Installing Windows 11 on an Old PC or Not: The Ultimate Guide Before the End of Windows 10 (End of 2025)

13 January 2025 · 4 min read

Here is a detailed tutorial for installing Windows 11 on an old PC, even if your hardware doesn't officially meet Microsoft's minimum requirements. We will use a Windows 11 ISO image and the Rufus tool to bypass the restrictions (such as TPM 2.0 or Secure Boot).

Prerequisites:

1. Compatible PC: An old PC with at least 2 GB of RAM (Microsoft recommends 4 GB, but it is possible with 2 GB of RAM and 64 GB of free space).

2. Windows 11 ISO image:

   • Download the ISO from the official Microsoft website: Windows 11

3. Rufus:

   • Download the Rufus tool: Rufus

   USB stick:

   • A USB stick of at least 8 GB.

4. Backups:

   • Back up all your data before continuing.

Step 1: Download the Windows 11 ISO

1. Go to the official Microsoft website (https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11).
2. Scroll down to the Download Disk Image (ISO) section.
3. Select "Windows 11 (multi-edition)" and click Download.
4. Choose your language and confirm.
5. Download the ISO file.

Step 2: Download and Install Rufus

1. Go to the official Rufus website (Rufus).
2. Download the portable or installable version (Rufus 3.x recommended).
3. Launch Rufus (as administrator if necessary).

Step 3: Create a Bootable USB Stick with Rufus

1. Plug your USB stick into your PC.
2. Open Rufus.
3. In the Device section, select your USB stick.
4. Click Select and choose the Windows 11 ISO you downloaded.

5. Modify the compatibility options (bypass the restrictions):

   • If you are using Rufus 3.19 or later, a window will appear after you select the ISO.
   • Tick the boxes for Bypass TPM check and Bypass Secure Boot check on older PCs that don't have them.

6. Check the following settings:

   • Partition scheme: Choose MBR for BIOS/CSM or GPT for UEFI. Be careful: with an older PC, your BIOS may not be UEFI; in that case, select MBR.
   • File system: NTFS.
   • Volume label: Leave as default.
7. Click Start and confirm.
8. Wait until the creation is complete.

Step 4: Configure the BIOS/UEFI for Booting

1. Restart your PC and enter the BIOS/UEFI by pressing a key (usually F2, F10, DEL or ESC).

2. Check the following settings:

   • Boot mode: Choose "UEFI" if possible, otherwise "Legacy/CSM".
   • Security: Disable "Secure Boot" if it is enabled.
   • Boot order: Put the USB stick first.
3. Save the changes and restart.

Step 5: Install Windows 11

1. When the PC boots from the USB stick, you will see the Windows installation screen.
2. Select your language, time and keyboard method, then click Next.
3. Click Install now.

4. If a product key is requested:

   • Click "I don't have a product key" if you want to use an unactivated version (or enter your key if you have one).
5. Select the edition of Windows 11 you want to install.

6. Choose Custom for a clean installation:

   • Delete the existing partitions and create a new one (be careful, this deletes all data!).
   • Select the partition you created and click Next.
7. The installation will begin. Your PC will restart several times.

*If you want another way to move to Windows 11 on an old PC without losing your data, it's this way:

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Step 6: Set Up Windows 11

1. Once the installation is complete, set up Windows 11:

   • Connect to a Wi-Fi or Ethernet network.
   • Create or sign in to a Microsoft account (or click Offline account if available).
   • Configure your preferences (privacy, security, etc.).
2. Once the setup is complete, you will be on the Windows 11 desktop.

Step 7: Activate and Update Windows 11

1. Activate Windows:

   • If you have a product key, go to Settings > System > Activation.
2. Install the latest updates via Settings > Windows Update.
3. Install the necessary drivers (download them from the manufacturer's website if they are not detected automatically).

• Steps to Optimise Virtual Memory:

  • Open the advanced system settings:

    • Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, then press Enter.
    • In the window that opens, go to the Advanced tab.

  • Configure the performance settings:

    • Under the Performance section, click Settings.
    • In the new window, go to the Advanced tab.
    • Under Virtual memory, click Change.

  • Disable automatic management:

    • Untick the Automatically manage paging file size for all drives box.

  • Choose a drive and set a custom size:

    • Select the drive where Windows is installed (usually C:).

    • Tick Custom size.

      • Initial size: Recommended = 1.5 times the size of your RAM.

        (Example: If your PC has 4 GB of RAM, enter 6144 MB).

      • Maximum size: Recommended = 3 times the size of your RAM.

        (Example: For 4 GB of RAM, enter 12288 MB.)

  • Apply and restart:

    • Click Set, then OK to save the changes.
    • Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

  Additional Tips:

  • Defragment the disk (if HDD): This speeds up access to the paging file on a conventional hard drive.
  • Avoid setting sizes that are too large: This could cause slowdowns if your disk is almost full.
  • Use an SSD: if possible, virtual memory will be much faster on an SSD than on a traditional hard drive.

  With this configuration, your system will use virtual memory more efficiently, reducing the slowdowns caused by a lack of RAM.

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