Windows 11 hardware restrictions can be easily bypassed using one single command

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DragonSlayer101

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The big picture: One of the main reasons for the relatively low adoption rate of Windows 11 is its stringent hardware requirements, which prevent even some newer PCs from being updated to the new OS. Additionally, Microsoft has also made TPM 2.0 mandatory for Windows 11, further reducing the number of devices that can install the new operating system.

While enterprising users have discovered unofficial ways to bypass these hardware requirements and install Windows 11 on unsupported machines, some have now found a straightforward method to circumvent the restrictions without resorting to complex tricks or third-party utilities. As noted by Twitter user Bob Pony, simply adding the "/product server" switch to setup.exe in the Windows 11 setup directory allows users to bypass the restrictions and install Windows 11 on virtually any PC.

It's worth noting that this method was originally detailed by another Windows 11 user who posted in a Vietnamese forum about his discovery more than a year ago. However, it flew under the radar until recently when Twitter user Tomy Kwong pointed out the original post. In any case, reports suggest that the "/product server" trick works on the latest Canary build of Windows 11, but it remains to be seen if Microsoft will close this loophole in the future.

Individuals interested in installing Windows 11 on unsupported PCs should be aware that the OS runs well on most devices compatible with Windows 10. However, certain minor features requiring newer hardware and TPM 2.0 may not function on these devices. Nevertheless, this new method should facilitate the upgrade to Windows 11 from older Windows versions, allowing users to take advantage of the new features and enhanced security provided by Microsoft's latest OS.

Windows 11 has generally received positive feedback from users worldwide. Still, it faces a few persistent issues that have prevented it from achieving unmitigated success. Two years after its release, the OS still lags behind Windows 10 in terms of overall market share. According to Statcounter, Microsoft's latest desktop operating system is installed on 23 percent of all PCs globally, while Windows 10 is running on 71 percent of all Windows computers.

Although this new method should encourage more people to upgrade to the latest operating system, it is unlikely to supplant Windows 10 as the dominant Windows OS anytime soon.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/100453-windows-11-hardware-restrictions-can-easily-bypassed-using.html

 
Got the Windows 11, but I'm looking for the undo button..

Why on earth MS changed the UI so much that alsmost none of the 3rd party UI software is not working anymore?

Windows 11 feels more like a previous version of 10.

Thanks MS!
 
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What this will not do is prevent microsoft from screwing with it in the future. Remember how cherry trail artificially got removed from receiving updates for windows 10?

Microsoft has already shown they are willing to shove internet requirements down our throats, fill 11 with ads, and change settings remotely when updating. Unless MS drops the requirements officially any machine done in this manner is a potential service call.
 
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I think all of the previous replies to this article miss the point. If you are already anti Windows 11, and as well as anything after about 7, it would do you no good to know that you can install it on devices that don't meet the stringent hardware requirements to upgrade, which is the gist of the article. I consider all versions of windows to be about the same except for minor cosmetic, contextual menu and procedural changes. They are all built on the same kernel since NT. I worked a a tech support agent for a major computer manufacturer and one of the major satellite system companies. The registry since the inception of wxp is virtually unchanged to this day. There are also few changes in the way it boots up a loads its os into the Ram. The command prompt, now called the power shell, has had almost no changes. Then there is device manager, control panel, the windows file system itself and many other parts of the core system unchanged to this day(task manager, storage management, computer management, event viewer, file explorer, msconfig, all major troubleshooting properties of the system.). The reasons for upgrades for me is when an os is no longer supported online for updates, you no longer have anything to protect against new malware, trojans, etc. Also it takes into consideration software vendor changes as well as changes in software for new hardware devices.
 
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Disgusting. On behalf of its hardware partners Microsoft seeks to force the needless disposal of hundreds of millions of pre-TPM2 hardware devices, on the basis of a lie that is here laid bare. Windows 11 could in fact run on those computers, just as Microsoft could easily continue to provide security patches for Windows 10.

The best solution here would be for courts throughout the world to show Microsoft that it can not unilaterally evade liability for Windows security defects that it created, sold, has the ability to mitigate, and recklessly and for profit chooses not to do so with no reasonable justification. Just a small handful of the results are pipelines shut, hospitals and police departments crippled, billions of dollars extracted from the economy and in some cases channeled to state actors otherwise under US sanctions who may use the money for terrorism and other violence.

