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RileyMitchell's avatar
RileyMitchell
Iron Contributor
Apr 24, 2025

How to Install Windows 11 23H2 on Unsupported Hardware

Plan to upgrade my Surface Pro 5 from Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 but at this time, I don't want to go with Windows 11 24H2 as I heard a lot of bugs and issues with this version, some of the notable ones:

  1. Audio output glitch
  2. WiFi not connecting
  3. AutoCAD not opening
  4. Problems with integrated cameras
  5. Network sharing not working

Instead, I want to install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported hardware.

As far as I can see, only the cup (Intel i5 6700) is not supported. The laptop has 8GB RAM, 256 SSD, Secure Boot and TPM enabled. Please share me an easy way to install Windows 23H2 on this unsupported PC so I can get started with Windows 11 for my Surface Pro 5.

Thank you

6 Replies

  • MarylandCrab's avatar
    MarylandCrab
    Iron Contributor

    If you’re thinking about using that command line method to install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported hardware. I’ve seen systems that work for a bit, but then they start acting all wonky. You might get random crashes or weird freezes. When you push hardware to run software it wasn't really designed for, things can go haywire. I’ve had machines that ran fine on Windows 10 but turned into hot messes with Windows 11 after doing stuff like this.

    If your hardware is older or not officially supported, you might not find compatible drivers for Windows 11. Imagine trying to get your Wi-Fi or sound to work and realizing the drivers you need just aren’t there. It’s frustrating, trust me. You might be left out of some neat features that are tied to specific hardware, like enhanced security features (TPM, Secure Boot, etc.). Honestly, if your system is old enough to be unsupported, it could miss out on some of the shiny new tricks Windows 11 is trying to bring to the table.

    If you disable dynamic updates just to install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported hardware, future updates might be trickier. You could miss critical security patches and not even realize it. It's like skipping your yearly check-up and hoping you’re still healthy!

  • WilderFrost's avatar
    WilderFrost
    Iron Contributor

    Here is a command line method that can help you easily install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported hardware, without the need for Rufus or other third-party tools, and operate directly on your existing Windows 10:

    🧩 Method: Skip system detection through the command line and directly upgrade and install 23H2
    First download the Windows 11 23H2 ISO original image (you can get the ISO file from UUP dump or Microsoft's official channels).

    Right-click the ISO file and "mount" it, and write down the drive letter, such as E:.

    Open the command prompt (Administrator), enter the following command to skip the hardware check and start the installation:

    bash
    E:\setup.exe /product server /compat IgnoreWarning /m:Auto /DynamicUpdate Disable


    E:\ is the ISO drive letter you mounted

    /product server: Force installation in "server" mode to bypass hardware restrictions

    /compat IgnoreWarning: Ignore compatibility warnings

    /m:Auto and /DynamicUpdate Disable: Turn off updates and automatically execute the installation process

    This allows you to directly install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported hardware, completely skipping CPU and TPM detection.

    ✅ Notes:

    1. It is recommended to back up important data before installation;
    2. Do not turn off the power during the installation process;
    3. If you encounter driver problems, remember to download the Surface Pro 5 driver in advance as a backup.

    I have personally tested this method and successfully installed 23H2 on multiple old devices that do not meet the requirements. The system is stable and much more reassuring than 24H2. If you need, I can also write a .bat script for you and execute it with one click. Do you want it?

  • HarperClark's avatar
    HarperClark
    Iron Contributor

    Windows 10 Upgrade Assistant is a completely free and unpaid version of the built-in tool provided by Microsoft, which allows users to bypass hardware checks with the help of a simple batch script to perform in-place upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11, preserving files and apps without the need for third-party software, and is officially supported by Microsoft for those who wish to minimize tool dependencies.

    After making sure your computer is running Windows 10 and you have backed up your data.

    DownloadWindows11 23H2 ISO file, right-click on the ISO file and select Mount to get a virtual drive, open Notepad and paste D:\setup.exe/product server /Eula Accept /Priority Normal /Telemetry Disable
     and save it as C:\bypass11.bat. 

    Right click on bypass11.bat and select Run as administrator to start the installer bypassing TPM, CPU, RAM checks through the Server Edition parameters, select Upgrade to install Windows and keep the files and apps and follow the prompts to install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported hardware.

    Reboot automatically after the installation, and finally go to Settings>System>About to confirm that it is Windows 11 23H2 and run Windows Update to install drivers and patches.

  • Though Windows 11 has more requirements than Windows 10, there are several tricks available to help you out. You can change the Registry during installation to help you install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported PC.

    Step 1: Make a bootable Windows 11 23H2 install USB drive.

    Step 2: Insert the USB into the unsupported PC and boot from it.

    Step 3: Press Shift + F10 to open the command prompt, type regedit to open the registry editor, expand the path (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup) in Registry Editor.

    Step 4: Right-click Setup to create a new item named LabConfig, select LabConfig to create a new DWORD value:

             BypassTPMCheck, 

             BypassCPUCheck

             BypassSecureBootCheck

             BypassRAMCheck

    Step 5: Set the value to 1.

    Step 6: Close the registry and enter exit to return to the installation interface, according to the normal process click on the install now, if there is no product key point I do not have a product key, select the version, follow the steps to install Windows 11 23H2 on unsupported hardware.

     

  • JosephKim's avatar
    JosephKim
    Iron Contributor

    It can be solved with Win11BootAndBypass, a tool that runs on Windows 10/11 and does not require administrator privileges for some of its functions.

    Released on the official GitHub website - AveYo/MediaCreationTool.bat, it is a completely free tool that automatically creates Windows 11 installation disks that support bypassing TPM, Secure Boot, RAM, etc. and downloads the 100% original official Microsoft ISOs automatically. It is safe and reliable, without adding any third-party software.

    To Install Windows 11 23H2 on Unsupported Hardware:

    1. Open the unzipped folder, find the file named MediaCreationTool.bat, 

    2. Right-click and select Run as administrator. After running, a window will pop up, follow the steps below:

    • At the Select Version prompt, type 11 and enter.
    • At the Select Version prompt, type 23H2 and enter.
    • At the Select Mode prompt, enter 3 to select Make USB Installation Disk.

    3. After that, you will be prompted to select the USB flash drive drive letter, enter the corresponding number according to the prompt

    The tool will automatically download the official Microsoft Windows 11 image from the network, add the mechanism to bypass TPM/Secure Boot, and write the image to the USB flash drive, the whole process will take about 10-20 minutes. The process takes about 10 - 20 minutes. When it is done, you can install Windows 11 23H2 on any unsupported PC that does not meet Windows 11 system requirements.

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