Why can’t I install 23H2 (22631.2715) in a UTM (QEMU on macOS) VM?

Baeolophus · Nov 21, 2023

I just downloaded and generated an ISO of 23H2 (22631.2715) through the UUP Dump link from the 23H2 release thread on this forum. I tried to install it to a UTM VM, but I am getting this:

Screenshot 2023-11-21 at 10.29.00 PM.png

“This PC can’t run Windows 11”

Why?

Berton · Nov 21, 2023

That's the usual type message a Windows computer running Win10 or earlier throws up if it doesn't meet the System Requirements, most important is the Generation of the AMD or Intel CPU and whether TPM/Trusted Platform Module is installed. Is the Mac running MAC OS X or the new macOS? As I understand it macOS uses a different CPU, all I really know for sure is my MacBook Pro from Mid-2010 died when trying the upgrade from Mac OS X to macOS. There are some tweaks for getting Win11 on unsupported hardware as a clean install but all I've done is one Upgrade of an older Notebook with WIn10 which was simpler that the clean install.

SIW2 · Nov 21, 2023

Baeolophus · Nov 21, 2023

Berton said:
That's the usual type message a Windows computer running Win10 or earlier throws up if it doesn't meet the System Requirements, most important is the Generation of the AMD or Intel CPU and whether TPM/Trusted Platform Module is installed.

SIW2 said:

UTM running on an Apple Silicon Mac can easily install earlier versions of Windows 11. I have a VM running Windows 11 21H2 (22000.2538). Windows Update says it’s up to date.

Berton · Nov 21, 2023

Baeolophus said:
I have a VM running Windows 11 21H2 (22000.2538). Windows Update says it’s up to date.

That may be true for that version but support for 21H2 ended a month ago. The current version is 23H2.

Windows 11 Home and Pro - Microsoft Lifecycle

Windows 11 Home and Pro follows the Modern Lifecycle Policy.

learn.microsoft.com

garlin · Nov 21, 2023

Run Rufus on your 21H2 VM, and have it prepare the downloaded ISO to bypass TPM and HW requirements.
Take this new ISO and boot from it. All Rufus is doing is inserting an unattended file to enter the BypassTPM reg keys for you.

SIW2 · Nov 22, 2023

can easily install earlier versions of Windows 11. I have a VM running Windows 11 21H2 (22000.2538). Windows Update says it’s up to date.

You could try swapping the new install.wim into the sources folder of earlier win11 installation media.

Megahertz · Nov 22, 2023

Try to follow this guide

How to upgrade from Win10 or Win 11 to Win 11 23h2 - A guide

As many of us has already found out, Win10 21h2 or Win10 22h2 or Win 11 21h2 or Win 11 22h2 installed on an incompatible hardware doesn't upgrade by itself to 23h2. You have to use the Repair install method or In-Place Upgrade, that is, run setup.exe from a mounted and tweaked Win 11 22h2 iso...

www.elevenforum.com

LeLibran · Nov 22, 2023

@Baeolophus

Did you download the ARM versions of Windows 11?

UTM will not enable you to run an x64 version of Windows 11 on an M1/2/3 Processor. The CPU emulation provided by QEMU isn't up to the job of emulating a 'modern' x86-64 CPU on an ARM processor, but even if it was, performance would be at snail pace.

You need to install the ARM Version of Windows 11 if you are using an M Series Mac, as indicated by your computer spec.

Baeolophus · Nov 22, 2023

LeLibran said:
@Baeolophus

Did you download the ARM versions of Windows 11?

UTM will not enable you to run an x64 version of Windows 11 on an M1/2/3 Processor. The CPU emulation provided by QEMU isn't up to the job of emulating a 'modern' x86-64 CPU on an ARM processor, but even if it was, performance would be at snail pace.

You need to install the ARM Version of Windows 11 if you are using an M Series Mac, as indicated by your computer spec.

I did indeed try installing the ARM version. I don’t think UTM would have booted from an AMD64 version of the Windows ISO.

LeLibran · Nov 22, 2023

@Baeolophus

O.K. The only other thing I can suggest is to try re-downloading the Windows ARM installation files using UTM's own software, i.e. CrystalFetch available on GitHub. It's advantage over using UUPDump is that it is a native macOS app, so you don't have the added complexity of needing to use an existing Windows installation to download and auto-build the ARM ISO.

Baeolophus · Nov 22, 2023

CrystalFetch looks like great software. I have found it to be very buggy, however. Not quite ready for prime time.

Baeolophus · Nov 22, 2023

garlin said:
Run Rufus on your 21H2 VM, and have it prepare the downloaded ISO to bypass TPM and HW requirements.
Take this new ISO and boot from it. All Rufus is doing is inserting an unattended file to enter the BypassTPM reg keys for you.

How do I make Rufus output its work to another ISO file?

garlin · Nov 22, 2023

I don't own a Mac, but doesn't UTM have a pass-thru option for the USB drive? You allow Rufus to do its modifications when it writes to USB.

Ghot · Nov 22, 2023

Baeolophus said:
How do I make Rufus output its work to another ISO file?

Pretty sure you just tell RUFUS to put it on a USB stick.

At the very top.... "Device"

Baeolophus · Nov 22, 2023

Ghot said:
Pretty sure you just tell RUFUS to put it on a USB stick.
At the very top.... "Device"

In other words, there is no way for Rufus to massage an ISO into another ISO. That’s what I had hoped to be able to do, somehow.

Ghot · Nov 23, 2023

Baeolophus said:
In other words, there is no way for Rufus to massage an ISO into another ISO. That’s what I had hoped to be able to do, somehow.

If you want multiple bootable images on a USB stick, you should probably be using... Ventoy.

Ventoy

Ventoy is an open source tool to create bootable USB drive for ISO files. With ventoy, you don't need to format the disk again and again, you just need to copy the iso file to the USB drive and boot it.

www.ventoy.net

spapakons · Nov 23, 2023

Use Rufus to create the USB flash drive and then pass control of the flash drive to the emulator. Or you can boot with the ISO and then hack the Registry to bypass compatibility check (see respective threads) before proceeding with the installation. This is for a clean installation. If you need to upgrade Windows 10 or an earlier version of Windows 11 to 23H2, disconnect the emulator from the internet, mount the ISO, start Setup and then replace the hidden file C:\$Windows.~BT\sources\appraiserres.dll with an empty fake. To create the fake file, right-click on the Windows desktop and select New->Text document. Make sure you change settings so you can see the .txt extension at the end. Rename the text file to appraiserres.dll without the .txt extension at the end. Delete the original file in the hidden folder and copy-paste the empty fake. Then proceed with the installation. Setup will not be able to use the fake file to check for compatibility and will skip the test. If you see the familiar "Choose what to keep" screen, then you made it, continue with the upgrade.

pparks1 · Nov 23, 2023

@Baeolophus

Be sure when you create the VM, it assigns it 2 virtual CPU's.....that's usually the problem I have experienced with Windows 11 as a VM.

spapakons · Nov 23, 2023

Even if the host computer is Windows 11 compliant, the virtual machine might not be. In VMware workstation for example, you have to make sure the virtual machine boots in UEFI mode (not legacy BIOS), and is encrypted to make TPM work. I don't remember exactly what and how, Google it. In any case if you bypass compatibility check you don't have to worry about these details.