Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware

vipergg · Feb 23, 2025

ArthurDent said:
Okay,

So without getting into Virtual Machines, is there a simple way to install Windows 11 on an elderly pc that doesn't have a CPU listed as compatable, nor does it have a TPM module.

Machine is a Dell Vostro 200 with a Core 2 Duo E4400 running at 2GHz with 4Gb RAM.

Happy to be a Guinea Pig on this!

Thanks in anticipation,

Art

See my previous post , this method bypasses any compatibility checks and loads Win 11 .

CalypsoArt · Mar 15, 2025

I was just about to Install Win 11 on my Lenovo laptop that has an incompatible CPU. I was following this tutorial, but when I got to the Registry editor at Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\ it turns out my Setup folder doesn't have the folder "MoSetup" so I'm at a standstill. At 9:43 in the video. Any thoughts?

XxXxX · Mar 15, 2025

CalypsoArt said:
I was just about to Install Win 11 on my Lenovo laptop that has an incompatible CPU. I was following this tutorial, but when I got to the Registry editor at Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\ it turns out my Setup folder doesn't have the folder "MoSetup" so I'm at a standstill. At 9:43 in the video. Any thoughts?

please try Rufus 4.6 which is also available from the MS store.

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

Rufus: Create bootable USB drives the easy way

rufus.ie

you can then 'tick' all the boxes before Rufus burns the Win 11 ISO to a newly created bootable USB stick.
then using your boot manager, boot from the Rufus USB and install (or upgrade) Windows from there.

best of luck, Steve ..

aubergine · Mar 15, 2025

CalypsoArt said:
I was following this tutorial

There's a lot of nonsense in the video.

How to bypass Windows 11 24H2 system requirements to upgrade from ISO file?

- Download Windows 11 24H2 ISO file, select the option "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices."
- Mount the ISO file.
- Run the following command, replace "X" with the drive letter of the mounted iso file.

X:\setup.exe /product server

In this mode, the Windows 11 installer thinks it is installing Windows Server Edition and does not check the Windows 11 system requirements.

edit: On some computers, the upgrade will only work if the internet connection is disabled before starting the upgrade.

spapakons · Mar 15, 2025

CalypsoArt said:
I was just about to Install Win 11 on my Lenovo laptop that has an incompatible CPU. I was following this tutorial, but when I got to the Registry editor at Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\ it turns out my Setup folder doesn't have the folder "MoSetup" so I'm at a standstill. At 9:43 in the video. Any thoughts?

The Registry hack is only for a clean installation (format and install). For upgrading from an older version to Windows 11 24H2 see older posts for the setup /product server command.

spapakons · Mar 15, 2025

My Windows installation was seriously damaged and unfortunately I had to do a clean installation and reinstall everything from scratch. However "ouden kakon amiges kalou" (no bad is without a good side), as we say in Greek. Before my CPU worked at 3.7GHz with Turbo Boost enabled, now it works at 3.8GHz, closer to the 3.9GHz referred in its specs (see 2nd system specs).

CalypsoArt · Mar 15, 2025

aubergine said:
There's a lot of nonsense in the video.

How to bypass Windows 11 24H2 system requirements to upgrade from ISO file?

- Download Windows 11 24H2 ISO file, select the option "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices."
- Mount the ISO file.
- Run the following command, replace "X" with the drive letter of the mounted iso file.

X:\setup.exe /product server

In this mode, the Windows 11 installer thinks it is installing Windows Server Edition and does not check the Windows 11 system requirements.

View attachment 128289

edit: On some computers, the upgrade will only work if the internet connection is disabled before starting the upgrade.

I started this, and forgot to ask, I have this laptop setup as dual boot with Linux Mint. Will this mess up the Linux? Not ultimately important if I have to redo, as this is the computer I use to learn and try things -- like making a Linux/Windows dual boot.

Edit: All went well an the dual boos is fine, except it is now Win 11/Linux Mint instead of Win 10. Gracias amigos!

spapakons · Mar 15, 2025

If you upgrade to Windows 11, there is a chance that your computer uses the Windows Bootloader. This means it will boot to Windows but not Linux. No big deal, just boot with a Linux USB and reinstall Grub bootloader. You can also use EasyBCD in Windows to edit the Windows Boot Loader and add Linux boot entry, but since I don't have the required knowledge, I couldn't make it work when I tried it once.

