Pulled Out of Retirement

Both computers (current and new) are Win 11 compatible.
If your current computer has a non compatible device (TPN disabled, Legacy - MBR) I strongly suggest you fix it so it will upgrade by it's own.
If you install using the workarounds it won't upgrade to new versions in the future unless you apply the workarounds again.
As already suggested, download WhyNotWin11 and run it. It is a portable. Don't need to be installed.

Yes, if you bypass compatibility check to upgrade, you have to do it again to go to the next version such as 26H2 coming in October 2026. However, if switching from MBR to GPT means to install from scratch, I would rather bypass compatibility check every time and save myself all the trouble of a full backup and new installation.

spapakons said:

Yes, if you bypass compatibility check to upgrade, you have to do it again to go to the next version such as 26H2 coming in October 2026. However, if switching from MBR to GPT means to install from scratch, I would rather bypass compatibility check every time and save myself all the trouble of a full backup and new installation.

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You don't need to do a fresh install to convert a Legacy - MBR to UEFI - GPT
If you convert the main drive booting from a Win 10 or 11 installation drive and launching a CMD window (Shift+F10) MBR2GPT will convert the system partition into EFI (recommended)

That's why I said "if", because it might not succeed. Why bother to make it Windows 11 compliant anyway? There is not perceptible difference in performance or compatibility between standard GPT installation and unsupported MBR installation. Enabling Secure Boot doesn't necessarily means safer computer. If the user is not careful enough he can compromise it any time, even with an encrypted disk.

Pulled out of retirement. Awk. A fate worse than bankruptcy

My only real questions were:

a) After Oct, was the upgrade still free, and

b) How reliable is the "in-place" upgrade.

Hardware and storage compatibility had already been verified. Still it was good to see that "all the boxes had been checked" so thanks to all.

That being said ... things didn't go so well and maybe the experience will be helpful tho not at all Windows related. In short, after the hardware upgrade, system would not post ... troubleshooted for 40 minutes, assumed dead MoBo ... took everything out, put old stuff back in ... wouldn't post. When turning system on side, just as I'm hitting PSU switch, there's lights ! Switch was already off, so turn back on and hit power button on case. Nothing. Check cables, keep hitting button and then .... light bulb .... I have seen this before. My wife sat down one morning some years back and her system wouldn't start, will moving things on top of the case, inadvertently hit the reset button. I switched the wires to the two headers and it's been that way for years.

Sure enough, we hit the reset button and it posted. Before taking apart again, the MoBo / CPU with the Kryosheet were still sitting on the ModMat, plugged in the 24 pin and twin CPU cables to the MoBo sitting on the mat and all was right w/ the world. The 2nd reinstall went very fast, we connected the reset switch to the power header and the system is now upgrading to Win 11pro .. It to 3 or 4 tries with the Assistant thingie but now moving along.

EDIT: All done, no obvious problems. Son hasn't done anything yet to compare performance. Proicedure went a bit different than originally planned.

TPM 2.0 on BIOS
Rebooted and removed MoBo drivers
Shut Down
Changed Hardware
Installed new drivers
Rebooted

I had to take care of some work stuff and he tried to upgrade thru Windows Update a few times w/ no luck, then used the "Assistant" and everyhting seems fine.

When a computer doesn't post, it usually helps if you reset the BIOS, either by using a jumper to short circuit the respective pins, or by removing the power and BIOS battery for a few minutes.

spapakons said:

When a computer doesn't post, it usually helps if you reset the BIOS, either by using a jumper to short circuit the respective pins, or by removing the power and BIOS battery for a few minutes.

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The MoBo has a button for that, didn't have any effect.

The fact that it posted when flipping the case, given the past experience, was a dead giveaway

MrBeaujhangles said:

The MoBo has a button for that, didn't have any effect.

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Bummer.

MrBeaujhangles said:

The fact that it posted when flipping the case, given the past experience, was a dead giveaway

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How so?

Not all motherboards have a BIOS reset button. In that case you either shot circuit the CMOS reset contacts or you remove the battery for a few minutes.

MrBeaujhangles said:

My only real questions were:

a) After Oct, was the upgrade still free,

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If you referring to Win 10 to Win 11 upgrade, yes it's still free

MrBeaujhangles said:

b) How reliable is the "in-place" upgrade.

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Very reliable. I do it all the time with the workarounds as my computer "isn't compatible)"

MrBeaujhangles said:

The 2nd reinstall went very fast, we connected the reset switch to the power header and the system is now upgrading to Win 11pro .. It to 3 or 4 tries with the Assistant thingie but now moving along.

Click to expand...

Please mark this thread as SOLVED

Let's remind you here that the Upgrade Assistant or Media Creation Tool are intended for upgrading Windows 11 compliant computers to the last Windows 11 version. If you have an unsupported computer for whatever reason (even wrong configuration) and want to upgrade the only way is to download the ISO, disconnect from the Internet (among other precautions to improve compatibility), mount the ISO and run this command:

D:\setup /product server

assuming D: is the drive letter of the virtual DVD-ROM drive that opens when you mount the ISO. If different, replace as appropriate.

This parameter tells Setup it is going to install a "Server" version of Windows which by default skips compatibility check. Of course you will be installing standard Windows 11 Home or Pro because these versions are included in the ISO, not any Server version. I have also read elsewhere that this omits some features. This is not true and even if it was, you can install them later. Contrary to what Microsoft wants you to believe, there is no compatibility issues for running Windows 11 on unsupported computers, provided the CPU supports SSE4.2 instructions (i.e. it is at least 1st generation Intel Core-i3 or equivalent AMD). Older 64-bit CPUs are limited to Windows 10 64-bit or Windows 11 23H2. Better than struggling with Windows 7 64-bit lack of modern hardware and software support. Also there is NO difference in security. Windows 11 is not by magic more secure than Windows 10. Just some security settings are enabled by default while they are not enabled in Windows 10. If you enable them in Windows 10 as well, then it will be as secure as running Windows 11 on the same hardware. Besides, Windows 11 (version 10.0.2xxxx.xxxx) is a superset of Windows 10 (version 10.0.19xxx.xxxx) which means almost same OS with some improvements and new skin. Much like Windows 98 was a superset of Windows 95 and could run the same applications and games.