Bypass Windows 11 Requirements for Older PC

 

If your older PC does not officially meet the Windows 11 system requirements, you may still be able to install Windows 11 using unsupported installation methods. However, doing so is at your own risk, as Microsoft may not guarantee compatibility, updates, or support for unsupported hardware.

Keep in mind that your PC may still need to meet certain hardware requirements. In particular, Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 for supported installations, although some older systems with earlier TPM versions may be able to bypass this requirement using unsupported installation methods.

Open REGEDIT by typing it from the search (Press Windows Key then start typing) or RUN.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup.

Create a DWORD (32-bit) Value called AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU if it doesn't already exist. (Right click on the blank part of the screen to show the option to create the DWORD)

Set AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU to 1. Once this is complete, restart your computer before continuing.

Download the Windows 11 ISO from the website below.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11

Open the ISO file then click setup.

*You cannot use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant to upgrade. You really need to download the ISO. No need to burn it to a DVD. Just open it from your drive then it would automatically mount.

Clean Install of Windows 11

If you want to perform a clean installation of Windows 11, you can download the official Windows 11 ISO directly from Microsoft and use Rufus to create a bootable USB flash drive.

Downloads

• Windows 11 ISO: Download Windows 11 from Microsoft

• Rufus: Download Rufus

Create the Bootable USB

1. Download the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft's official website.

2. Download and run Rufus.

3. Connect a blank USB flash drive with at least 8 GB of storage. All data on the USB drive will be erased.

4. In Rufus, select your USB drive under Device.

5. Under Boot selection, select Disk or ISO image, then click SELECT.

6. Choose the Windows 11 ISO you downloaded.

7. Select the appropriate partition scheme. GPT is generally recommended for modern UEFI systems.

8. Click START.

Bypass Windows 11 Hardware Requirements

If the computer does not meet Microsoft's hardware requirements, Rufus can offer options to create installation media that bypasses certain Windows 11 checks.

When Rufus displays the Windows User Experience options, select the applicable options such as:

• Remove requirement for TPM 2.0

• Remove requirement for Secure Boot

• Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM — if required

• Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account — optional

The exact options displayed may vary depending on the Windows 11 ISO and Rufus version.

9. Review the selected options and click OK.

10. Rufus will format the USB drive and create the Windows 11 installation media.

11. When finished, safely eject the USB drive.

12. Connect the USB drive to the target PC and restart it.

13. Open the PC's Boot Menu or UEFI/BIOS and select the USB drive.

14. Start Windows Setup and proceed with the clean installation.

Important

This bypass does not make unsupported hardware officially compatible with Windows 11. Microsoft requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot capability for supported Windows 11 configurations.

If you install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, Microsoft states that the device is not supported and may not be entitled to updates. Proceed only if you understand and accept these limitations.

Always back up your important files before performing a clean installation. A clean installation can erase everything on the target drive.

Updated as of September 2026.

How to Retrieve Windows 10 / 11 Product Key?

There are situations where you may need to reinstall Windows from scratch, whether you’re troubleshooting system issues or installing a fresh copy of Windows after replacing your SSD.

You can download the official Windows ISO files directly from Microsoft:

• Windows 10: Download Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft

• Windows 11: Download Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft

Depending on your installation and license, you may need your Windows Product Key during the installation process.

If you have an existing, genuine Windows 10 / 11 installation, there is a simple way to retrieve the product key stored on your system before performing a clean installation.

Follow the instructions below to retrieve your Windows Product Key.

Open the "Command Prompt" as "Administrator".

On the prompt, type the command below.

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

You should now be able to retrieve your Windows 10 or Windows 11 Product Key and proceed with a clean installation using an official copy of Windows downloaded directly from Microsoft.

Note: This method retrieves the Windows Product Key stored in your computer’s BIOS or UEFI firmware. In other words, it displays the original Windows license key embedded in the device by the manufacturer.

Updated as of September 2026.

What is Patch Tuesday?

