>>>>>The primary reason I've not preformed the upgrade to Windows 11 is that my current rig doesn't meet the specs for it (CPU too old, no TPM, etc.). Will be switching over to Windows 11 once I get a new computer. I've no doubt that I'll probably have to put up with some inconveniences (I've heard user toolbars feature was removed in Windows 11).
>>>>
>>>>If you don't care if M$ will remove the feature on later upgrades. There are 3 (official) reg keys and it installs on anything. I can provide the reg files. (different stuff for vanilla or upgrade.)
>>>>I wait some years, as on every M$ product, until it's out of the cradle. I'm not the early bird eaten by the cat. :)
>>>
>>>I am indeed well aware of the registry patches to bypass some of those requirements, but I'd prefer to avoid using such measures -- there's the chance that such "hacks" will stop working after an update (and chances are, when it does happen, it will happen at the most inopportune time).
>>
>>Wouldn't call it a hack - MS must have programmed something to use it, so it is a feature. Just tracing the upgrade with Process Monitor, and you see where it fails to find a key isn't hacking. :)
>>Anyway, I fully agree with your point to avoid it. Maybe I switch to Win10 next year.
>
>I'm calling those registry keys a "hack" on the grounds that the feature was probably not meant to be used in production -- most likely they exist for testing and diagnostic purposes, as well as kept as a "just in case something doesn't work" scenario when they start rolling out OS features that actually utilizes those CPU, hardare and firmware features that are stated in the Windows 11 requirements (i.e. they can use these to shut off those features if they run into trouble when rolling out those OS changes). Basically the code that checks for these keys will eventually be deactivated or removed once they've finalized the planned OS security features.
>I suspect that Microsoft has released some of this information (the registry keys to deactivate the CPU, hardware and firmware check) mostly to appease some of the user base -- especially those that were vocal about the requirements seemingly being "too high".

Similar issues here - and I am sitting right on top of the barbed wire fence on this topic. Adding TPM2 "need" IMO is unneeded for small (or air gapped) net installs, asking for newer CPU might be seen in different light if newer options like running Android apps "native" via virtualisation layer inbuilt into W11 is only spiffy with HW virtualisation logic found only on recent generation CPU. Not enough data / info on this topic at the moment to form reasoned opinion on this side of the coin at the moment here.

See my reply on reasons/ways of multiple boot as to stay DRY in my ramblings ;-)

regards
thomas