Windows 11 24H2 26100.1 install on non-complaint VM - it worked!

BrianInEngland · Apr 6, 2024

Just posting here due to my surprise that what I did worked.

Running VirtualBox.
Installed Windows 10 using the MS ISO
Downloaded the latest Win 11 Dev build 26100.1 using UUP Dump
Created the ISO
Copied the Windows 10 install files to a folder.
Replaced the install.wim with the one from the UUP ISO
Ran the installer

Windows 11 24H2 installed and is working, despite not having a TPM.

Surprised that it worked, and even more surprised that it activated using the 'replaced hardware' trick from my original Windows 10 VM from many years ago!

Obviously a compliant CPU is required, because installing 24H2 is one thing, getting it to boot is another thing entirely.

BrianInEngland · Apr 7, 2024

You could clean install using this method as well but again it would only boot if the CPU is compliant.

Bree · Apr 7, 2024

BrianInEngland said:
Copied the Windows 10 install files to a folder.
Replaced the install.wim with the one from the UUP ISO
Ran the installer
Windows 11 24H2 installed and is working, despite not having a TPM.
Obviously a compliant CPU is required, because installing 24H2 is one thing, getting it to boot is another thing entirely.

Yes, the hybrid install media method works well. You could have used the W11 23H2 media too, with the appraiserres workaround.

BrianInEngland said:
You could clean install using this method as well but again it would only boot if the CPU is compliant.

Just so it's clear for others reading this thread a '24H2 compliant' CPU is one that has the PopCnt instruction, first seen in the SSE4.2 (Intel) or SSE4a (AMD) instruction sets.

BrianInEngland · Apr 7, 2024

Bree said:
Yes, the hybrid install media method works well. You could have used the W11 23H2 media too, with the appraiserres workaround.

Just so it's clear for others reading this thread a '24H2 compliant' CPU is one that has the PopCnt instruction, first seen in the SSE4.2 (Intel) or SSE4a (AMD) instruction sets.

At least I know when the time comes to install 24H2 on my actual PC, it will (should!) work with no problems

NormanF · Apr 9, 2024

You can run this build forever. If you stay on the Insider, the evaluation watermark will return in future builds.

jimbo45 · Apr 9, 2024

Bree said:
Yes, the hybrid install media method works well. You could have used the W11 23H2 media too, with the appraiserres workaround.

Just so it's clear for others reading this thread a '24H2 compliant' CPU is one that has the PopCnt instruction, first seen in the SSE4.2 (Intel) or SSE4a (AMD) instruction sets.

A good way to get a non compliant CPU to work is to use the dism /ApplyImage and then bcdboot to install the bootloader or use an appropriate VM where you can alter the CPU topography to a supported model - then copy to a real machine, update hardware drivers etc. I think also currently Rufus builds someinstall media which skips a lot of the checks.

Cheers
jimbo

Bree · Apr 9, 2024

jimbo45 said:
A good way to get a non compliant CPU to work is to use the dism /ApplyImage and then bcdboot to install the bootloader or use an appropriate VM where you can alter the CPU topography to a supported model - then copy to a real machine.....

If the CPU is non-compliant because it lacks the PopCnt instruction then there is no way round that. I know, I've tried. Even if you manage to install 24H2, on a cpu without the PopCnt instruction it will fail to boot.

Bree said:
Of my eight or so unsupported devices that can run 23H2, I have two with CPUs that are missing the PopCnt instruction so can't run 24H2.....

...It won't boot - just gets as far as the Windows logo before it fails and reboots, doesn't even get as far as the spinning circle.

Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware - post #1,917

jimbo45 · Apr 9, 2024

Bree said:
If the CPU is non-compliant because it lacks the PopCnt instruction then there is no way round that. I know, I've tried. Even if you manage to install 24H2, on a cpu without the PopCnt instruction it will fail to boot.

Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware - post #1,917

Not sure that's correct if the VM software can "emulate" cpu instructions --Running quite nicely on an Intel i5 Gen 6 CPU which I'm sure doen't have the PopCnt instruction.

The main issue is whether the VM software can trap the failing CPU instruction and emulate it in some way or manage to suppress error.

Cheers
jimbo

Bree · Apr 9, 2024

jimbo45 said:
Running quite nicely on an Intel i5 Gen 6 CPU which I'm sure doen't have the PopCnt instruction.

Yes it does. All the Intel® Core™ CPUs have the PopCnt instruction, regardless of generation. PopCnt was introduced with the SSE4.2 instruction set. Even my 1st gen i5 has it....

....and runs 24H2 without issues.

BrianInEngland · Apr 9, 2024

jimbo45 said:
A good way to get a non compliant CPU to work is to use the dism /ApplyImage and then bcdboot to install the bootloader or use an appropriate VM where you can alter the CPU topography to a supported model - then copy to a real machine, update hardware drivers etc. I think also currently Rufus builds someinstall media which skips a lot of the checks.