Microsoft Windows Logo

How Do You Know When Microsoft Releases New Patches?

If you want to know when Microsoft typically releases security patches and updates for its products, the answer is Patch Tuesday.

Patch Tuesday is Microsoft's regular monthly security update cycle. Microsoft generally releases security updates for supported products on the second Tuesday of each month, providing organizations with a predictable schedule for reviewing, testing, and deploying patches.

For IT teams, having a regular patch schedule makes it easier to:

• Prepare for upcoming patch deployments.
• Review security advisories and affected products.
• Test patches against existing applications and systems.
• Identify potential compatibility issues.
• Schedule and execute deployments with minimal disruption.

Microsoft may also release out-of-band (OOB) updates when a critical security issue or other urgent situation requires a patch outside the normal monthly schedule.

Security Recommendation: Regularly install security updates and patches on supported devices and applications. Keeping systems up to date is one of the fundamental measures for reducing exposure to known security vulnerabilities.

Updated as of September 2026.

Prevent Gears of War 4 From Crashing on Windows

If Gears of War 4 is randomly crashing on Windows, make sure to turn off Asyc Compute under Options > Video - Advanced.

Gears of War 4 Settings

How to Play Videos That Won't Play on Windows

Playing Videos on Windows

Playing videos on a Windows PC should be straightforward, but there are times when a video simply won't play. You might assume that the file is damaged or corrupted, but often the issue is that the video was encoded using a codec or format that Windows does not support by default.

DVD playback can also be an issue on a fresh Windows installation. Microsoft removed built-in DVD playback support from Windows several years ago, so additional software may be required.

There are two tools I commonly recommend:

• VLC Media Player
  Download VLC Media Player

• K-Lite Codec Pack
  Download K-Lite Codec Pack

When Should You Use VLC?

VLC Media Player should be your first choice if you simply want to play videos or audio files.

VLC is a standalone, open-source media player with built-in support for a very wide range of video and audio formats. It does not normally require you to install additional codecs.

Use VLC when:

• A video does not play in Windows Media Player.

• You want to play different video or audio formats.

• You need to play DVDs or other media supported by VLC.

• You want a simple, all-in-one media player.

• You need to play network streams.

For most users, VLC alone is sufficient for everyday video and audio playback.

When Should You Use K-Lite Codec Pack?

K-Lite Codec Pack is useful when you want other Windows applications to support additional video and audio formats.

Unlike VLC, which primarily uses its own built-in decoding components, K-Lite installs codecs and related components that can be used by compatible applications that rely on system codecs.

Use K-Lite when:

• A video needs to play inside another Windows application.

• You use media applications that depend on system-installed codecs.

• Windows Explorer or other applications need additional codec support.

• You need more control over how different codecs and media formats are handled.

Which One Should You Install?

For the average Windows user, start with VLC. It is simpler and avoids changing the system-wide codec environment.

Install K-Lite Codec Pack when you specifically encounter a compatibility issue with another application that VLC cannot solve because the application requires system-level codec support.

You generally do not need to install both just to watch videos. Using VLC as your primary media player is usually the simplest approach, while K-Lite is more useful for specific compatibility requirements.

Updated as of September 2026.

Do I Need Anti-Virus on Windows?

Do You Still Need Antivirus Software on Your PC?

One of the most common questions among PC users is whether you still need to install separate antivirus software. The answer has changed significantly over the years.

If you were using a PC 15–20 years ago, my answer would have been a definite yes. I started using PCs during an era when installing antivirus software was considered essential. Norton AntiVirus, for example, was one of the most recognized antivirus products at the time and was widely regarded as a standard security solution for Windows PCs.

The Era of Free Antivirus

During the Windows 7 era, Microsoft offered Microsoft Security Essentials, a free antivirus and malware-protection solution for Windows.

Microsoft Security Essentials Information

Microsoft Security Essentials provided basic protection against viruses, spyware, and other malware. Other well-known companies also offered free antivirus products, including AVG, Avira, and Avast.

