Win 11 on unsupported

[jogold]

My system doesn't pass the Win 11 specs.
Secure Boot (I can change that)
TPM 2.0 not detected (don't think it's a problem)
CPU i5-4440 3.10ghz NOT SUPPORTED

I need to get Win 11 and can't buy a new system now.
Should I risk it and install anyways? What will go wrong?

Thank you,
Jo

 

[Sky-Knight]

Why do you need Win11 now? It's Win10 with a UI update.

As for what will go wrong, not a soul can tell you.

 

[Diggs]

Win11 won't install without TPM 2.0. Since this is a 4th gen i5 I'm pretty sure TPM cannot be enable in the BIOS. Since your processor is not on "The List" that will also stop an install. Try it! Win11 will just say no.

 

[jogold]

Microsoft posted a registry edit to bypass that check.
I need to "get the feel" for Win 11 and that happens only when I use it as my own.

 

[britechguy]

I certainly would not install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware if that unsupported hardware is your "daily driver," and that sounds like the case here.

Windows 11 is not, to me significantly different from Windows 10. I now happen to have a Windows 11 machine, and while that's nice, I still haven't encountered a Windows 11 machine where I was stymied. The similarities with Windows 10 are huge and if you use the Windows Search to find things, as I've been doing routinely for a long time now, you will find them.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yep, just ask Cortana, or whatever the heck it's called these days and the answer appears.

If you're trying to learn, I suggest investing in a machine that properly supports it. Windows 11 doesn't behave the same way without TPM and secure boot, just as Windows 10 does. I still don't see much of a point in this exercise, but if you're going to perform it you need to do it on a supported platform so you know how it behaves on that platform. As that is how your customers are going to see it.

 

[Porthos]

I need to "get the feel" for Win 11 and that happens only when I use it as my own.

I installed it in a VM to "feel" it.
Cues porn music track.

 

[NETWizz]

I say just keep Windows 10 until 2025 or whenever they end support on it..

OR get supported hardware for Windows 11

 

[Metanis]

Should I risk it and install anyways? What will go wrong?

Yes, I would risk it. After all you're a computer technician and it something bad happens you'll just drop back to your saved Win10 image right?

 

[Porthos]

After all you're a computer technician and it something bad happens you'll just drop back to your saved Win10 image right?

I hate having to work on my own system especially due to my own stupidity. At least something stupid I could avoid.

I need to "get the feel" for Win 11 and that happens only when I use it as my own.

If you really need to, get another SSD and load (clean install) it onto it if it will let you.

 

[gadgetfixup]

Has anyone tried loading up an SSD on a compatible system and moving it to an incompatible system? If it works save the image as a work-around? I wonder if Win11 will break itself in such a scenario to prevent loading?

 

[nlinecomputers]

I have it on my Lenovo T460s. It has secure boot and TPM 2.0 but it’s only a 6th gen CPU. The only way to install it is via a nuke and pave. It works just fine but Microsoft says it’s unsupported so far it continues to receive updates but there is no certainty of it. I doubt that M$ will ever not support it BUT I’ll only take that risk. I will not offer it to my clients. One of my clients, against my advice, upgraded a supported system and now his dock will not work.

 

[MudRock]

My system doesn't pass the Win 11 specs.
Secure Boot (I can change that)
TPM 2.0 not detected (don't think it's a problem)
CPU i5-4440 3.10ghz NOT SUPPORTED

Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements | Microsoft Windows

Find an overview of Windows 11 specs and features from Microsoft. Learn about the device specifications, versions, and languages available for Windows 11

www.microsoft.com

Windows processor requirements Windows 11 supported Intel processors

This specification details the Intel processors that can be used with Windows 11 customer systems that include Windows products, including custom images.

docs.microsoft.com

Windows processor requirements Windows 11 supported AMD processors

This specification details the AMD processors that can be used with Windows 11 customer systems that include Windows products, including custom images.

docs.microsoft.com

All these guys are right. For intel, needs to be 8th gen or higher and a TPM 2.0 module or fTPM2.0.

For testing, I'm sure it'll be fine, but I would NEVER put a (Edit: Unsupported/underspecced/missing TPM2.0) client computer on Win11 without something signed saying they know that it could literally die tomorrow.

That said, there are a ton of ways already found to get Win11 on old hardware, and I can tell you 4th gen runs it just fine.

