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NamMedevac_70's avatar
NamMedevac_70
Explorer II
Jul 12, 2021

How to bypass Windows 11 limits and install on old PC

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-bypass-windows-11-limits-and-install-on-almost-any-old-pc/?ftag=TRE-03-10aaa6b&bhid=&mid=13430665&cid=2180787277&eh=

Out of curiosity I may try this hack on one of my older backup laptops when the time comes. My new Lenovo I Core 7 laptop passed the MS smell test for upgrading to WIN 11 but I am not an early adopter and quite happy with WIN 10 and an old WIN 7 laptops. WARNING If you try this you could brick your PC
  • Windows updates might mess up your dual booting.
    I'd rather use VMs.
  • joebedford wrote:
    mr. ed wrote:
    If my older Toshiba cant be upgraded I’d be tempted to try the linux OS in place of Windows.
    Make it a dual boot system - then you can still have Windows if Linux doesn't work out. One of my PCs is dual boot. I find Linux to be slightly more work.


    Thanks for the suggestion, Joe. I also have my iPad as a backup computer. It’s set up like a laptop, including keyboard and mouse, although I’m more used to the Windows OS.
  • I'm not sure that article from zdnet is accurate. Microsoft advised me that my PC will not run the beta version of W11 currently being tested but that it WILL run the pre-release version. This PC is 11 years old and theoretically isn't approved to run W10 which I've been running since before W10 was released.

    Your PC will probably run W11 just fine.
  • mr. ed wrote:
    If my older Toshiba cant be upgraded I’d be tempted to try the linux OS in place of Windows.
    Make it a dual boot system - then you can still have Windows if Linux doesn't work out. One of my PCs is dual boot. I find Linux to be slightly more work.
  • If my older Toshiba cant be upgraded I’d be tempted to try the linux OS in place of Windows. At any rate, Windows 10 will continue to receive updates until fall, 2025, according to Microsoft.
  • It will be a free upgrade at the end of the year.
  • Just a reminder that Windows 11 is currently a beta version, not a release candidate (RC). Primarily used to discover issues while in development. For curious end users, may be better to wait until a stable WIN11 RC is available.