Windows Defender and Built-in Protection

Starting with Windows 8, Microsoft integrated its built-in antimalware protection directly into Windows. It was initially known as Windows Defender, and Microsoft has continued to expand its capabilities in subsequent versions of Windows.

Today, Microsoft Defender Antivirus is integrated into Windows 10 and Windows 11 as part of Windows Security. It provides real-time protection against viruses, malware, ransomware, and other threats, along with additional security features such as firewall protection, SmartScreen, and hardware-based security capabilities on supported systems.

For the majority of users, the built-in Microsoft security features provide a solid baseline of protection without requiring a separate third-party antivirus application. It also integrates directly with Windows and can reduce the need for additional security software running in the background.

Do You Still Need Third-Party Antivirus?

For most home and general-purpose users, installing another antivirus program is not necessarily required. Microsoft Defender can provide comprehensive baseline protection when Windows, applications, and security definitions are kept up to date.

However, organizations and advanced users may have specific requirements that justify additional endpoint security products, particularly when centralized management, advanced threat detection, compliance requirements, or additional security controls are needed.

Remember: Antivirus Is Not Enough

No antivirus solution can protect you from every possible threat. Modern attacks can also rely on phishing, malicious websites, social engineering, stolen credentials, compromised accounts, and vulnerabilities in outdated software.

Good security practices remain essential:

• Keep Windows and applications updated.

• Use strong, unique passwords and enable multifactor authentication.

• Be cautious with email attachments and unfamiliar links.

• Avoid downloading software from untrusted or unauthorized sources.

• Do not disable security features unless there is a specific and justified reason.

• Maintain regular backups of important files.

• Keep your browser and other frequently used applications updated.

The best security strategy is layered protection: keep your operating system and applications patched, use the built-in security controls provided by Windows, practice safe browsing and computing habits, and maintain reliable backups.

Updated as of September 2026.

How to Format / Reset Windows?

How to Reset Your Windows PC

Many people need technical assistance when their Windows PC starts experiencing slowdowns, errors, or other system problems. In the past, reinstalling Windows typically required creating a bootable USB drive or downloading an ISO and burning it to a DVD—steps that could be difficult for less experienced users.

Microsoft made this process significantly easier with the introduction of Reset/Refresh your PC in Windows 8. Similar to restoring a mobile device, Windows can now reset the operating system through a guided process without requiring you to manually create installation media.

Before resetting your PC, make sure you have:

• Backed up all important files.

• Saved your software licenses and product keys.

• Confirmed that you have installation files or access to the applications you need afterward.

• Backed up browser data and other important settings where necessary.

You can back up your files to an external SSD or HDD, or use cloud storage services such as Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

How to Start the Reset

On newer versions of Windows:

1. Press the Windows Key.

2. Type Reset this PC.

3. Select Reset this PC from the search results.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions and choose the appropriate reset option.

Depending on your Windows version, you may be given options such as Keep my files or Remove everything.

For older versions of Windows, such as Windows 8, the feature may be presented under slightly different wording, such as Reset your PC.

Important: A reset can remove applications, settings, and potentially personal files depending on the option selected. Always maintain a verified backup before proceeding.

 

You can also go to Settings > Updates and Security > Recovery. This will bring you to the Recovery window.

Click the "Get Started" under "Recovery".

If you want to get rid of all your files then choose "Remove everything". This is the recommended way. In case you selected "Keep my files", only the programs installed on Windows (including Microsoft Office) will be removed and all your files will be intact.

The entire process will take at least 20 minutes to few hours depending on the speed of your machine. Once the refresh process is completed, make sure to run the following.

• Windows Update
• Disk Cleanup (Select Cleanup system files and check everything)

Your newly reinstalled Windows is now ready for use.

Updated as of September 2026.

How to Install PHP on Internet Information Services (IIS)?