If Microsoft will neither continue support for these devices nor provide an upgrade path for them, they should be bankrupted out of business. Linux runs on all these devices including with ongoing security support.
 
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brucek said:
Disgusting. On behalf of its hardware partners Microsoft seeks to force the needless disposal of hundreds of millions of pre-TPM2 hardware devices, on the basis of a lie that is here laid bare. Windows 11 could in fact run on those computers, just as Microsoft could easily continue to provide security patches for Windows 10.

The best solution here would be for courts throughout the world to show Microsoft that it can not unilaterally evade liability for Windows security defects that it created, sold, has the ability to mitigate, and recklessly and for profit chooses not to do so with no reasonable justification. Just a small handful of the results are pipelines shut, hospitals and police departments crippled, billions of dollars extracted from the economy and in some cases channeled to state actors otherwise under US sanctions who may use the money for terrorism and other violence.

If Microsoft will neither continue support for these devices nor provide an upgrade path for them, they should be bankrupted out of business. Linux runs on all these devices including with ongoing security support.
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To me, a used piece of hardware is just like a used car. People run them long after the warranty expires using aftermarkets for replacement parts. They could do the same for computers just as you say. But the fact is if they no longer support and os then that leaves you vulnerable to so many problems that most people opt to replace the device, which is as you say the reason for they quit supporting them. There are literally millions of devices no longer being used that could be generating commerce just as used autos do. I had no more problems wordprocessing with xp than I do with 11, a resume is a resume. Like I say, the os of windows has changed little. They could and ought to be made to continue support. And like I also said, another reason why Linux is becoming more popular.
 
The difference between automobiles and operating systems, which I don't understand, is in how US law approaches defect liability.

When the US determines an automobile is unsafe, the auto manufacturer can not avoid the expense of a recall by saying "sorry, we decided to support this car for only 5 years and we are requiring customers to buy a new one." That's just not how it works. The manufacturer sold the car and they are responsible. If the cars are still on the road 10 years later, if they are a safety threat to the driver or others, the US can and will force the recall of those cars and the mitigation of the risk. Similarly, if the worst were to happen, US liability law will hold the manufacturer liable for their safety defect no matter the age of the car.

For whatever reason, the US is so far not taking this approach with Microsoft's OS despite it being riddled with security holes causing significant economic damage, and despite Microsoft now taking wrt to the Win 10 - Win 11 transition what is to me an outrageously negligent position regarding termination of support for repair of their defects. Maybe it's just that there are fewer actual provable deaths due to security holes, although I think that's coming if it hasn't happened already.

In any event, there are few other industries where companies can escape defect liability by decreeing a fixed term of support. Whatever loophole MS is squeezing through for Windows ought to be closed. It's particularly outrageous since as this article demonstrates MS has the capability to offer those devices an upgrade path to a still supported OS, but is choosing to artificially close it, and leave others with the tab for their mess.
 
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brucek said:
The difference between automobiles and operating systems, which I don't understand, is in how US law approaches defect liability.

When the US determines an automobile is unsafe, the auto manufacturer can not avoid the expense of a recall by saying "sorry, we decided to support this car for only 5 years and we are requiring customers to buy a new one." That's just not how it works. The manufacturer sold the car and they are responsible. If the cars are still on the road 10 years later, if they are a safety threat to the driver or others, the US can and will force the recall of those cars and the mitigation of the risk. Similarly, if the worst were to happen, US liability law will hold the manufacturer liable for their safety defect no matter the age of the car.

For whatever reason, the US is so far not taking this approach with Microsoft's OS despite it being riddled with security holes causing significant economic damage, and despite Microsoft now taking wrt to the Win 10 - Win 11 transition what is to me an outrageously negligent position regarding termination of support for repair of their defects. Maybe it's just that there are fewer actual provable deaths due to security holes, although I think that's coming if it hasn't happened already.

