How to Upgrade an Unsupported PC to Windows 11 24H2 — 3 Easy Methods (With Full Steps)

Have you ever seen the message:

“This PC doesn’t meet Windows 11 requirements”

…and felt frustrated?

Don’t give up just yet!

In this guide, I will walk you through several proven methods to upgrade older PCs to Windows 11 24H2, even if they don’t meet the official system requirements. No expensive hardware upgrades or advanced skills needed.

(Please note: these methods are unofficial and should be done at your own risk.)

Why Can’t My Old PC Upgrade to Windows 11 24H2?

Microsoft enforces strict system requirements for Windows 11, including:

• TPM 2.0 (security chip) support
• Secure Boot enabled
• 8th Gen Intel or newer, or AMD Ryzen 2000 series or newer CPUs
• …and more

If your PC lacks any of these, you’ll see the “unsupported hardware” message during the installation process.

However, several workarounds exist that allow you to bypass these restrictions and successfully install Windows 11 24H2.

Method 1: Create a “Bypass Requirements” Installation USB Using Rufus

This is one of the easiest and most popular methods for unsupported hardware.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Prepare the following items:
   • A USB flash drive (at least 8GB)
   • The official Windows 11 24H2 ISO file (can be downloaded from Microsoft’s site or tools like UUPdump)
   • Rufus (a free tool available at https://rufus.ie/)
2. Launch Rufus and select your downloaded Windows 11 ISO.
3. Rufus will display several special checkboxes:
   • Skip TPM 2.0 check
   • Skip Secure Boot check
   • Skip Microsoft Account requirement
4. Check all of these options (recommended).
5. Click Start to create the installation USB.
6. Boot your older PC using this USB and proceed with the Windows 11 installation as usual.

Why this method works:

Rufus injects special bypass scripts into the USB media, allowing the Windows installer to skip hardware checks.

Caution:

While this method works for many users, Microsoft may block such bypasses in future updates.

Method 2: Use Registry Edits to Bypass Hardware Checks (While Keeping Existing Data)

If you want to upgrade your existing Windows 10 system directly — keeping files and settings — you can bypass the hardware checks through a small registry tweak.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Mount your Windows 11 24H2 ISO (Right-click → Mount).
2. Run setup.exe to start the installation.
3. Before proceeding, open Registry Editor (regedit) and navigate to:

Create the following DWORD values under LabConfig:

Close the registry and continue the setup. The installation should now proceed without hardware requirement checks.

Pros of this method:

• Keeps your existing Windows environment, files, and apps intact.
• Allows a smoother transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11 24H2.

Cons:

• Involves modifying your system registry.
• May feel risky for beginners.

Tip:

If you’re uncomfortable editing the registry, consider running Windows 11 on a virtual machine instead.

Here’s a helpful guide:

How to create a virtual machine on a weak PC

Method 3: Replace the “appraiserres.dll” File Inside the Installation Media (Advanced Users)

This method directly bypasses the compatibility checks performed during installation.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Download the Windows 11 24H2 ISO.
2. Extract the ISO contents to a folder on your PC.
3. Obtain a working installation media for Windows 10 or a fully supported Windows 11 version.
4. Copy the file named appraiserres.dll from the sources folder of that media.
5. Replace the same file inside the sources folder of your extracted Windows 11 24H2 installation files.
6. Repackage the modified files into a bootable USB installer using Rufus (this time, you won’t need any special Rufus options).
7. Boot from this USB and install Windows 11 24H2. The hardware check will be bypassed.

Why some users prefer this method:

• The installation proceeds almost as a normal clean install.
• Avoids making changes to your registry.
• Less chance of errors during upgrade compared to registry edits.

👉 Important notes:

• File replacement must be done carefully to avoid corrupting the installation media.
• Like all bypass methods, Microsoft could patch this technique in future updates.
• Always back up your important data beforehand.

⚠️Important Warnings Before You Proceed

✔ These methods are not officially supported by Microsoft.

✔ Do NOT use these methods for mission-critical work computers.

✔ Compatibility issues may occur with future updates or security patches.

✔ Always create a full system backup before attempting any bypass installation.

Summary: Yes, You Can Run Windows 11 24H2 on Older PCs!

With these methods, even unsupported PCs can enjoy Windows 11 24H2:

• Don’t discard your old PC just because it says “unsupported.”
• Choose the method that best matches your comfort level.
• Always proceed carefully and at your own risk.

Ready to give it a try? You might be surprised by how well your old machine can run Windows 11 24H2!

✔️You might also find these helpful:

▶︎Fixing Windows 11 Update KB5058411: Common Errors and Solutions

▶︎🔧 Common Windows Error Codes and How to Fix Them

▶︎June 2025 Windows 11 Update Errors – Complete Guide for Troubleshooting

タグ: Windows 11 24H2, unsupported PC upgrade, Windows 11 bypass TPM, Rufus Windows 11 install, Windows 11 upgrade workaround, registry edit Windows 11, appraiserres.dll method, install Windows 11 on old PC