Solved Windows 11 24H2 has un-bypassable hardware requirements...

OK I'm going to try one last thing but I need help. What files should I replace in a windows go? I'm going to with one of my SSD with a USB to SATA cable. Like I'll transfer whatever I need from 23H2 to 24H2

It is just left to see whether kernel files are:
1. sse4.2
2. sse4a (+sse4.2 check only).


we need a list of sse4.2 instructions, that are not part of sse4a, and detect if they, and how common, appear in ntoskrnl.exe, hal.dll, other sys files.

Last time I created a Windows-to-Go disk from Windows 10 ISO I used GimageX to open the sources\install.wim file and extract the Windows version I wanted to the disk. I then marked the partition active to make it bootable and finally used bcdboot to transfer the windows bootloader with the appropriate parameters so it could boot both in Legacy BIOS mode and UEFI mode. Next step is to boot from the disk, this was like having installed Windows and restarting for the first time. Setup resumed and completed installation, then restarted once more to find drivers. It finally booted in OOBE, the initial configuration where you select country, language and create the user account. I don't remember the syntax of the commands but you can Google them. Every time I connected the disk on a new computer, it found drivers and just worked. Never any complaints or BSOD. The only drawback is it couldn't be upgraded to the next Windows version. Needless to say there is no compatibility check, so it is ideal to test Windows 11 on unsupported computers.

Django said:

Damn, i just checked my overclocked Q6600/8gb DDR2 system, it has no SSE4.2 and is running 11 Pro-23H2 superfine. But i am sure "they" will find a way sooner or later for this old CPUs to install 24H2

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Hi Django , please can you explain me one thing or
to confirm if it works or not ?

With an old processor like an Intel Core 2 Quad , which of course does not have the SSE 4.2 instructions , and therefore PopCnt instruction .

Assuming if I would bypassing the installation restriction , , once installed , what problems can there be ?

The native Windows applications , would they work ? or would they suffer a crash , close immediately ?

Thank you for any help.

GusGhanem said:

Apparently, even if you could install 24H2 on a CPU without SSE4.2/PopCnt, it simply wouldn't even boot.

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Hi . Are you sure of that ?

I was wondering if with an old processor like an Intel Core 2 Quad , which of course does not have the SSE 4.2 instructions , and therefore PopCnt instruction .

Assuming if I would bypassing the installation restriction , once installed , what problems can there ...

and you say , that simply after installation woudn´t even boot ...

on other hand . I was wondering too , if the native Windows applications , would they work or would they suffer a crash , close immediately . I would like to know if somene has trayed it .

Thanks

Already been tested & explained here

Have a read of @Bree post

GusGhanem said:

I don't have a CPU without SSE4.2 to test what others already have. If you can run 23H2 just fine, then there's really not much to gain from 24H2.

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yep ,Windows 11 23H2 run fine smooth and trouble-free on old Intel Core2 Quad , so after what you say, I'd better not even try (to make an in place upgrade to 24H2).

Thank you

jaree1961 said:

Already been tested & explained here

Have a read of @Bree post

Windows 11 24H2 has un-bypassable hardware requirements...

I'll just see if Microsoft Decides to let us older cpus to just have at it

www.elevenforum.com

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Thank you , jaree1961 .

I don't even try, because then the system won't even boot . a shame

GusGhanem said:

Windows 10 end of support 14 October 2025, very close

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Well, you are right.

My test laptop has not SSE4.2 and I still haven't found the time to do some experiments. I know you can install 24H2 by using a 23H2/24H2 USB flash drive. This uses the 23H2 version of Setup that doesn't require SSE4.2 and PopCnt to install 24H2. The problem is after the first restart. The 24H2 bootloader requires SSE4.2, so it hangs at the Windows logo and doesn't boot. I want to try replacing the bootloader with the 23H2 version but I am afraid it will hang elsewhere. I will test it once I find some time.

i have 2 systems without SSE4.2. my Q6600 system and a phenom system. both ran win11 23H2 perfectly fine. my solution for now was installing win10 IoT LTSC on both to gain long time support for them (2032). thats ok and absolutely fine for my needs for now. the only chance i see to have win11 on them again would be if microsoft (or someone else) would release a Win11 23H2 IoT LTSC. they would make many many people happy with such a version, especially in 3rd world countrys or poor people or older_computer-enthusiasts like me lol.

yes ik, but win11 LTSC 23H2-based does not exist

spapakons said:

My test laptop has not SSE4.2 and I still haven't found the time to do some experiments. I know you can install 24H2 by using a 23H2/24H2 USB flash drive. This uses the 23H2 version of Setup that doesn't require SSE4.2 and PopCnt to install 24H2. The problem is after the first restart. The 24H2 bootloader requires SSE4.2, so it hangs at the Windows logo and doesn't boot. I want to try replacing the bootloader with the 23H2 version but I am afraid it will hang elsewhere. I will test it once I find some time.

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Thank you spapakons

it would be great if you can do those tests, see what happens . I look forward to

Y'all know I have an opinion on everything and don't mind sharing it. So here it is.

SSE4.2 is only the first of what MS will throw out as being hard requirements. More will come. MS could have stopped incompatible upgrades from the get-go or at any time since. They opened the door and they can shut it. They did not have to be as leniant as they"ve been up til now. And no, I'm not a MS fan-girl. I look at it logically. Nothing is changing faster than technology.

