Installing Windows 11 (from ISO) on real hardware (without SB and/or TPM 2.0 support)
Created: June 20, 2021 | Last Update: June 20, 2021 |
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Authors: | Gustave Monce, Daniel Kornev |
Status: | Draft |
Supported Windows 11 Version: | 21996.1 |
WIP
Overview
Here's some quick notes on installing Windows 11 on real hardware from ISO in case when hardware doesn't support TPM and/or SB (Secure Boot). For this example, we're assuming a system with no other critical disks installed, and a helpful host system being around to set up the initial image.
This guide has been created for the 21996.1 version of Windows 11.
Prerequisites
Host
- Windows 10 Iron or Cobalt (20279 or 21xxx+) - though 20H2 can also work just fine
- Utility USB flash drive of ~8GB+
Target
- Boot drive larger than 50 GiB
Common: Files & Tools
- Download Windows 11 ISO
- Download Windows USB/DVD Tool
- Install it
Prepare USB Drive for Flashing
- Get an empty USB Flash drive (with size at least 8GB)
- Use Windows USB/DVD Tool
- Follow its instructions to flash your Windows 11 ISO onto the USB Flash drive
Apply Your Image
Clean Disk & Lay Out Partitions
- Boot from USB Flash drive
- Open diskpart
- Type this:
list disk
Take a note of the name of your device's main disk drive, e.g., disk 0
4. Type this (where disk 0
is your device's main disk drive):
select disk 0
clean
- Follow the instructions in the file from docs.microsoft.com to properly lay out your device's main disk for Windows 10/11 installation:
rem == CreatePartitions-UEFI.txt ==
rem == These commands are used with DiskPart to
rem create four partitions
rem for a UEFI/GPT-based PC.
rem Adjust the partition sizes to fill the drive
rem as necessary. ==
select disk 0
clean
convert gpt
rem == 1. System partition =========================
create partition efi size=100
rem ** NOTE: For Advanced Format 4Kn drives,
rem change this value to size = 260 **
format quick fs=fat32 label="System"
assign letter="S"
rem == 2. Microsoft Reserved (MSR) partition =======
create partition msr size=16
rem == 3. Windows partition ========================
rem == a. Create the Windows partition ==========
create partition primary
rem == b. Create space for the recovery tools ===
rem ** Update this size to match the size of
rem the recovery tools (winre.wim)
rem plus some free space.
shrink minimum=500
rem == c. Prepare the Windows partition =========
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
assign letter="W"
rem === 4. Recovery partition ======================
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs label="Recovery"
assign letter="R"
set id="de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac"
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001
list volume
- Mark your Windows partition as active in diskpart:
list partition
note the name of your Windows partition (e.g., "partition 3")
select partition 3
active
- Type exit to leave diskpart
Apply Image
- Check which OS SKU you want to install:
dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:D:\Sources\install.wim <— here D:\ is the drive name of your USB drive
- Remember its index and use it to apply its image to your Windows partition (e.g., "W"):
dism /Apply-Image /ImageFile:D:\Sources\install.wim /index:1 /ApplyDir:W:\
- Create boot records:
W:\Windows\System32\bcdboot G:\Windows
If you'll see "Failure when attempting to copy boot files" error message then use this command instead:
W:\Windows\System32\bcdboot c:\windows /s s: /f ALL
- Type exit in the Command Prompt window
Load Windows 11
At this time, your Windows 11 will boot. If everything is correct you should see the OOBE.