Are you in that annoying situation where your trusty PC—hardware-wise, it’s like a venerated old warhorse—can’t keep up with Microsoft’s stringent requirements for Windows 11? Perhaps you’ve gone through all the features anticipating the shiny upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2, but met a roadblock because of your hardware's inadequacies. Well, fret not! There’s a method to upgrade even on unsupported hardware.
Always ensure your data is backed up before conducting these types of installations. What could go wrong? Not much, unless you happen to like stability!
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. Have you successfully navigated through this process? What challenges did you face? Let’s discuss!
Source: gHacks Technology News How to upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 on unsupported hardware
Upgrading to Windows 11, Version 24H2
When you attempt to upgrade a Windows 11 PC that doesn’t meet the necessary requirements, you might find regular updates installing just fine, but feature updates remaining tantalizingly out of reach. This dilemma can often feel akin to hitting a "you shall not pass" barrier, thanks to Microsoft's efforts to build a secure ecosystem. But, as with any digital gatekeeping, there are always ways around it.The Steps to Upgrade
The process begins with downloading the necessary ISO image of Windows 11, version 24H2. Unfortunately, since traditional methods via Windows Update won’t work, you will need to resort to some clever workarounds. Here’s how you can do this step-by-step:- Download the Windows 11, Version 24H2 ISO:
- Get Rufus: This tool is essential for creating bootable USB drives. Head over to the Rufus website and download the latest version for your system.
- Prepare Your USB Drive: You will need a USB drive with at least 16 GB of storage.
- Rufus Setup: Launch Rufus and confirm any User Account Control prompts. Switch from "Select" to "Download" in the interface. Choose the options for “Windows 11” and then select “24H2,” followed by your language and architecture (x64). Click on the “Download” button and select a directory to save the ISO file.
- Prepare the USB:
- After downloading the ISO, load the necessary installation files onto your USB drive using Rufus. Avoid fussing with user experience options unless you know what you’re doing; sticking with the defaults is advisable.
- Run the Upgrade Process:
- Normally, the next logical step would be to run the setup.exe file from the USB. However, that route leads to an early exit from the installation—a frustrating experience, to say the least.
- Instead, you need to manipulate a few registry settings to bypass the compatibility checks. It might sound daunting, but here’s the wizardry involved:
Create a batch file with these commands, place it on the USB root directory, run it as an administrator, confirm the prompts, then run setup.exe once more. Voilà! You are now well on your way to upgrading to Windows 11, version 24H2.Code:bash reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\CompatMarkers" /f 2>NUL reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Shared" /f 2>NUL reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\TargetVersionUpgradeExperienceIndicators" /f 2>NUL reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\HwReqChk" /f /v HwReqChkVars /t REG_MULTI_SZ /s , /d "SQ_SecureBootCapable=TRUE,SQ_SecureBootEnabled=TRUE,SQ_TpmVersion=2,SQ_RamMB=8192," reg.exe add "HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup" /f /v AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU /t REG_DWORD /d 1
Precautions and Considerations
While this method provides an escape route to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, it comes with caveats. Compatibility checks exist for a reason—mainly, they ensure stability and security in your computing experience. Installing Windows 11 on old hardware may result in decreased performance, software bugs, or potential unsupported issues down the line.Always ensure your data is backed up before conducting these types of installations. What could go wrong? Not much, unless you happen to like stability!
Conclusion
With Windows 11 version 24H2 at your fingertips, you can delve into its new features and improved capabilities even if your hardware is a tad old. This method is particularly useful for users stubbornly clinging to their devices or for those who simply enjoy the thrill of thrashing through the hoops of digital gatekeeping. So, are you ready to join the ranks of Windows 11 users? Happy upgrading!Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. Have you successfully navigated through this process? What challenges did you face? Let’s discuss!
Source: gHacks Technology News How to upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 on unsupported hardware