I will warn you; It isn't as "buttery smooth" as Microsoft makes it out to be. I have it on a laptop meant for it, and it is still weird, flaking, magical bugs, and the network stack is REALLY screwy if you need anything besides DHCP or simple static.

OH, and if you're on static and no gateway set (Or you set a gateway and it isn't present), you're not getting into the web panel of anything. Found this out trying to do some upkeep to some security system components and refrigeration monitoring systems. I literally have to pack a freaking pocket router with me since that's my field laptop just so I can connect to them.

And to top it off, we all know WHY. Look at Microsoft's Pluton CPU-embedded module... If they didn't enforce TPM2.0 or similar, I don't think their Pluton would fly. And there is still TONS of concerns around Pluton.

 

[Nathan Igo]

Has anyone tried loading up an SSD on a compatible system and moving it to an incompatible system? If it works save the image as a work-around? I wonder if Win11 will break itself in such a scenario to prevent loading?

Yes I tried that same thing last week. Got the SSD loaded bare minimum in a system and dropped the drive off to a client's employee at home with covid. Walked him through over the phone to replace the drive (luckily it was a simple AIO) and when it got to the black updating devices screen he got a message saying he had incompatible hardware.

 

[Appletax]

Wouldn’t be willing to put 11 on a clients unsupported system because eventually Windows updates will probably stop working. No bueno.

Maybe you can install it in a virtual machine?

I have a new, higher end laptop and Windows 11 is buggy on it. It’s beta garbage right now. Highly recommend sticking with Win 10 till a few months after the big fall Win 11 update comes out, at the earliest. M$ gotta squash dem bugs

I see eBay sellers are selling unsupported computers with Win 11 and that’s probably a bad idea.

 

[fincoder]

eventually Windows updates will probably stop working.

I think that in a few years time it will be established whether this is the case. It's certainly not inevitable and in my opinion not likely. We shall see.

After the free upgrade from 7/8 to 10 supposedly finished, there were many techs hesitant to continue upgrading customers to Windows 10. Now it seems silly that anyone had concerns.

If it works without any special tweaking, e.g. clean install of Windows 11 on 7th gen CPU with TPM 1.2, then in my opinion it will likely continue to get updates.

I too am hesitant to do this for customers at the moment until we get some more certainty, and we have almost 4 years before Windows 10 EOL. I'll think we'll know by then one way or the other. No need to assume either at this stage.

 

[britechguy]

No need to assume either at this stage.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this.

Microsoft has, so far, had a pretty solid track record in regard to "toeing the line(s)" they've set in regard to Windows 11.

If I were a betting man, I'd absolutely bet that they will not support long-term ongoing Windows 11 updates on unsupported hardware.

 

[fincoder]

had a pretty solid track record in regard to "toeing the line(s)" they've set in regard to Windows 11

So you're basing that opinion on 6 months of Microsoft's limited public communications?

They allow clean installs of Windows 11 on earlier generation CPUs as long as they have UEFI/GPT/SecureBoot and TPM 1.2. These are lower requirements than publicised (and lower than are enforced with in-place upgrades). This is Microsoft's typical unwritten OK for techs and IT departments to install Windows 11 if the lower requirements are met. It's not an accident or bug, it's by design. It's very similar to Microsoft allowing clean installs of Windows 10 with Windows 7/8 keys, or still allowing upgrades if downloaded manually. They don't yell it from the rooftops, it's for techs and IT departments.

 

[nlinecomputers]

We'll have to agree to disagree on this.

Microsoft has, so far, had a pretty solid track record in regard to "toeing the line(s)" they've set in regard to Windows 11.

If I were a betting man, I'd absolutely bet that they will not support long-term ongoing Windows 11 updates on unsupported hardware.

Really? Do you forget that they didn’t even mention the requirements on product announcement and issued one set of specifications, only to revise it the next day. And then only a few weeks later did they announce that you could install it below specs and it would be “unsupported”. And they never explained the method of installation. It took techs like us just blindly trying to discover that upgrades would be blocked while a nuke and pave would be allowed. Which is typical Microsoft.

 

[britechguy]

Really?

Yes, really. Given how Windows 11 came to be, anyone who expected "the final declarations" on day one, rather than several months later, was being willfully obtuse.