test, because it's unlikely to have outdated drivers (which don't exist for later Windows) or have been banned as insecure. Those real world results will vary a great deal.

spapakons · Jun 25, 2025

I just wanted to see if it is possible to upgrade from Windows 8.1 directly to Windows 11. Of course you are right. I also recommend to upgrade all the drivers first and install all available updates before upgrading to a new Windows version to improve compatibility and reduce the risk of a BSOD. The same is true when moving from one Windows 10/11 version to the other, such as from 23H2 to 24H2. Not only from earlier Windows versions to 11. That said I have upgraded from 95 to 98 to ME to XP to Vista 32-bit and finally to 7 32-bit. If you are careful you minimize the risk of something going wrong.

garlin · Jun 25, 2025

There's a video of someone installing XP in a VM, and upgrading Windows one release at time until W11.
Of course, it's a clean install...

spapakons · Jun 25, 2025

In theory, if you want to have all wallpapers, all screensavers and games, you can install Windows XP x64, then Plus! for XP, Plus! for XP DME and then upgrade to Vista 64-bit, 7 64-bit, 10 64-bit and finally to Windows 11. However it is not necessary as you can copy all screensavers and install Plus! For XP and DME in Windows 11. Just set compatibility to Windows XP SP3 and run each setup as Administrator. Then set all executables to Windows XP SP3 compatibility and to always run as Administrator. I have the Plus! Space screensaver and play Bowling and Pinball in Windows 11. I also occasionally use the Alarm utility.

Hazel123 · Jun 28, 2025

Looks like my netbook will still last another year on Windows 10 (it won't run 11). With the "free" option to back up to the cloud. Which I have no problems with doing on my netbook as there's nothing on it to back up

. Although wouldn't want to use that option for a main computer.

siliconbeaver · Jun 29, 2025

For netbook, this kind of PC with very limited hardware resource, RAM 2 GB. Storage 30 GB. it's better run slim down OS. either W11 or W10 slimdown can run on it.

my SD10 install.wim 3.198 GB.

the installed SD10 about 8.80 GB

my W11 post is here (running on RAM 2 GB. Storage 30 GB)

Running 24H2 on Lenovo IdeaPad 120S RAM 2GB Storage 32GB

The computer was shipped with OS Windows 10 Home, RAM 2GB Storage 32GB. my IdeaPad has gotten update every year, from Windows 10, to Windows 11 22H2, 23H2, 24H2. its RAM 2GB (un-upgradeable DDR4, soldered on motherboard) is limited from any Windows updates, freezing up forever. its storage 32GB...

www.elevenforum.com

hmm, seems my upload of photos failed.

Hazel123 said:
Looks like my netbook will still last another year on Windows 10 (it won't run 11). With the "free" option to back up to the cloud. Which I have no problems with doing on my netbook as there's nothing on it to back up . Although wouldn't want to use that option for a main computer.

spapakons · Jun 29, 2025

I run Windows 10 Pro 22H2 32-bit on my HP Stream 7 tablet. Although the Intel Atom Z series CPU is 64-bit, the BIOS is locked to UEFI 32-bit only, so I cannot run Windows 11 on it. It has 1.6GHz CPU, 1GB RAM and 32MB eMMC. I have added a 256GB SD XC card and installed most software there. I have also set Windows Update cache, temporary folder and all downloads to the SD card, I have even set the page file manually to 500MB max in C to free some space. I barely have 1.5GB free space on the internal storage. Of course I have already done Compact OS and compressed all files, not helping. 32GB is VERY limiting for Windows 10/11. Even Windows 7 would benefit from more storage space. Unfortunately the eMMC is soldered on the motherboard and cannot be easily replaced, as is the 1GB RAM.

That said, some netbooks, such as my old Acer Aspire One A150, use a standard 2.5" SATA disk. If you are lucky enough and your netbook uses one too instead of the infamous eMMC storage, you can replace it with a larger SSD and be much faster and with much larger disk! Post the part number and I can look it for you.

hsehestedt · Jun 29, 2025

On machines with so little storage space available, I would suggest making sure that that the "Compact OS" option is enabled.

Installing 24H2 on system-disk of less than 64GB - is it possible?

Hi Chaps, I'm usually rather miserly with allocating space for my system disk, as I don't really use much capacity and I usually assign more to my data partition. My current install of Win 23H2 resides on a system disk with 40GB of total space. I have two partitions on a single SSD: the 40GB...

www.elevenforum.com

Hazel123 · Jun 29, 2025

It has plenty of storage! It has a 250gb ssd in it. It originally came with a sata hard drive. But yes, only 2gb ram. It's an Eee PC 1015PX which had one of the "faster" atom processors in it

- which was why I got that model originally (second hand) - it ran Windows 10 better than the others. Came with Windows 7 on it. It was a great little mini travel laptop and didn't want a tablet.

It runs perfectly fine on Windows 10 but it definitely won't run windows 11 (not after 22H2 anyway). A slimmed down one sounds good - I just had it optimised to run a bit faster but it was a standard Windows 10 install otherwise. It's just Windows 10 is about to end in October. Although now it will last another year.

spapakons · Jun 29, 2025

If it can run Windows 8 64-bit, it can also run Windows 10 64-bit and Windows 11 up to 23H2. Just bypass compatibility check to install or upgrade. If it is 32-bit only go for Windows 10 22H2 32-bit.

Hazel123 · Jun 29, 2025

It runs better on Windows 10 and won't run up to date Windows 11. Driver issues with 23H2 - I posted about that on here, and put 10 back on it after giving up. It was ok on the first iteration of Windows 11 and after that - it wasn't.

Not sure it it's worth getting that bothered about keeping 10 on it for another year only though!

siliconbeaver · Jun 29, 2025

With RAM 1GB, loading files will be too slow.

the slimmed down W10 (SD10), someone made install.wim as less as 1.19 GB, with main functionalities.

Mine is 3.2 GB with full functions. when installed, on 30 GB storage, still some 20 GB spare size. IMO, storage is NOT main issue. RAM 2 GB is a key bottleneck, when running multi-task (Discord, browser, Thunderbird, Youtube , , , ), the PC is slow.

Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

Attachments

My Computer

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computers

Well-known member

My Computer

Similar threads