Cheers
jimbo

Too much hassle! I only want the VM so I can test future builds, my main install is RP.

BrianInEngland · Apr 9, 2024

It's quite interesting/amusing that Virtual Box emulates an Intel ICH9 chipset board - but the CPU is running on 4 cores of my AMD 5900X!

jimbo45 · Apr 9, 2024

Bree said:
Yes it does. All the Intel® Core™ CPUs have the PopCnt instruction, regardless of generation. PopCnt was introduced with the SSE4.2 instruction set. Even my 1st gen i5 has it....

....and runs 24H2 without issues.

Thanks for the info !!!

As the CPU is quite ancient I´m surprised that this issue is even rearing it´s ugly head in 2024.

Cheers
jimbo

RJARRRPCGP · Apr 9, 2024

Bree said:
first seen in the SSE4.2 (Intel) or SSE4a (AMD) instruction sets.

For Intel, that would mean a minimum of first-gen Core i, IIRC. For AMD, I dunno, but wouldn't be surprised if Phenom II, unless they waited all the way to FX! Maybe not all hope is lost for my first-gen Core i7!

Bree · Apr 9, 2024

RJARRRPCGP said:
For Intel, that would mean a minimum of first-gen Core i, IIRC. For AMD, I dunno, but wouldn't be surprised if Phenom II, unless they waited all the way to FX! Maybe not all hope is lost for my first-gen Core i7!

My System Two's 1st gen i5 handles 24H2 just fine.

For AMD the PopCnt instruction and SSE4a first appeared in AMD's Barcelona microarchitecture in 2007. Never mind the Phenom II, even the Phenom had it.

The AMD Family 10h, or K10, is a microprocessor microarchitecture by AMD based on the K8 microarchitecture.[1] The first third-generation Opteron products for servers were launched on September 10, 2007, with the Phenom processors for desktops following and launching on November 11, 2007

AMD 10h - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

NormanF · Apr 9, 2024

Any PC made before 2010, with few exceptions - Windows 11 23H2 is the end of the line for them.

TechnoMage2021 · Apr 11, 2024

Yada, yada, yada and etc, etc, etc,
Or, you could do what I did at 4AM this morning.
I just went to the X-Lite website and downloaded their newest Win-11/Pro/64, 24H2.
Burned it to a Flash Drive using the Rufus that came in the zipped package, and installed it on a 100% NON-Compliant system, with an 8-core AMD cpu, over ten years old.
Boy, does it run SWEET! And FAST, too!

jimminy · Apr 11, 2024

TechnoMage2021 said:
Yada, yada, yada and etc, etc, etc,
Or, you could do what I did at 4AM this morning.
I just went to the X-Lite website and downloaded their newest Win-11/Pro/64, 24H2.
Burned it to a Flash Drive using the Rufus that came in the zipped package, and installed it on a 100% NON-Compliant system, with an 8-core AMD cpu, over ten years old.
Boy, does it run SWEET! And FAST, too!

In rufus, what options did you use to bypass microsoft's blackballing?

TechnoMage2021 · Apr 11, 2024

Pardon me, but I guess you didn't get the message. The ISO did not come from MS, and all the compatibility BS has been removed. I didn't have to set anything in Rufus. In fact, they supply an older version of Rufus that doesn't even have that option menu.

I'm on the new 24H2 install right now. Running on a Crucial SSD, it's FAST!

When I HAVE used a recent version of Rufus to burn an ISO to a Flash Drive ,on the options menu, I just pick EVERYTHING!!

I don't do this stuff for money....it's my Hobby, since I retired from fixing computers.

ibay770 · May 6, 2024

TechnoMage2021 said:
Yada, yada, yada and etc, etc, etc,
Or, you could do what I did at 4AM this morning.
I just went to the X-Lite website and downloaded their newest Win-11/Pro/64, 24H2.
Burned it to a Flash Drive using the Rufus that came in the zipped package, and installed it on a 100% NON-Compliant system, with an 8-core AMD cpu, over ten years old.
Boy, does it run SWEET! And FAST, too!

But that probably has the popcnt instruction, no?

spapakons · May 8, 2024

Rufus bypasses the general hardware requirements (8th gen Intel CPU or 2nd gen AMD Ryzen, 4GB RAM, TPM 2.0, UEFI mode boot and Secure Boot). Using Rufus you can install Windows 11 to any 64-bit system with at least 1GB RAM and adequate disk space in Legacy BIOS mode without TPM 2.0 without Secure Boot, much like my test laptop (see 1st system specs). But, as far as I know, Rufus doesn't yet bypass the PopCnt instruction requirement for 24H2. For that you need an Intel CPU with SSE4.2 or an AMD CPU with SSE4a. That's until any workaround is posted in this forum. Just wait...