XxXxX · Mar 15, 2025

CalypsoArt said:
I started this, and forgot to ask, I have this laptop setup as dual boot with Linux Mint. Will this mess up the Linux? Not ultimately important if I have to redo, as this is the computer I use to learn and try things -- like making a Linux/Windows dual boot.

Edit: All went well an the dual boos is fine, except it is now Win 11/Linux Mint instead of Win 10. Gracias amigos!

have a look in the BIOS boot menu you can change boot priority there, if that is what you require.

best of luck, Steve ..

spapakons · Mar 16, 2025

A laptop usually has a single disk, so the OP has probably split the disk in two partitions and installed Windows in one and Linux in the other. In that case in BIOS he sees a single disk and cannot change the boot order from there. Read my previous post, he can either add Linux to Windows Boot Loader or reinstall Grub bootloader if he upgrades Windows and cannot boot in Linux.

CalypsoArt · Mar 16, 2025

Thanks guys. No need to reinstall grub. Everything worked fine on start up and I did not need to do anything with the bootloader. Win11 and Linux Mint running well.

inwell · Mar 17, 2025

Hello,
When you upgrade the windows10 to windows11 from inside windows...keeping old files,apps and data intact using

- Download Windows 11 24H2 ISO file, select the option "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices."
- Mount the ISO file.
- Run the following command, replace "X" with the drive letter of the mounted iso file.
X:\setup.exe /product server

1.will it install with current ms account and user accounts..or you need to input ms account again while installing ?(internet on)

2. Does this install with original windows 10 settings like MBR no GPT... No secure boot etc...

spapakons · Mar 17, 2025

inwell said:
Hello,
When you upgrade the windows10 to windows11 from inside windows...keeping old files,apps and data intact using

- Download Windows 11 24H2 ISO file, select the option "Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices."
- Mount the ISO file.
- Run the following command, replace "X" with the drive letter of the mounted iso file.
X:\setup.exe /product server

1.will it install with current ms account and user accounts..or you need to input ms account again while installing ?(internet on)

2. Does this install with original windows 10 settings like MBR no GPT... No secure boot etc...

1) Yes, the existing accounts are preserved, you don't need to create them again.
2) As long as you bypass compatibility check, it doesn't matter if you have TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot, if it is an UEFI or Legacy BIOS installation. I just recommend to use the ISO to upgrade and stay disconnected from the internet until the upgrade is complete. This way you avoid any hidden online compatibility check that will make the upgrade fail without obvious reason and also you disable Windows Update messing with your drivers or installing updates that might cause a BSOD. Yes, there is an option not to use Windows Update during the installation, but I don't trust that it works as it should.

aubergine · Mar 18, 2025

aubergine said:
X:\setup.exe /product server

On some computers, the upgrade will only work if the internet connection is disabled before starting the upgrade.

Removing the internet connection will fix the issue below.

"This PC can't be upgraded to this version of Windows. Your PC isn't supported yet on this version of Windows. Windows Update will automatically offer you this version of Windows once the issue has been resolved."

This PC can't be upgraded to this version of Windows. Your PC isn't supported yet on this ver...webp

spapakons · Mar 18, 2025

The whole point of using the "server" parameter is to bypass compatibility check. You can risk remaining connected to the internet, but at about 70-75% the process will fail BEFORE even the first restart due to some hidden online compatibility check. That's why I insist to disconnect from the internet during the whole upgrade. You cannot check your Facebook while upgrading, sorry! Use your phone for any internet access you need. If you want to download any drivers, do it before starting the installation.

Durahl · Mar 19, 2025

Greetings!

I'm preparing for Updating my mother's HP Envy AIO 27" ( I think it's stuck on 22H2?

) not able to update normally due to a CPU mismatch /sigh...

I just tried to follow the on Page 1 of this Thread mentioned TomsHardware Guide using Rufus but am missing the noTPU Option - I only see Standard Windows Installation and Windows To Go as an option... Was the noTPU feature made unavailable with later Windows ISOs?

The same Article also mentions a How to Bypass Windows 11 TPM the Official Microsoft Way method for those not meeting the CPU requirement.
Does that still work or was this also made unavailable in the meantime? ( Can't test - Not on my mother's PC right now ).

