The madness is over: Microsoft blocks workaround that allowed Windows 11 to be installed on older PCs

It looks like Microsoft has blocked one of the existing methods for forcing the installation of Windows 11 on computers that do not meet the technical prerequisites for the update. The change was revealed on social network X, formerly known as Twitter, by a member of the Windows Insider testing program.

Update by user Bob Pony Windows 11 Insider Build 27686Codenamed Dilithium, this version no longer allows forced updates via CMD. Microsoft has released some screenshots confirming that it has implemented a fix.

The recently released Windows 11 Insider Build 27686 (Dilithium) patched the “setup.exe /product server” workaround to bypass the system requirements check. ?? pic.twitter.com/G9Q1v3O1uU

— Bob Pony (@TheBobPony) August 15, 2024

In this method, the update is done using steps involving the command line. setup.exe /product server. In summary, tricks the system into thinking you installed Windows 11 on a serverwithout requiring all the minimum technical specifications required by the company.

In this way Older or less powerful computers will need to stay on Windows 10 or upgrade using another parallel techniqueHowever, such an operation is considered risky and may cause incompatibility in the machine.

now stable version Windows 11 version 24H2 still allows the use of “gambiarra”However, it is not known what will happen when the new build is released to all users. So far, Microsoft has not made any official comments on the matter.

Windows 11 is not the most popular yet

Microsoft’s official support for Windows 10 already has an end date: after October 14, 2025, PCs will continue to use this operating system They even continue to work normally, but without critical updatesbug fixes, security improvements, system optimizations or other new features.

Meanwhile, the company continues its efforts to increase the share of users in the latest version. Data from July 2024 shows that Windows 11 is still found on less than 30% of computers running the Microsoft platform, or half of Windows 10 users.

As a way to persuade the public to upgrade or replace their computers with a modern model, the company is investing in updating key local programs and artificial intelligence (AI) resources, particularly by introducing greater integration with its Copilot service.