How can I install Windows 11 25H2 on unsupported PC?

Your PC's specs (i5-7400, 12GB RAM, SSD) are actually quite good for general Windows 11 usage, and you likely won't see significant performance issues outside of the lack of official support. So it is safe to install Windows 11 25h2 on unsupported hardware/

The "VHDX Boot" bypass is a method that involves installing Windows 11 25H2 on a Virtual Hard Disk (VHDX) and booting from it, which can sometimes circumvent hardware checks and compatibility restrictions on unsupported PCs. This approach leverages booting into a virtual disk environment rather than installing directly onto physical hardware, in this way you are able to install Windows 11 25H2 on unsupported PC.

Steps:
1. Prepare the VHDX File
2. Install Windows 11 onto the VHDX
3. Configure Boot to VHDX
4. Boot into Windows 11 from VHDX

You may need to disable Secure Boot or enable CSM/Legacy mode depending on your hardware. Ensure that your hardware drivers are compatible or available in the VHDX environment.

Please modify the Windows 11 25H2 ISO and replace the appraiserres.dll. This involves replacing a file in the installation source to bypass the checks before creating your media.

1. Get the official Windows 11 ISO.

2. Right-click the ISO file and select Mount (which treats it like a virtual drive) or use a program like 7-Zip to extract its contents to a folder.

3. Navigate to the sources folder in the extracted files and find the file named appraiserres.dll.

4. Delete or rename this file. (Some advanced methods suggest replacing it with a file from a Windows 10 ISO, but deletion/renaming often works for recent builds).

4. Create your bootable USB using the contents of this modified folder.

5. Run setup.exe from the modified files to start the installing Windows 11 25H2 on unsupported PC.

If you want to install Windows 11 25H2 on unsupported PC. Using the Windows ADK (Assessment and Deployment Kit) or AIK (Automated Installation Kit) with a setupconfig.ini file is a more legitimate and less risky method to bypass certain hardware checks during Windows 11 installation, especially on unsupported PCs.

How the setupconfig.ini Bypass Works:

• You create a custom setupconfig.ini file that instructs the Windows installer to skip specific hardware requirement checks, such as TPM, Secure Boot, or CPU compatibility.
• This method leverages the Windows setup's built-in configuration options, making it a cleaner approach compared to file patches or registry hacks.

You can install Windows 11 25h2 on an unsupported PC by using the WinUpgradeMate app. It offers two different methods to bypass Windows 11 system checks.

Step 1: Get the official Windows 11 ISO file from Microsoft's website.

Step 2: Download the latest version of the WinUpgradeMate utility.

Step 3: Import Windows 11 25H2 ISO into the app

Step 4: Choose the Quick Setup to start upgrading to Windows 11 25H2.

Wait a couple of minutes and you will see Windows 11 25H2 is successfully installed on an unsupported hardware.

What is the "Panther" File Hack?
This method involves modifying or deleting a specific file (appraiserres.dll) inside the Windows installation sources. This file is responsible for the hardware compatibility check during setup. By removing it, you essentially blindfold the installer, preventing it from knowing whether your PC is "supported" or not.

How to Install Windows 11 25H2 on Unsupported PC:

1. Download the Windows 11 25H2 ISO.
2. Mount or extract the ISO.
3. Navigate to the Sources folder.
4. Back up the original appraiserres.dll.
5. Replace appraiserres.dll with a patched version (found in various community forums or repositories).
6. Rebuild the ISO using tools like oscdimg.
7. Boot from the modified media and proceed with installation.

Clearly, the cpu is not supported by Windows 11 based on this document:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-intel-processors

Windows 11 needs 8th Gen Intel processor at least.

In fact, this hardware specs of this desktop PC is still good to run Windows 11. You can use a dedicated app to help you install windows 11 25H2 on unsupported hardware. This is quite easy option in 2025!