Install retail Windows 11 on a non-conforming old computer
On October 5, 2021, the retail version of Windows 11 was finally released. Let's see if we can upgrade Windows 11 to a non-conforming old PC. Although it was announced from the beginning that the installation requirements would be stricter, the information was confusing, such as being able to install on a non-conforming PC with manual setup. Make the issue black and white.
October 9, 2021
Microsoft Official Information
Of the required specifications for Windows 11, a method to bypass the three conditions of TPM2.0, CPU family, and CPU model has been officially announced (however, TPM1.2 is required).
Since the generation of Skylake, PTT (TPM by software) is installed, so it will be possible to support it. Earlier generations require a TPM chip, so they are limited to some mobile systems or business models with enhanced security (HDD encryption with BitLocker). Some have a slot for the TPM.
On this page, I will show you how to run it on a 2010 PC (1st generation Core i) that does not have his TPM.
- 1. Experiment environment
- 2. Download Windows 11
- 3. Upgrade to Windows 11 (Part 1)
- 3. Upgrade to Windows 11 (Part 2)
- 4. Clean install of Windows 11
- 5. Conclusion
1. Experiment environment
Use 64-bit version of Windows10 on VMware. The specifications of the virtual machine are as follows.
| Item | Spec |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5-430M Arrandale |
| Memory | 3GB |
| HDD | 60GB |
| Secure Boot | Not support(BIOS) |
| TPM | none |
| OS | Windows10 Pro x64 |
Since VMware is running on a PC made in 2010, it is the weakest class in terms of specifications.
2. Download Windows 11
Download the Windows 11 iso from Microsoft site.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11
3. Upgrade to Windows 11 (Part 1)
Start Windows 10 with VMware and mount Windows 11 iso. When I start setup.exe immediately ...
It sank brilliantly. The point as announced was pointed out, and installation was not possible.
In other words, it was a lie that manual installation could be done on a non-conforming old PC.
3. Upgrade to Windows 11 (Part 2)
3.1 Avoid checking during installation
For a while, I wandered around the net and gathered information, and found powerful information.
You can upgrade by simply removing the DLL called "appraiserres.dll" in the ISO.
I will try it immediately.
(1). Copy the contents of the ISO into the HDD.
(2). Delete or rename appraiserres.dll in sources.
(3). Start the copied setup.exe.
(4). Change the installation options and do not download the latest version.
(5). It broke through brilliantly.
(6). The installation is complete and Windows 11 can be started successfully.
By bypassing the installer check, the retail version of Windows 11 is running.
4. Clean install of Windows 11
I also experimented with the possibility of a clean installation of Windows 11.
The result is NG.
As with the upgrade, can it be avoided by removing the "appraiserres.dll" in the ISO?
The result was also NG.
A clean install was not possible with this operation.
5. Conclusion
As of October 6, 2021, even non-conforming old PCs can be upgraded to the retail version of Windows 11 by bypassing the hardware check during installation.
On the other hand, I couldn't do a clean install of Windows 11.
There is also information that TPM cannot be enabled for China and Russia due to national regulations, so it can be interpreted that the installer supports each country, but the OS itself does not activate the check function for commonality. It is just an individual impression.
In any case, it is up to Microsoft to decide whether it can be used stably in the future. There is a risk that it will suddenly become unusable at the time of an update.
It is dangerous to upgrade easily. Only after you have at least mastered system backup and have the skills to revert to the original Windows 10 environment no matter what happens.
Ruruucky intends to upgrade the host to Windows 11 while running on VMWare for the time being.
