Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Don't throw away your old hardware! In this step-by-step tutorial, we show you how to legally and easily install Windows 11 on a 2012 Lenovo ThinkPad T440S, even though it has an unsupported CPU and TPM 1.2.
We walk you through a complete laptop disassembly to show you how to swap out a slow spinning hard drive for a lightning-fast 2.5-inch SATA SSD to instantly revive its performance. Then, you'll learn how to use Rufus to download the official Windows 11 ISO and build a bootable USB stick that automatically bypasses Microsoft's strict hardware restrictions. Finally, we go into the laptop's BIOS to configure UEFI boot mode, delete existing partitions, perform a clean OS installation, and run updates to get all your drivers fully patched.
Microsoft's current stance confirms that while these machines are technically unsupported, they will not intentionally block them from receiving standard future updates. Follow along to make your legacy machine fresh and fast again!
#Windows11 #LenovoThinkpad #SSDUpgrade
00:00 Introduction & Microsoft's Official Support Stance
02:15 Unplugging and Removing the External Battery
02:44 Prying Open the Magnesium Base and Disassembly Guide
03:24 Explaining Internal Components (RAM, WiFi, Secondary Battery)
04:11 Locating, Removing, and Upgrading the Hard Drive to a SATA SSD
05:05 Using Rufus to Download Windows 11 and Bypass Hardware Restrictions
07:34 Booting the Lenovo Laptop into BIOS and Configuring UEFI Mode
08:28 Selecting the Boot Menu and Starting the Windows 11 Installer
09:19 Removing Existing Disk Partitions for a Clean OS Installation
09:48 Forcing Windows Updates and Installing Optional Device Drivers
Don't throw away your old hardware! In this step-by-step tutorial, we show you how to legally and easily install Windows 11 on a 2012 Lenovo ThinkPad T440S, even though it has an unsupported CPU and TPM 1.2.
We walk you through a complete laptop disassembly to show you how to swap out a slow spinning hard drive for a lightning-fast 2.5-inch SATA SSD to instantly revive its performance. Then, you'll learn how to use Rufus to download the official Windows 11 ISO and build a bootable USB stick that automatically bypasses Microsoft's strict hardware restrictions. Finally, we go into the laptop's BIOS to configure UEFI boot mode, delete existing partitions, perform a clean OS installation, and run updates to get all your drivers fully patched.
Microsoft's current stance confirms that while these machines are technically unsupported, they will not intentionally block them from receiving standard future updates. Follow along to make your legacy machine fresh and fast again!
#Windows11 #LenovoThinkpad #SSDUpgrade
00:00 Introduction & Microsoft's Official Support Stance
02:15 Unplugging and Removing the External Battery
02:44 Prying Open the Magnesium Base and Disassembly Guide
03:24 Explaining Internal Components (RAM, WiFi, Secondary Battery)
04:11 Locating, Removing, and Upgrading the Hard Drive to a SATA SSD
05:05 Using Rufus to Download Windows 11 and Bypass Hardware Restrictions
07:34 Booting the Lenovo Laptop into BIOS and Configuring UEFI Mode
08:28 Selecting the Boot Menu and Starting the Windows 11 Installer
09:19 Removing Existing Disk Partitions for a Clean OS Installation
09:48 Forcing Windows Updates and Installing Optional Device Drivers
