The workaround for installing W11 on a non-TPM PC can be removed by Microsoft at any time.
The workaround for installing W11 on a non-TPM PC can be removed by Microsoft at any time.
I used this guide to make a thinner W11 ISO. It also helps skip the TPM verification. This lets me set up W11 on an older PC without needing TPM. Because I really like W11 Pro, I also plan to apply it to my other three machines that don’t have TPM. They’re currently running W10 Pro. Before I start, I’m curious if Microsoft might release a future update that re-enables the TPM check and blocks my installation. We don’t know what they’ll do, but I’m worried they could stop me. I really don’t want to lock myself into installing W11 everywhere, especially since I rely on security updates and can’t just skip them. What would you prefer—avoid installing W11 across all devices?
If you need to depend on these tools (meaning you can't accept issues you might face), don’t set up Windows 11. The only Windows 11 setup I have is a 2011 netbook that obviously falls short of the necessary specs. I’m already expecting build updates to work smoothly, but until then, it feels like making educated guesses. I’ve heard about a watermark for systems that don’t meet the criteria (similar to the activation mark), and if it becomes unavoidable, I’ll switch to Linux on everything soon.
The odds of it being "disabled" are extremely low. The odds of it not getting updates at some point is pretty likely. Modifying a bunch of stuff to make it work then hoping you get security updates, is being pretty optimistic. Your best course of action is likely to stick it out with Windows 10, after that perhaps consider Linux if you still want an OS that is getting updates.
Up to this point there’s no watermark and everything works smoothly. No drivers were installed because the older MB doesn’t support W11 drivers. Still, everything appears normal. The system restore feature isn’t working either, which is usually a common issue but I haven’t tried any solutions. This machine is mainly for streaming YouTube and Netflix, with light browsing. The MB doesn’t even support 4K on HDMI; it uses under 3GB while watching YouTube. It behaves like the W11 version on my primary rig (a brand new AM5 with TPM) that I keep the W10 partition for backup. Alright, I’ll delay upgrading other non-TPM systems for now. This is more of a surplus PC for testing. I already have two extra partitions set up for Mint and Ubuntu. I’m still hoping Microsoft removes the TPM requirements. Or some of my hardware might fail before October 2025.
I've been using the 11 series on my 6th gen Skylake (6700HQ) Thinkpad P50 since the public beta started, but recently switched to a Thinkpad P52 with an 8th gen 8850H for Windows 11 support. I'm planning to convert my P50 into a Linux system at some point.
This certainly is true and the reason why I also will try out Mint and Ubuntu. But 2 of the other older PC will have to be able to run two 4K monitors and remote into work. My workplace requires a VMware software installed and that is Windows only. There is a website option, but that doesn't work on multiple monitors. My wife's workplace for some reason has different remote ways. So those PC need to be Windows (6th and 7th generation Intel i7). And we are not sophisticated enough to do something outside our respective IT departments set up. My workplace remote is buggy on their server side and I know if I do something outside what they provide, they will blame it on that.
You're asking about what appears to be a series of yearly updates, such as the transition from 22H2 to 23H2. It seems you're concerned about whether Windows will continue requiring the TPM test after upgrades and if security patches remain effective even if your system doesn't automatically upgrade. For older machines, you're focusing on maintaining security rather than adding new features. You mentioned a Ryzen 7000 system with W11 and an older i3 with a TPM workaround. You're planning to keep these systems for about two and a half years before the end of support for Windows 10. You're considering upgrading them to newer hardware, which would cost less than $250 per machine, allowing you to run W11 officially while retaining existing RAM, power supply, case, and drives. Your approach sounds practical and security-focused.