Reading back a few pages in this thread I see the X:\setup.exe /product server command repeatedly being mentioned.
How is this being used? Just download an ISO ( to USB? ), mount it, and run the command from the RUN ( WIN+R ) Window while the PC is disconnected from the iNet? ( As shown in this Image I found in this Thread ).

The Goal is to NOT be doing a Clean Install.

Thanks in advance!

Bree · Mar 19, 2025

Durahl said:
...not able to update normally due to a CPU mismatch /sigh... .... The Goal is to NOT be doing a Clean Install.

There are several ways to do an in-place upgrade with an ISO for 24H2 on an unsupported PC. The one I use is Option Three in this tutorial.

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

inwell · Mar 19, 2025

Durahl said:
Reading back a few pages in this thread I see the X:\setup.exe /product server command repeatedly being mentioned.
How is this being used? Just download an ISO ( to USB? ), mount it, and run the command from the RUN ( WIN+R ) Window while the PC is disconnected from the iNet? ( As shown in this Image I found in this Thread ).

The Goal is to NOT be doing a Clean Install.

Thanks in advance!

Greetings,
This product server command is the easiest way to upgrade your windows i guess....no need to modify registry keys, create new reg keys etc.

Just download the same language iso copy of windows 11 from ms official site. Save the iso to your local disk. Once you mount the iso it will open as another drive letter, here you open your command prompt in that drive(folder). Run the above mentioned command (product server) and you will get the setup running with options to keep your settings, data apps etc.

Just as mentioned by @spapakons keep your internet disconnected all the time untill your upgrade install is finished.

Regards

spapakons · Mar 20, 2025

You can also download the ISO and create a patched USB flash drive with Rufus, then disconnect from the internet and run Setup from there, but why waste time? Just mount the ISO directly (right-click, Open with -> File Explorer) and then run the command. Press WIN+R to open an Run box and type that:

D:\setup /product server

Replace D in the command with the drive letter of the virtual DVD drive that opens when you mount the ISO. This is usually the next available, so in a typical PC with one disk C, this should be D. Check in This PC to make sure.

PS: In some old computers you may need to disable some devices in Device Manager, so Setup won't try to find drivers for them. I usually disable sound, network, Bluetooth and anything else not needed while upgrading. I also disable all startup applications and non-Microsoft services so they won't interfere with the upgrade after the first restart. Have in mind that simply putting the computer in flight mode might not be enough to stay offline during the whole upgrade. Windows might enable the WiFi again after the first restart. It is best to disable the device in Device Manager, not go into flight mode.

hsehestedt · Mar 20, 2025

spapakons said:
In some old computers you may need to disable some devices in Device Manager, so Setup won't try to find drivers for them.

That's a good idea. Here is another way that you can prevent driver updates and Microsoft Store Apps from updating while you are setting things up.

1) Start with Networking disabled.

2) Run the following 4 lines. TIP: You can copy and paste all of these lines at once to an elevated command prompt:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" /V "AutoDownload" /T REG_DWORD /D "2" /F
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /V "ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate" /T REG_DWORD /D "1" /F
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching" /V "SearchOrderConfig" /T REG_DWORD /D "0" /F
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UpdatePolicy\PolicyState" /V "ExcludeWUDrivers" /T REG_DWORD /D "1" /F

The first line prevents Microsoft Store apps from automatically starting to update.
Lines 2 - 4 tell Windows update not to pull down driver updates along with Windows updates. So Windows updates can still be applied, but it won't mess with your drivers.

3) You can now enable the network without having to worry about automatic driver updates and Microsoft Store app updates.

NOTE: You can still manually kick off Microsoft Store updates, they just won't happen automatically until you perform step 5 below.

4) Finish setting up your computer: Perform any customizations, install system drivers, do all the same stuff that you would normally do.

5) When you are all done, run the following commands (again you can cut and paste them all at once) to restore the ability for automatic store updates and driver updates to take place again:

reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsStore\WindowsUpdate" /V "AutoDownload" /T REG_DWORD /D "4" /F
reg delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate" /V "ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate" /F
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DriverSearching" /V "SearchOrderConfig" /T REG_DWORD /D "1" /F
reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UpdatePolicy\PolicyState" /V "ExcludeWUDrivers" /T REG_DWORD /D "0" /F

Let's install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware

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