Think about it from a business and marketing standpoint which is how any company looks at their product.. Had MS strictly enforced the listed requirements to run 11 from the beginning, there would have been so much backlash from their user base they would have had a marketing nightmare.

As it was, MS has done all this gradually and lessened such an impact. They counted on some of JoeBlow Public who couldn't upgrade normally to buy new systems and some staying on 10 until support ends when most will buy new systems... just as it has happened.. This slow attrition has kept Joe Blow Public calmed and some of the pressure off MS.

Though they didn't have to, MS decided to appease the enthusiasts by opening the door for the workaround route. These folks did so at their own risk and know the systems do have an end date at some point. Considering the way MS did it, these folks got 3-5 years of the lastest version of windows and I don't feel sorry that they can't upgrade further. They knew what they were getting into. I can't see how this type user can expect MS to do more than they already have. I also can not understand why anyone would have gripes now that MS is starting to shut the door.

Sadly, though, many others went the incompatible route out of necessity because of their financial situation or circumstances where they live. Many have no hope or means to get something better. I have felt so bad more than once from reading threads about the circumstances some of these posters seemed to be in, having to use systems so old I wondered how they could still run earlier versions of windows, let alone 11. I've felt so guilty for scrapping systems better than these users are forced to use. It's these people I feel remorse for.

I remember Windows XP SE. It wasn't due to hardware requirements, but so many people stuck to Windows XP SE, MS had to keep extending the support for it.
People actually liked XP and were reluctant to change. MS warned users of the security implications of using an unsupported operating system, it wasn't until MS offered a free upgrade to Windows Vista when "some" folk upgraded. But for years, I remember even the NHS and even the government was still using XP long after its sell by date.
I have a feeling the same may happen with Windows 10. People like it and it is rock solid. Their PC's are still working perfectly, why splash out the cash to upgrade. Until Windows 10 becomes so insecure to use, I doubt things will change. But MS might be forced to do something about it if like XP, Windows 10 becomes such a security risk that it threatens to affect tens of thousands of users. Time will tell.

thecaretaker said:

I remember Windows XP SE. It wasn't due to hardware requirements, but so many people stuck to Windows XP SE, MS had to keep extending the support for it.
People actually liked XP and were reluctant to change. MS warned users of the security implications of using an unsupported operating system, it wasn't until MS offered a free upgrade to Windows Vista when "some" folk upgraded. But for years, I remember even the NHS and even the government was still using XP long after its sell by date.
I have a feeling the same may happen with Windows 10. People like it and it is rock solid. Their PC's are still working perfectly, why splash out the cash to upgrade. Until Windows 10 becomes so insecure to use, I doubt things will change. But MS might be forced to do something about it if like XP, Windows 10 becomes such a security risk that it threatens to affect tens of thousands of users. Time will tell.

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win10 IoT LTSC is the answer. these computers will be 25 years old (or older) when win10 ltsc support ends (2032) and no one wants to use them anymore.
imagine using a computer from 2000 today and expect it to do modern things. LOL

Django said:

win10 IoT LTSC is the answer. these computers will be 25 years old (or older) when win10 ltsc support ends (2032) and no one wants to use them anymore.
imagine using a computer from 2000 today and expect it to do modern things. LOL

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Let's be real. Almost everyone who isn't a business or an embedded system, is running a non-legit copy of LTSC. Yeah, yeah licensing hacks exist. But you're expecting everyone to embrace straight up piracy.

These are the real minimum requirements:

I was doing some experiments with old hardware, and I have successfully installed:

Windows 95 on an Intel 80486 66MHz (Microsoft claimed Intel Pentium 90MHz or higher)

Windows 7 on an Intel Pentium III 700MHz 384MB RAM (Microsoft claimed 1GHz CPU and 1GB RAM)

Windows 8 Developer's Preview (the only version without NX/PAE check) on an Intel Pentium M 1.4GHz socket 478 1GB RAM without WDDM drivers (used Microsoft Basic Display Adapter)

Windows 10 32-bit or 64-bit on any system with at least 1.x GHz CPU and 1GB RAM (Microsoft claims 2GB).

Windows 11 21H2/22H2/23H2 or an Intel Pentium 4 640 3.2GHz socket 775 (first Intel 64-bit family) with 1GB RAM and 250GB IDE HDD (Microsoft claims 8th generation Intel Core CPU or AMD Ryzen with 4GB RAM)

Before you ask, yes, most of them were too slow to use, but I did it to see if it is possible. If you double the RAM in these systems you should have a slow but usable computer. All of these successful experiments made me doubt about official minimum requirements. The real minimum requirements are always much lower than that (assuming you don't mind the slow performance because you use it as a file server or downloader machine or whatever). Similarly I know 24H2 cannot be installed in CPUs without SSE4.2 but as always I want to confirm that myself. When I eventually find time to do it, I will let you know.

The “Microsoft claims” you seem to be refuting were not hard and fast rules; they were specified for performance reasons. NTDev (of Tiny11 fame) has already proven you can squeeze those older OSes into machines with ridiculously low specs. That’s not new.

The recent CPU restrictions for Windows 11 are a different animal.

Tiny11 and others remove features to do it. I was installing all these Windows versions without removing any features. Of course to make them faster you have to disable or remove the features you don't use, but I was talking about "vanilla" unmodified Windows installations.