[PSA] Met all the basic requirements but Microsoft's tool still says your PC can't run Windows 11? It might be your CPU, but don't throw them out yet.

[D13H4RD]

 

Windows 11 is finally official, and as is typical for a major release for a desktop-level operating system, there seems to be a buzz of activity surrounding what it brings and what it can run on. Previously, there was quite a bit of buzz over Windows 11's strict requirements over having an enabled Trusted Platform Module (TPM), although it looks like a good amount of computers out there have a firmware-level TPM that is usually disabled inside the BIOS. A quick flick of the switch inside the BIOS usually deals with that assuming other requirements like GPT are met.

 

However, there has also been reports that despite having an enabled TPM and meeting or exceeding all other basic requirements, that Microsoft's PC Health Check tool continues to report a system not being able to run Windows 11. Given that these reports seem to stem from users of first-generation Zen-based CPUs alongside Intel CPUs ranging from Kaby Lake or older, does this mean that those generations of CPUs are worthless? Not necessarily.

 

Microsoft has done a very poor job of communicating this, but there are actually 2 floors of requirements for W11; a SOFT floor, and a HARD floor.

Quote

There are new minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. In order to run Windows 11, devices must meet the following specifications. Devices that do not meet the hard floor cannot be upgraded to Windows 11, and devices that meet the soft floor will receive a notification that upgrade is not advised.

Hard Floor:

• CPU: Core >= 2 and Speed >= 1 GHz
• System Memory: TotalPhysicalRam >= 4 GB
• Storage: 64 GB
• Security: TPM Version >= 1.2 and SecureBootCapable = True
• Smode: Smode is false, or Smode is true and C_ossku in (0x65, 0x64, 0x63, 0x6D, 0x6F, 0x73, 0x74, 0x71)

Soft Floor:

• Security: TPMVersion >= 2.0
• CPU Generation

Think of it as something akin to the minimum and recommended requirements of a video game, although, as mentioned before, Microsoft hasn't exactly done a good job of communicating this at all. As such, Microsoft's own PC Health Check tool only reports the requirements as it akin's to the SOFT floor, which in this case, is a TPM module of version 2.0 or later, and a generation of CPU that's Intel 8th gen or later, or Ryzen 2000 series or later.

 

So essentially, so as long as you have a 64-bit CPU that has 2 or more cores, at a clockspeed of 1GHz or higher, assuming you met all the other requirements, you can run and install Windows 11.

 

 

Sources

Compatibility for Windows 11

r/Windows11 thread regarding this

 

UPDATE #1

According to user Foxlet, the requirements did a switcheroo, with the hard floor now explicitly requiring a TPM that is version 2.0 or newer.

Quote

You may want to update this post as the Compatibility webpage for Windows 11 has been updated today; the old hard floor (that mentioned TPM 1.2) has been removed. Microsoft explicitly says that TPM 2.0 will be required and CPUs outside of the compatibility lists are not supported, putting the new hard floor in line with the results of the PC Health Checker (which was also updated today to point out incompatible CPUs).

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compatibility/windows-11/

 

CPU Compatibility Lists:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-amd-processors

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-intel-processors

 

[TetraSky]

I disable Secure Boot because it's a pain in the butt when and if I need to troubleshoot my computer outside of Windows. So I guess I'm not updating to Win11.

[da na]

So... even if you've got a powerful enough older CPU, then no Windows 11 for you? Interesting. I was really hoping it would work on my LGA 2011 16c 32t Xeon machine...

[da na]

Just now, TetraSky said:

I disable Secure Boot because it's a pain in the butt when and if I need to troubleshoot my computer outside of Windows. So I guess I'm not updating to Win11.

Agree, Secure Boot can be pretty awful. For some reason, when I turn it on, it breaks half my USB ports, my optical drive, and my second GPU. 

[D13H4RD]

5 minutes ago, TetraSky said:

I disable Secure Boot because it's a pain in the butt when and if I need to troubleshoot my computer outside of Windows. So I guess I'm not updating to Win11.

I don't think Secure Boot is enabled on my system but it still reports as being supported.

 

Maybe it's not a strict requirement

[D13H4RD]

5 minutes ago, Mel0nMan said:

So... even if you've got a powerful enough older CPU, then no Windows 11 for you? Interesting. I was really hoping it would work on my LGA 2011 16c 32t Xeon machine...

Nah, it'll work. They'll just ask you "Are you sure? Doesn't seem like a good idea fam..."

[TetraSky]

2 minutes ago, D13H4RD said:

I don't think Secure Boot is enabled on my system but it still reports as being supported.

 

Maybe it's not a strict requirement

Just tried it with the PC in my signature. And of course, it doesn't say what I'm missing. Likely secureboot and the TPM.

[Pixelfie]

It's probably gonna work. I installed Windows 10 on an old PC with a 2nd gen i5. Even on some old Core 2 Duo laptop from 2007 it worked amazing. The update assistant said it wasn't compatible but booting from USB works fine.

[D13H4RD]

1 minute ago, TetraSky said:

Just tried it with the PC in my signature. And of course, it doesn't say what I'm missing. Likely secureboot and the TPM.

I checked in the BIOS (ASUS TUF X570) and under Secure Boot, it just says "Other OS". So it might be enabled, just not specifically designed for Windows. I'm honestly not too sure.