In any event, there are few other industries where companies can escape defect liability by decreeing a fixed term of support. Whatever loophole MS is squeezing through for Windows ought to be closed. It's particularly outrageous since as this article demonstrates MS has the capability to offer those devices an upgrade path to a still supported OS, but is choosing to artificially close it, and leave others with the tab for their mess.
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Maybe there are fewer probable deaths, but any deaths to me are unacceptable not to mention the billions lost by scams and also taxpayers dollars spend on law enforcement. The FBI has spend much money on piracy and chasing down the originators of malware. It is a burden on the entire legal system.
 
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mrtraver said:
Good to know, in case Windows 11 ever offers anything compelling enough to go thru the hassle of changing.
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I won't offer much in the way of change, It's the same os that's been around since wxp with cosmetic changes. The reason to change is that as of October 2025, Microsoft will no longer support W10 which means no security updates and that means problems for any user. If you can update 10 to 11 with an older piece of hardware, which is the gist of this article, then that is a boon for anyone who has an older machine that doesn't meet the hardware requirements. Then again there is always Linux.
 
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brucek said:
Disgusting. On behalf of its hardware partners Microsoft seeks to force the needless disposal of hundreds of millions of pre-TPM2 hardware devices, on the basis of a lie that is here laid bare. Windows 11 could in fact run on those computers, just as Microsoft could easily continue to provide security patches for Windows 10.

The best solution here would be for courts throughout the world to show Microsoft that it can not unilaterally evade liability for Windows security defects that it created, sold, has the ability to mitigate, and recklessly and for profit chooses not to do so with no reasonable justification. Just a small handful of the results are pipelines shut, hospitals and police departments crippled, billions of dollars extracted from the economy and in some cases channeled to state actors otherwise under US sanctions who may use the money for terrorism and other violence.

If Microsoft will neither continue support for these devices nor provide an upgrade path for them, they should be bankrupted out of business. Linux runs on all these devices including with ongoing security support.
Click to expand...
We always knew it could run on old hardware. They are trying to force TPM 2.0 encapsulated systems mainstream and the way they wanted to do it was requiring TPM 2.0 to use the OS. It was NEVER about whether the OS could just ignore that requirement or not.
 
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If you've avoided win 11 this long you would surely at least wait and see how win 12 differs before checking yourself into a psychiatric ward and installing 11. 12 will probably be ruined by AI BS and being fully tied to the cloud to function.
 
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Mark Fuller said:
To me, a used piece of hardware is just like a used car. People run them long after the warranty expires using aftermarkets for replacement parts. They could do the same for computers just as you say. But the fact is if they no longer support and os then that leaves you vulnerable to so many problems that most people opt to replace the device, which is as you say the reason for they quit supporting them. There are literally millions of devices no longer being used that could be generating commerce just as used autos do. I had no more problems wordprocessing with xp than I do with 11, a resume is a resume. Like I say, the os of windows has changed little. They could and ought to be made to continue support. And like I also said, another reason why Linux is becoming more popular.
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The issue with 11 is that it has been demonstrated that all of these "security" requirements are total bogus, that an older machine has no issue running this OS and MS is creating artificial E-Waste and placing financial hardship on low income communities while speaking about "climate change" and "Social Progress". That kind of hypocrisy does not sit will with the majority of people.
 
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I just want a workable & reliable way to use my older registrations that I paid good money for. I consider MicroSludge to be acting in bad faith now and continue moving all my systems including my servers over to Linux. I think MicroSludge really shot themselves in the foot with that move ....
 
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TheBigT42 said:
Me too but I am forced to it at work. It isn't too bad after removing all the Crapware installed, fixing the right click context menu, and making the taskbar windows 10 like.

I will never install it on my home computer
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Same here.. I am waiting for the Never Combine option... Win 11 is such a pain to work on..
 
Bypassing the TM2 requirement in order to install Windows 11 on older machines has never been difficult but the real issue is not getting the annual feature updates when installed on pre-TPM2 computers. Unless, that is, you want to reinstall the OS every year after the feature updates have been incorporated into the ISO file on MS's website.
 
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trents said:
Bypassing the TM2 requirement in order to install Windows 11 on older machines has never been difficult but the real issue is not getting the annual feature updates when installed on pre-TPM2 computers. Unless, that is, you want to reinstall the OS every year after the feature updates have been incorporated into the ISO file on MS's website.
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I have a computer that has TPM2 but fails the upgrade test because the processor is not on the list of supported processors. Would this apply to that one?
 
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