Upgrade from Win11 22H2 to 23H2 on Unsupported/Incompatible Hardware

[britechguy]

Worked like a charm on using Rufus tweaked install media where the 4+ GB RAM/Secure Boot/TPM 2.0 requirements are bypassed on the machine with an i7-4th Gen processor.

I tried it on the one with the AMD A12-9600P APU, and I believe I got the same error I was getting trying to do a repair install and reported on in this topic: Win11 Repair Install with fresh ISO fails with code 0xC1900101-0x30017. Potential fixes, anyone? Unfortunately, I did not write down the error code, and I really want to know whether it was the same one, so I will try again on that machine. It also has Win11 Pro, while the i7 machine is Win11 Home.

 

[sapphirescales]

Just be aware that Microsoft is cracking down on older CPUs. So far only the Core 2 series have been affected but there is no known way to bypass the CPU requirement on Core 2 machines starting with the newer beta releases. Who knows when they'll start cracking down on newer CPUs?

I haven't verified this but from what I understand Microsoft is not blocking Core 2 CPUs on 23H2, only on the beta builds. Still, I highly advise against installing Windows 11 on Core 2 CPUs, or any unsupported CPU in general.

Also, Microsoft is no longer allowing the trick where you add the registry entries to bypass CPU/TPM requirements and then manually download the ISO and install the upgrade from there. I'm talking about a build update from like 21H2 to 22H2, so even though you already have Windows 11 installed and have modified the registry to ignore the CPU/TPM requirements, it still doesn't work. If you create a physical USB using Rufus and choose to bypass the requirements, you can update using the flash drive itself. This makes remotely updating unsupported machines more of a pain in the butt because someone has to physically be there and insert a physical flash drive so you can do the update. Hopefully this is as far as Microsoft goes.

I'm personally running Windows 11 on unsupported hardware because back in 2017 I bought a super nice HP Elitebook for $2,500 and unfortunately it has a 7th generation processor. It's still plenty fast for the basics and I'll be dam*ed if I throw the computer away just because of an arbitrary system requirement set by Microsoft.

 

[britechguy]

Well, the whole "Windows 11 on Unsupported Hardware" thing is just a curiosity and "can I do it, and for how long" quest.

I have two new LG Gram 16 machines that have an i7-11th and i5-12th generation processor, respectively, so the old hardware is just something to play with and have for temporary use were disaster to strike with the daily driver. Since the household is now on M365 Family it makes "picking up right where you left off" far easier than it used to be when you jump from one machine to another, provided you're logged in to it with the Microsoft Account linked Windows user account with which you are subscribed to M365. Everything you have is instantly available to you, no matter where you are, provided you have an internet connection.

 

[Porthos]

I had a caller that bought an unsupported refurb at Walmart with 11 installed, so I went looking and low and behold.
Here is an example. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Restored...-Office21-Refurbished/1563863863?from=/search

refurbished computers with windows 11 - Walmart.com

refurbished computers with windows 11 - Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

 

[Porthos]

I had a caller that bought an unsupported refurb at Walmart with 11 installed, so I went looking and low and behold.
Here is an example. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Restored...-Office21-Refurbished/1563863863?from=/search

refurbished computers with windows 11 - Walmart.com

refurbished computers with windows 11 - Walmart.com

www.walmart.com

I had to tell the person he got ripped off.

 

[Porthos]

Back on topic. You probably could have installed the optional KB5031455 and then the enablement package HERE without dancing around with Rufus.
Did it on my unsupported VM no issue.
We will see if Nov 14 brings it organically through WU.

 

[britechguy]

Here's the dialog that comes up on the A12 machine after all appears to have gone just fine until the machine tries to restart. You know that the upgrade has not "taken" because there's a lack of the series of screens starting with the, "Hi," screen that are part of the initial setup after a feature update.



I actually think that something's off with the machine anyway, as opening Programs and Features of Control Panel gives the list of installed programs but the columns displayed are the same as you see if you're looking in a Music library. If you click on a program, the columns don't change, but the classic Uninstall button, etc., does appear across the top. Very strange.

I'm going to try doing a completely clean reinstall and getting M365 installed promptly thereafter.

 

[Porthos]

You know that the upgrade has not "taken" because there's a lack of the series of screens starting with the, "Hi," screen that are part of the initial setup after a feature update.

It is not a regular feature update. It is just an enablement package like 22h2 was on Windows 10 last year.
As long as you have already installed https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB5031455

Download this https://www.elevenforum.com/attachm....76028/?hash=32c399e62140f4ce2ca60d2c26e565d2 it is zipped

This is the UPDATE to 23h2....

 

[NETWizz]

All three of mine a desktop and laptop, and my work laptop got it through Wi does update. It installed in minutes … thus far I really like it. It may have fixed an IPv6 issue I had where my laptop loses its IPv6 address sometimes …. In all fairness not sure it’s resolved only that it hasn’t happened again … could also be a Ubiqui thing too

 

[britechguy]

Well, I did what I think needed to be done anyway - a completely clean reinstall of Windows 11 23H2, followed by a prompt install of M365 on that laptop. The slate needed cleaning, and things are moving right along getting in sync.