 

All I know is that the tool tells me this;

[TetraSky]

5 minutes ago, D13H4RD said:

I checked in the BIOS (ASUS TUF X570) and under Secure Boot, it just says "Other OS". So it might be enabled, just not specifically designed for Windows. I'm honestly not too sure.

 

All I know is that the tool tells me this;

 

Alright, so I played in the BIOS, had a hard time finding the stupid TPM feature. Enabled it. Made sure to see if Secure Boot was enabled or not, it's not.
Now it says my PC is compatible. So it turns out, no need for secure boot, only TPM. Weird AF...

[D13H4RD]

5 minutes ago, TetraSky said:

Alright, so I played in the BIOS, had a hard time finding the stupid TPM feature. Enabled it. Made sure to see if Secure Boot was enabled or not, it's not.
Now it says my PC is compatible. So it turns out, no need for secure boot, only TPM. Weird AF...

Yeah, I'm honestly not sure if it's a strict requirement or just a recommendation.

 

I just enabled it on my X570 TUF

[Gix7Fifty]

I just went into bios and enabled Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT), and now I am waiting for Windows 11.

Mobo: Aorus Z390

[D13H4RD]

18 minutes ago, Gix7Fifty said:

I just went into bios and enabled Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT), and now I am waiting for Windows 11.

Mobo: Aorus Z390

Yeah, PTT is Intel's defintion for a firmware-level TPM.

[Tieox]

1 minute ago, D13H4RD said:

Yeah, PTT is Intel's defintion for a firmware-level TPM.

Would a Skylake on a H170 Pro Gaming have a firmware TPM?

[D13H4RD]

Just now, Tieox said:

Would a Skylake on a H170 Pro Gaming have a firmware TPM?

You can check in the BIOS. There should be a setting to enable/disable PTT

[Tieox]

12 minutes ago, D13H4RD said:

You can check in the BIOS. There should be a setting to enable/disable PTT

PTT right will check next time I'm at the machine, I presume though no hope for a Ivybridge 3300 likely? I think the cut off for those was 2012 in support? 

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

I'm dual-booting so I guess no Windows 11 for me. 

 

also my pc is so old it doesn't even have TPM of any kind... 

 

it's interesting to me that Microsoft would yeet so many devices as they've always wanted to be as compatible as they could with everything. they are also giving a lot of ammunition to the linux community with this, as I assume that quite a few people run computers as old as mine, that have no compatibility for either TPM or Secure Boot. these computers will of course run the latest versions of Linux totally fine... 

[Tieox]

2 minutes ago, Ashley MLP Fangirl said:

I'm dual-booting so I guess no Windows 11 for me. 

 

also my pc is so old it doesn't even have TPM of any kind... 

 

it's interesting to me that Microsoft would yeet so many devices as they've always wanted to be as compatible as they could with everything. they are also giving a lot of ammunition to the linux community with this, as I assume that quite a few people run computers as old as mine, that have no compatibility for either TPM or Secure Boot. these computers will of course run the latest versions of Linux totally fine... 

I've begun to call up many peeps a lot of them running socket 775 machines mixed between Quads and Dual Cores and saying post 2025 I can keep their machines going with a move to Linux which means zero cost to them, and they can keep using it for social media and YouTube with a bit of e-mail. 

 

The biggest stumbling block for many is keeping printer support.  

 

It's infuriating as they had begun with Win10's updates to get used to doing their updates.  Many people see computers as you see a toilet, why replace it while it works? hopefully bypasses are found before then.

[Murasaki]

Ran the tool just to check it out and ofc it says no cuz 6th gen i7

[lboolaka_33]

1 hour ago, TetraSky said:

Alright, so I played in the BIOS, had a hard time finding the stupid TPM feature. Enabled it. Made sure to see if Secure Boot was enabled or not, it's not.
Now it says my PC is compatible. So it turns out, no need for secure boot, only TPM. Weird AF...
 

The requirement is that the system must be capable of using secure boot, not that it needs to be enabled. 

[Arika]

My laptop is a yes

my desktop is a no

 

which is fine because i wasn't planning on updating my Desktop to W11 for quite a while after release anyway.

[pas008]

28 minutes ago, Tieox said:

I've begun to call up many peeps a lot of them running socket 775 machines mixed between Quads and Dual Cores and saying post 2025 I can keep their machines going with a move to Linux which means zero cost to them, and they can keep using it for social media and YouTube with a bit of e-mail. 

 

The biggest stumbling block for many is keeping printer support.  

 

It's infuriating as they had begun with Win10's updates to get used to doing their updates.  Many people see computers as you see a toilet, why replace it while it works? hopefully bypasses are found before then.

seems to be bypasses already

[Radium_Angel]

34 minutes ago, Tieox said:

I presume though no hope for a Ivybridge 3300 likely?

Probably not. But if MS is making it actively hostile to upgrade to their new OS, that's a clear sign to go elsewhere.

I"m on Windows 9 for LightRoom and (some) Photoshop. As soon as I can find a way to easily get those working uner *nix, I'm off Windows when support for 9 runs out (2024 IIRC)

[bcredeur97]

Will everyone switch to Linux in droves now? Lol 

 

I mean... there’s proton!  
 

it may be a security risk but Sandy Bridge is STILL useful and not worthy of e-waste yet 

[WkdPaul]

Genuine question ; is this an installer restriction, or is the OS just gonna straight up refuse to boot on unsupported machine (because going through the GUI isn't the only way to install it, I've installed the leaked ISO on bare metal on a PC without TPM or secure boot, and it works fine).