Forum Discussion
How can I upgrade or install Windows 11 26H1 on unsupported computer?
My daily working machine is an older but still capable machine (i7-7700K, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSS, no TPM 2.0) that Microsoft has officially left behind. I'm aware of the compatibility warnings, but I ne...
About upgrading or installing Windows 11 26H1 on unsuported hardware. Using "ISO Surgery" with 7-Zip is a common method to prepare a Windows 11 ISO for installation on unsupported hardware, such as older PCs that don't meet Microsoft's official requirements. Here's a general overview of the process:
1. Obtain the Windows 11 ISO
- Download the official Windows 11 26H1 ISO from Microsoft's website.
2. Open the ISO with 7-Zip
- Use 7-Zip to extract the contents of the ISO to a folder on your PC.
3. Modify the Registry Files or Remove Checks
- Navigate to the Sources folder within the extracted files.
- Locate and edit the appraiserres.dll file: some guides suggest replacing or removing this file to bypass the hardware check.
- Alternatively, some users modify setup.exe or other files, or create a registry key during setup to bypass TPM, Secure Boot, and CPU checks.
4. Repack the ISO
- After modifications, use 7-Zip to create a new ISO image of the modified files.
5. Boot and Install
- Boot from this custom ISO and install Windows 11 26H1 on unsuported hardware. During setup, you might need to bypass hardware checks using commands like Shift+F10 to open Command Prompt and run regedit to disable checks.