Intel Core i7-970 and Windows 11 compatibility

spapakons · Oct 23, 2022

Hello, I recently tried to install Windows 11 on an old computer with Intel Core i7-970 CPU and 2GB RAM using a hybrid Windows 10/11 USB flash drive to bypass compatibility check. The drive tried to boot and was stuck for over 15 minutes at the blue Windows logo (Legacy BIOS mode). I then tried to install Windows 10 64-bit instead. Same thing. The USB was stuck at the Windows logo unable to boot into Windows Setup. I even tried to troubleshoot the computer with Sergei Strelec's boot USB, was stuck again. I only managed to load Strelec selecting the last older compatibility option (Windows 8 mode for older computers). I then used DISM to deploy install.wim directly to the new SSD. When tried to boot it again stuck at the logo. I eventually gave up and installed Windows 7 64-bit. Very weird, I thought this CPU has the required instructions to run Windows 8 64-bit or higher. Am i wrong? Unfortunately I had to return the computer to my customer, so I didn't have the time to try upgrading Windows 7 to 10 and then to 11. To see what happens. Any help appreciated.

cereberus · Oct 23, 2022

spapakons said:
Hello, I recently tried to install Windows 11 on an old computer with Intel Core i7-970 CPU and 2GB RAM using a hybrid Windows 10/11 USB flash drive to bypass compatibility check. The drive tried to boot and was stuck for over 15 minutes at the blue Windows logo (Legacy BIOS mode). I then tried to install Windows 10 64-bit instead. Same thing. The USB was stuck at the Windows logo unable to boot into Windows Setup. I even tried to troubleshoot the computer with Sergei Strelec's boot USB, was stuck again. I only managed to load Strelec selecting the last older compatibility option (Windows 8 mode for older computers). I then used DISM to deploy install.wim directly to the new SSD. When tried to boot it again stuck at the logo. I eventually gave up and installed Windows 7 64-bit. Very weird, I thought this CPU has the required instructions to run Windows 8 64-bit or higher. Am i wrong? Unfortunately I had to return the computer to my customer, so I didn't have the time to try upgrading Windows 7 to 10 and then to 11. To see what happens. Any help appreciated

There is no way Windows 11 will run comfortably on a device with only 2GB RAM. 4GB is really bare minimum, and frankly 8GB really.

If the device was sold with only 2GB RAM, that is a really old device, and it is a high probability that you cannot get suitable drivers.

To have any half decent chance of running W11, you would need to upgrade the RAM and change out HDD for an SSD (if not already done).

Also, without going through thev upgrade route, how did you intend to activate Windows 11?

Worse still, your customer should not really be running Windows 7 as a security risk. A device of such a low spec would probably be better off running a light Linux OS.

spapakons · Oct 23, 2022

I have installed Windows 11 on a Pentium 4 6xx CPU with 2GB RAM which is far slower than that, so is possible. I don't know what incompatibility I encountered.

cereberus · Oct 23, 2022

spapakons said:
I have installed Windows 11 on a Pentium 4 6xx CPU with 2GB RAM which is far slower than that, so is possible. I don't know what incompatibility I encountered.

Sure it is possible but the performance will be very poor as it will be continually page-filing, thrashing the drive if an HDD.
It will be like trying to swim in treacle.

I once actually tried Windows 10 on an old W7 era 32bit netbook for "fun" with 2 GB (not upgradable) and an HDD and whilst it ran (I was surprised I could get drivers), it was like pulling teeth. Of course, I cannot test W11 as it is only 32bit.

To think I paid a fortune for this in those days, and loved it as a travelling device - how expectations have moved on LOL. I do not even know why I keep this old device - time to give it to a charity I think, with a Linux OS (when I get around to it).

spapakons · Oct 23, 2022

For such old devices install Windows 10 32-bit if there is a WDDM graphics driver (at least Vista 32-bit). If it isn't, better stay with Windows 7 32-bit and Windows XP graphics drivers.

NormanF · Dec 7, 2022

Yup. You need at 4 GB to run Windows 11 and the cutoff point is an Intel Braswell processor. I wouldn't run it on anything older.

spapakons · Dec 7, 2022

I have installed Windows 11 on an old 64-bit Intel Pentium 4 645 CPU with 2GB RAM. The official Microsoft minimum and the actual minimum specs always differ for obvious reasons. Similarly Windows 7 32-bit required an 1GHz CPU with 1GB RAM but the absolute minimum I successfully installed Windows 7 32-bit on was an Intel Pentium III 700 MHz CPU (less than 1GHz) with 384MB RAM (less than 1GB). Do don't trust Microsoft.

erpster4 · Dec 8, 2022

spapakons said:
I have installed Windows 11 on an old 64-bit Intel Pentium 4 645 CPU with 2GB RAM.

try installing & running Win11 on that config AND on an HDD, instead of an SSD, hah!

spapakons · Dec 8, 2022

erpster4 said:
try installing & running Win11 on that config AND on an HDD, instead of an SSD, hah!

Not any HDD, an IDE HDD whose speed is comparable to SATA I or less.

TM21 · Dec 8, 2022

With only 40+ years of experience, let me just say that Microsoft has always way over stated what is required to run their OS's.
Just don't expect Maximum service from Minimum hardware.
Don't overload a PC with a bunch of Crap, and any OS will run on minimal hardware. Windows is really more robust than MS is willing to admit.
OH, and for the one who wants to load Win-11 on an old PC that does not meet the minimum requirements, you can burn the ISO of the OS to a Suitable Flash Drive using Rufus 3.21 (latest Version) which will ask you if you want to remove the Minimum Requirements from the ISO.
It works a treat!!
Older versions of Rufus, that one may have had laying around for several years, won't do that. UPGRADE!

spapakons · Dec 9, 2022

Speaking of weak systems. I have an HP Stream 7 tablet with Intel Atom Z3537G 1.22GHz CPU, 1GB RAM and 32GB storage. Yes, I managed to install Windows 11 on that with a trick, but unfortunately the UEFI Firmware is locked at 32-bit, even if the CPU is 64-bit, so I couldn't boot into Windows 11 and was forced to clean install Windows 10 32-bit instead. To install Windows 11 I created a Windows 10 32-bit GOT UEFI USB flash drive and then replaced install.esd of Windows 10 with install.wim from Windows 11 ISO. This way I could boot into Windows 10 32-bit Setup but install Windows 11 instead! Pity I couldn't do any similar hack to use Windows 32-bit UEFI boot loader to load Windows 11... In Windows 10 32-bit to gain some disk space and performance I enabled compactOS, and also compressed all files. I installed all my applications and games on the SD card, not on the internal storage. I removed all visual effect, disabled all background processes, all startup applications. I even configured Microsoft Edge to run as fast as possible. I can't say the tablet is very fast, you still need some patience when using it, but it is much better than if I hadn't do anything and had the default settings with all effects, background processes and startup applications enabled.

Intel Core i7-970 and Windows 11 compatibility

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