PHP is one of the most widely used scripting language on the web. It is mostly paired with Apache or Nginx Web Server since both are open source software but there are cases when we need to run PHP on Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS) since there are a lot of companies that already using it in their environment.

Microsoft Internet Information Services (Web Server) is part of Windows Server. It is also available on Windows 8 Pro, 10 Pro or 11 Pro Version. You just need to activate it which we will discuss later.

To get started, we need to download some software from the web.

PHP
https://windows.php.net/download
*You can download the Non Thread Safe version. Select the zip file. It is the one compatible with IIS.

There are several versions of PHP available for Windows. PHP 7.0 to 8.1 and so on. These are all supported versions of PHP. You can always select the latest version which is 8.1 as of March 2022 unless you have older applications that needs the older version of PHP. It is recommended to update the PHP version as soon as it is released for security and stability.

Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170
*Download the version of Visual C++ Redistributable based on the version of PHP you are going to use. Refer to the versions below.

Visual C++ 2017 = VC15
Visual C++ 2015 = VC14
*Download the 64 bit version if you are using PHP x64 version.

URL Rewrite (This is the counterpart of mod_rewrite of Apache Web Server)
https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite

Install the Visual C++ Redistributable after downloading it by clicking the downloaded executable.

Extract the downloaded PHP file on your local directory. You can place it on C:\PHP or anywhere in your drive as long as you remember the location.

On Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro machine, press the Window Key to open the Start Menu / Search. Type "Turn Windows features on or off".

You will see the window as shown below. Select Internet Information Services. You don't need to install all the features like FTP. Just make sure to install the following features.

• Web Management Tools > IIS Management Console
• World Wide Web Services > Common HTTP Features >  (All Items)

Make sure to install CGI under World Wide Web Services > Application Development Features.

Once IIS is completely installed, you can test if it is running by opening  your web browser like Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome and visit localhost. You should see the IIS Welcome Page.

Install the URL Rewrite that we downloaded earlier. Just click the downloaded executable.

Open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager by searching for it using the Windows Search (Select Window Key then type the search keyword). You can also find it under Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

Select Handler Mappings.

On the Actions menu located on the right, select Add Module Mapping.

Enter the following info into the fields and click OK. Make sure to replace the Executable path with the path on your local machine where you extracted the PHP earlier.

  

Add "index.php" under the Default Document. Select your local machine from the left then select Default Document.

The Add button is located on the upper right corner.

The setup of PHP on IIS is now completed. To test if it is working, let's create a "phpinfo.php" file inside the webroot of IIS. The default location is C:\inetpub\webroot.

*When creating a PHP file, make sure that the file extension is correct. You don't want to create a file called "phpinfo.php.txt". The file extension is hidden by default on Windows. To show it, open any Windows Explorer and select the View menu. Check the File name extensions. 

Enter the line below inside the "phpinfo.php" file.

<?php phpinfo(); ?>

Open your web browser then visit localhost/phpinfo.php (We assume that the "phpinfo.php" file that was created earlier is inside C:\inetpub\webroot\phpinfo.php. You should see the page as shown below.

PHP is now confirmed to work. 

Now we need to enable some extensions like MySQLi that would be required to run common PHP applications like WordPress for it to be able to connect to MySQL database.

Before we are able to do that, we need to create the php.ini file inside the PHP directory. Duplicate the php.ini-production and rename it to php.ini.

php.ini file would contain all the settings for your PHP installation.

You just need to modify php.ini to configure PHP and enable extensions that you might need to run your PHP application.

Don't forget to uncomment the extension_dir = "ext" by removing the semi-colon on the left. "ext" is the default folder of all the extensions which can be found inside the PHP directory. PHP can't find it by default. (Line number can change depending on the version of php.ini)

You also need to uncomment the extensions that you want to activate by removing the semi-colon on the left side as shown below.

Don't forget to save the php.ini file then restart the IIS.

To restart IIS, open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager. Select the server from the left then click the Restart button on the right.

You can now run PHP applications on top of Internet Information Services.

Updated as of March 2022.