Installing Windows11 on OEM PC

[tofu]

I installed windows-template on my PC. I got several questions along the process.

• I did not realize my package of the PC did not contain the license number of windows.
• I did not look for the license number. Instead, I initialized the built-in drive.
• I missed the license number when I began to use the installer of windows11 for initializing windows-template.
• Indeed, the package did not include the product-key (a kind of license number).
• I booted from the Recovery-USB and tried wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey on the command prompt to verify the license number. (It could be because I had turned off Secure boot.)
• I tried to use the powershell but I could not find it on the Recovery-USB.
• I had no option but reinstall windows11 by using the Recovery-USB. (I made it by habit. Everyone does not have this habit.)
• On windows 11, I opened “Settings->System->Activation”. But the license number was not there. (This seems to be the case of OEM version of PC and digital license of windows 11.)
• I logged in my Microsoft account. It had a data of my PC. But, it does not show the license number. (This could be because the license was not digital license.)
• On windows 11 with Secure boot, I used the command wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey and found the license number.
• I installed Qubes OS again, downloaded the installer of windows11 and tried to start a qube by that installer.
• The installer refused installation claiming Secure boot is disabled. This could have been after I typed in the license number.
• I looked followed instructions from the forum and I disabled Secure boot (and some more) by BypassTPMCheck, BypassSecureBootCheck and BypassRAMCheck. A difference was that I performed these on the start up of the installer of windows11 in a qube.

Windows 11 in Qubes

I tried to install the (German version of) Windows 11 from the ISO provided by Microsoft in Qubes R4.0.4. The Setup started well, but terminataed early, stating "This PC does not fulfil the minimum requirements for Windows 11 - probably because of lack of TPM 2.0 or the emulated processor model. Has anyone else tried it?

Creating a brand new Windows 11 qube in Qubes

I’ve got Qubes OS up and running and I love it! But Qubes mostly comes with Linux distros and I wanted a Windows qube. The existing install instructions I found on forum.qubes-os.org were pretty good…but didn’t capture the whole experience, offer enough detail, and a few cases, had the steps slightly out of order that didn’t work for me. So, I’m creating this for anyone who wants to make a brand new Microsoft Windows 11 qube from the Windows install media, here’s what I did (your experience may …

• I experienced failure of check of ISO-image of the installer of Qubes OS. I found the reason in the forum. (I cannot prevent the mistake of booting Windows11 while USB-memory is plugged.)

Installation instructions from Windows 11 no longer work

Last year, Windows apparently started to write a small file to every USB stick that is plugged into an operating Windows computer. This changes every ISO with which you want to install Qubes on a computer running Windows. The built-in check before installation correctly returns an error. I used a stick created in Linux to run Linux Mint from the stick and then installed Qubes in Linux Mint. If the computer was last used with Windows. When the stick with the Qubes ISO is inserted into the compu…

• I will test use of write-protection of USB-memory concerning windows11 modifying USB-memory.

I am creating the installer-USB by macBook so notch for write-protection of USB-memory helps. This is really important my macBook is used in a vulnerable way. I need the image checked before installing Qubes OS.

For users moving from windows, some more documentation will be helpful.

• Need of recording the license number of Windows11 before initializing the built-in drive. The license number is in the package, microsoft account, or in a secret part controlled by Secure boot option of UEFI-boot settings (a kind of BIOS screen). It is not always accessible through Settings->System->Activation.
• Those options of the installer of the windows11 needs to be disabled.
• Windows11 modifying USB-memory, even the USB-memory with ISO-image.

Did I miss these three points in the official documentation?