Let's run Win10 on really really old hardware


  1. Posts : 4,173
    Windows 11 Pro, 22H2
       #1041

    @spapakons and @MisterEd,

    Is it possible that you are not logged on as an Admin? I've performed this operation many, many times and it has worked for me every single time. Although I admit, I have typically done this using a command line command (see below). Maybe the ability to do it from Device Manager is unique to Windows 11?

    Also, the comment was made that this might not be helpful for updating specific drivers. That is correct. The intention of this is NOT to perform driver upgrades of any kind. The idea of this is simply to mass install ALL system drivers in one shot. Naturally, the drivers that are installed by this are only as current as the drivers were at the time that you exported them. For this reason, I like to re-export the drivers every few months.

    Finally, as Denis noted, there are other ways to install drivers.

    Here is another way to install ALL of the drivers from your export, essentially doing the same thing that going into Device Manager would do.

    Simply issue the one command below from an elevated command prompt. Note that in this example I am assuming that the folder containing all the exported drives is E:\Drivers_Backup. Substitute the correct location for your case:

    pnputil /add-driver E:\Drivers_Backup\*.inf /subdirs /install

    Some sample cases:

    I have several cheap Chinese Mini PCs. The makers of those system provide absolutely no way to download either original drivers or to obtain updated drivers. I'm at the mercy of Windows update for updated drivers. So, when I get one of these systems, I power in on and get into Windows. Then I allow Windows update to perform any updates. Then, I export all my drivers. If I ever reinstall Windows, I can get my drivers all reinstalled with a single command. Works like a charm every single time.

    That is all
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 2,177
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit v22H2
       #1042

    hsehestedt said:
    @spapakons and @MisterEd,

    Is it possible that you are not logged on as an Admin? I've performed this operation many, many times and it has worked for me every single time. Although I admit, I have typically done this using a command line command (see below). Maybe the ability to do it from Device Manager is unique to Windows 11?

    Also, the comment was made that this might not be helpful for updating specific drivers. That is correct. The intention of this is NOT to perform driver upgrades of any kind. The idea of this is simply to mass install ALL system drivers in one shot. Naturally, the drivers that are installed by this are only as current as the drivers were at the time that you exported them. For this reason, I like to re-export the drivers every few months.

    Finally, as Denis noted, there are other ways to install drivers.

    Here is another way to install ALL of the drivers from your export, essentially doing the same thing that going into Device Manager would do.

    Simply issue the one command below from an elevated command prompt. Note that in this example I am assuming that the folder containing all the exported drives is E:\Drivers_Backup. Substitute the correct location for your case:

    pnputil /add-driver E:\Drivers_Backup\*.inf /subdirs /install

    Some sample cases:

    I have several cheap Chinese Mini PCs. The makers of those system provide absolutely no way to download either original drivers or to obtain updated drivers. I'm at the mercy of Windows update for updated drivers. So, when I get one of these systems, I power in on and get into Windows. Then I allow Windows update to perform any updates. Then, I export all my drivers. If I ever reinstall Windows, I can get my drivers all reinstalled with a single command. Works like a charm every single time.

    That is all
    All my accounts are of type Admin so that's not the problem. Here is what I see for Windows 10 and 11.

    Let's run Win10 on really really old hardware-add-drivers.jpg
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 4,173
    Windows 11 Pro, 22H2
       #1043

    Great! That seems to confirm it. Ironically, I only used the command line method until I learned that you could use Device Manager much later. Apparently, that was after Windows 11 was released!
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 16,781
    Windows 10 Home x64 Version 22H2 Build 19045.4170
       #1044

    But the facility remains - click anywhere in the main window such as on the computer name entry, Action menu, Add legacy hardware.

    Windows 10 lost that direct right-click Add drivers function round about Version 1803.


    All the best,
    Denis
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 3,505
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #1045

    Compatibility report: Regarding the Pentium D system I mentioned in my previous post, this has a new 1920x1080 LCD screen. However I tried playing full screen video in 1080p and it stuttered. Once I lowered the resolution at 1280x720 temporarily it had no problem playing full screen 720p video. I was playing a movie from Disney+ through the Microsoft Edge browser, I hadn't have a local HD video to try, but I think it is better to switch to 1280x720 when playing full screen video. Doing anything else apart from gaming in 1080p has no issue. It might be a dual core CPU at 3.4GHz but not quite as fast as a Core-i3 one.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 2,177
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit v22H2
       #1046

    I upgraded an old computer to Windows 10 last summer. The details are in this post. I was surprised that this old computer is able to run Windows 10 22H2.

    Earlier in this thread I noticed that some people upgrading old computers to Windows 10 were stopped after a certain update from updating any further. An example is 1909. Considering that since I updated a pretty old computer to 22H2 I wonder if these computers were even older than mine or was it some compatibility issue on a newer computer? Can anyone comment on that?
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 16,781
    Windows 10 Home x64 Version 22H2 Build 19045.4170
       #1047

    MisterEd said:
    Earlier in this thread I noticed that some people upgrading old computers to Windows 10 were stopped after a certain update from updating any further. An example is 1909. Considering that since I updated a pretty old computer to 22H2 I wonder if these computers were even older than mine or was it some compatibility issue on a newer computer? Can anyone comment on that?
    Several of us were unable to update our [2005] Dell Inspiron 9300 laptops beyond Windows 10 Version 1709.


    Denis
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 2,177
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit v22H2
       #1048

    Try3 said:
    Several of us were unable to update our [2005] Dell Inspiron 9300 laptops beyond Windows 10 Version 1709.

    Denis
    That sound about right. The old laptop I have was Vista Ready. That may have been the difference. BTW, I made that point in this thread a few years ago about being Vista Ready being a diving line as to whether a computer was easily up-gradable to Windows 10 or not. However, I did start with a a clean install of Windows 7 and then did the free upgrade to Windows 10. I don't know if that made a difference.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 3,505
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #1049

    Those old computers that don't upgrade might have an old chipset that Windows Update cannot find drivers for and fails to upgrade to a new Windows 10 version. I would try to do the same trick as when upgrading an unsupported computer to Windows 11. That is download the new Windows 10 ISO, disconnect from the internet and then run Setup to upgrade. This way Windows Update won't even try to mess with our good old working drivers and hopefully proceed and complete the upgrade. Once in the new version we can safely reconnect to the internet. I would also run the Windows Update Show/Hide Tool to detect and block all driver updates just in case.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 3,505
    Windows 10 Pro 64-bit 21H1 (May 2021 build 19043.1083)
       #1050

    Compatibility Report:

    I have already posted that my humble tablet HP Stream 7 (Atom, 1GB RAM, 32GB storage) runs Windows 10 Pro 22H2 32-bit. I would like to add that so far I have installed all updates (except drivers) and everything is fine. For comparison, it can run the Netflix and Disney+ apps and watch a movie in low bandwidth setting (so it has fewer video data to process and it can manage). Of course I can also watch YouTube and many other online video sites. I can play most casual games that can be played by touch, including Microsoft Mahjong, Candy Crush Saga, most Capcom games and of couse all classic Windows games such as Solitaire and Minesweeper and the original Mahjong Titans from Windows 7 (thanks to Winaero maikng it possible). Yes, I admit it is rather slow and requires a little more patience, but it is still pretty useful. WE decide what is obsolete, not Microsoft! I wish the stupid bootloader wasn't locked to UEFI 32-bit, so I could test it on Windows 11 as well!
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:29.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums