Windows 11 Windows 11 2H2

[Kelvin Cheung]

Do you have any experience in installing Windows 11 25H2 which provided by Tiny?
Is there any problem found in this version of Windows 11?
What is the concern of installing this version of Windows 11 on existing Windows 10 desktop or laptop?

 

[ChatGPT]

Hi Kelvin — short answer first, then practical details and a safe recommendation.
Short answer

• Yes — Tiny11 (the community “Tiny” / tiny11 builder) has been updated to support Windows 11 version 25H2 and many hobbyists / lab admins are using it to install a debloated 25H2 on older hardware. It lets you run 25H2 on unsupported machines and produce much smaller ISOs.
• However, it carries real trade‑offs: security/update/compatibility, activation/licensing uncertainty, and the risk of breaking servicing if you choose the ultra‑minimal (core/nano) profiles. Use only for test/kiosk/VM scenarios unless you fully accept the risks.

What Tiny11 (the “Tiny” build) actually does

• It is a PowerShell-driven image builder that takes an official Microsoft 25H2 ISO, removes inbox apps/services, injects unattended OOBE tweaks (e.g., skip MSA), recompresses the image, and repackages a bootable ISO. The builder exposes multiple profiles (serviceable vs core/nano).
• The “standard/serviceable” Tiny profile aims to preserve Windows Update/servicing; the core/nano variants remove servicing components (Defender, parts of WinSxS, Windows Update) and are not suitable for everyday, internet‑exposed systems.

Main problems people find with Tiny11 25H2

• Security & updates: some Tiny builds remove or disable update mechanisms and Defender; that blocks regular Windows Update security patches unless you accept manual update workflows. That is the largest long‑term risk.
• Compatibility/feature gaps: removing inbox components or services can break apps or features that expect those components. Some aggressive builds explicitly disable telemetry, OneDrive, new Outlook, Copilot, Teams, etc. Test apps before deploying.
• Licensing & activation: stripping telemetry/activation hooks or modifying the image doesn’t change license obligations — activation may require manual steps or OEM keys, and enterprises must consider compliance.
• Support: Microsoft does not support modified images; you won’t get official help for problems caused by the modified image.
• Possible boot/driver issues on very old hardware: Windows 11 25H2 still relies on certain CPU features and platform requirements (SSE4.2 / POPCNT and TPM/Secure Boot gating for official installs); bypassing checks won’t fix some hardware-level incompatibilities.

Concerns about installing Tiny11 25H2 on existing Windows 10 desktops/laptops

1. If these machines are production endpoints (students, staff, regulated data), do NOT use Tiny11 — you lose updateability and vendor support.
2. If devices use BitLocker / TPM: be careful — image changes, TPM state and BitLocker can cause recovery prompts. Always back up recovery keys before doing system changes.
3. If you rely on centralized management (AD/Intune), removal of telemetry/management components may break enrollment or management. Test first.
4. Activation/licensing checks still apply — Tiny11 does not make Windows “free” or legally activated; keep keys or digital entitlement in order.

When Tiny11 is reasonable (use cases)

• Lab VMs, kiosks, retro/legacy machines for non‑sensitive tasks, media players, or personal hobby boxes where you can accept manual maintenance. Prefer the serviceable profile and build the image yourself from the official Microsoft ISO and the tiny11 scripts.

When Tiny11 is the wrong choice

• Production desktops/laptops with sensitive data, students’ workstations, managed enterprise machines, or any system that must receive timely security updates.

If you still want to try Tiny11 25H2 — a safe checklist

1. Don’t use a prebuilt third‑party ISO — download the official 25H2 ISO from Microsoft and verify the SHA256 checksum.
2. Build the image yourself from the tiny11builder repo (tiny11maker.ps1) and choose the “serviceable” profile. Verify the README/options before running.
3. Test in a VM first — confirm Windows Update, Defender (if kept), application compatibility, drivers, and enrollability in your management tools.
4. Back up BitLocker keys, create full system images, and prepare recovery media before touching production hardware.
5. Keep documentation of licensing keys and confirm activation works after install.

If you want the supported path for 25H2 instead

• For existing Windows 10 machines that meet Microsoft’s requirements, upgrade via Microsoft’s official channels. For devices already on Windows 11 24H2, 25H2 is an enablement package (KB5054156) and usually a small update — ensure required cumulative updates (for example KB5064081 prereq) are installed first. Pilot on a small set before mass rollout. fileciteturn1file6turn1file5

Summary recommendation

• For a school lab or production fleet: do not deploy Tiny11 broadly. Use the official 25H2 path (Windows Update / Installation Assistant / managed imaging) and pilot first — that preserves security updates, support, and licensing compliance.
• For hobbyist testing, VMs, or a small kiosk/lab device where you control exposure and can manually maintain updates, build a Tiny11 25H2 image yourself, pick the serviceable profile, and thoroughly test before putting the machine in service. fileciteturn1file16turn1file18

If you want, I can:

• Walk you through building a Tiny11 25H2 ISO (steps to download ISO, verify checksum, run tiny11maker.ps1 and test in Hyper‑V).
• Provide a safe pilot checklist tailored for your lab (backup, BitLocker key collection, imaging strategy, which profile to pick). fileciteturn1file2turn1file6

Which would you prefer — a supported upgrade plan for your lab (recommended) or step‑by‑step Tiny11 build/test instructions?

 

[datawizard0103]

Do you have any experience in installing Windows 11 25H2 which provided by Tiny?
Is there any problem found in this version of Windows 11?
What is the concern of installing this version of Windows 11 on existing Windows 10 desktop or laptop?

First, check if your audio device is correctly detected in Device Manager. Then, try uninstalling the audio driver completely and restart, allowing Windows to reinstall it automatically.
If that doesn’t work, run the Windows Audio Toubleshooter from Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters, sometimes it fixes registry-level glitches.
Also check if any recent Windows updates got applied silently overnight, they can occasionally break audio on custom builds. Installing this Tiny version over Windows 10 can sometimes carry over subtle driver or registry quirks, so a clean install is always safer if problems persist. But no need for data recovery here since nothing’s lost.