[Update: MS Backpedals] 1 7th Gen Intel CPU Supported by Windows 11, NO 1st Gen Ryzen to be added. Older hardware will not be blocked from Windows 11

[rcmaehl]

Update:

Summary

Microsoft has completed their review of Intel and AMD processors, and has added one 7th Gen Intel CPU, but no 1st Gen AMD Ryzen.

 

Quotes

Quote

Microsoft is announcing today that it won’t block people from installing Windows 11 on most older PCs. A restriction to install the OS will only be enforced when you try to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 through Windows Update. This means anyone with a PC with an older CPU that doesn’t officially pass the upgrade test can still go ahead and download an ISO file of Windows 11 and install the OS manually. This install workaround is designed primarily for businesses to evaluate Windows 11, and that people can upgrade at their own risk as the company can’t guarantee driver compatibility and overall system reliability. Microsoft is also tweaking its minimum system requirements to include...Intel’s Core X-series and Xeon W-series..., alongside Intel’s Core 7820HQ chip that’s inside the Surface Studio 2. Microsoft won’t be officially supporting any Zen 1 CPUs. “After carefully analyzing the first generation of AMD Zen processors in partnership with AMD, together we concluded that there are no additions to the supported CPU list,” Microsoft is now planning to update its PC Health Check app...to ... provide much greater clarity on why your PC might not be able to officially upgrade. The new PC checker app will let Windows users know if they need to simply enable Secure Boot or TPM 2.0...which is much better than the vague unsupported message that greeted many in June.

 

My thoughts

Pretty upset at their conclusions but Microsoft seems extremely set on specific CPU features. Regardless, it appears that if you want upgrade anyway you can do a CLEAN WIPE and NEW INSTALL of Windows 11. Granted, they only told businesses this and aren't telling consumers, but that's good to know. At the very least, Microsoft is finally re-releasing the PC Health Check app.

 

Sources

CNBC

The Verge (quote source)

Microsoft Blog

[WhitetailAni]

T-minus 2 minutes to Windows 11 hardware restriction bypasses

[Helpful Tech Witch]

2 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

Regardless, it appears that if you want to do a CLEAN WIPE and NEW INSTALL of Windows 11.

DId you leave half the sentance

[Levent]

We all knew they said they were reevaluating for calming down the investors. They dont give 2 shits about their user base. I am ready for all the threads crying about it.

[Spotty]

Quote

Microsoft is also tweaking its minimum system requirements to include...Intel’s Core X-series and Xeon W-series..., alongside Intel’s Core 7820HQ chip that’s inside the Surface Studio 2.

How convenient... 

I guess someone at Microsoft noticed all the comments from people pointing out that windows 11 wouldn't be compatible with some of Microsoft's own devices.

[Helpful Tech Witch]

4 minutes ago, Spotty said:

How convenient... 

I guess someone at Microsoft noticed all the comments from people pointing out that windows 11 wouldn't be compatible with some of Microsoft's own devices.

What? I cant put windows 11 on my Surface RT still! \s

[Spotty]

Just now, HelpfulTechWizard said:

What? I cant put windows 11 on my Surface RT still!

I should have specified devices they're still selling. 

[wanderingfool2]

8 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

and has added one 7th Gen Intel CPU

...well there is this quote Intel® Core™ X-series...right before it lists the 7820HQ...so I am curious if my 7820X will apply...if not I'll be pretty mad (but will withhold judgement until I actually look into it a bit more)

[PocketNerd]

Honestly the biggest thing here is letting install a fresh copy without worrying about requirements.

 

Cause honestly, having it on my older laptop right now (bugs aside) there does not feel like it should be restricted so much.

[poochyena]

windows 11 doesn't offer any good reason to upgrade from 10 anyways, so, meh.

[thewelshbrummie]

35 minutes ago, HelpfulTechWizard said:

What? I cant put windows 11 on my Surface RT still! \s

But it's still getting OS updates until January 2023, so 11 years support.

 

Yet my OG Surface Go, that's 3 years old this week, is only getting another 3 years support because the Pentium 4415Y is Kaby Lake based.

 

I make that nearly twice the software support for a generally despised device vs one that actually had decent reviews despite having similar reponsiveness and performance (I own both, so can certainly say that's the case).

 

Not impressed.

[RejZoR]

2 minutes ago, The Unknown Voice said:

So, The RT released in 2012 gets an operating system, but Ryzen first generation released in 2017 doesn't.

 

I get it, as Microsoft wants to make money on the full o/s install.

 

 

And we'll intentionally buy $5 licenses as middle finger to them. Screw you Microsoft with your lame BS.

[Spotty]

2 minutes ago, The Unknown Voice said:

So, The RT released in 2012 gets an operating system, but Ryzen first generation released in 2017 doesn't.

 

I get it, as Microsoft wants to make money on the full o/s install.

The surface RT will have support for windows 10 same as first generation Ryzen CPUs. Microsoft is adding support in windows 11 for the 7820HQ CPU used in the current surface studio 2 which is still a current product. https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/d/surface-studio-2/8SBJXM0M58T4?activetab=pivot%3aoverviewtab

[RejZoR]

If it's really going to be an artificial block for upgrades, then I don't care at all. I'll just do a clean install then on all "unsupported" systems. I do it anyway for major updates because too many things go to shit when upgrading a live OS. It's still shitty though, making people think their Ryzen systems are obsolete even though they are very much capable.

[Master Disaster]

39 minutes ago, The Unknown Voice said:

So, The RT released in 2012 gets an operating system, but Ryzen first generation released in 2017 doesn't.

 

I get it, as Microsoft wants to make money on the full o/s install.

Except not, anyone with a 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 key can use it to activate 11, you just have to grab the ISO, do a clean install and activate using your old key.

[StDragon]

https://ark.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/compare.html?productIds=97128,97496

Compare. How is that CPU supported by not an i7-7700?

[Dabombinable]

Not including Ryzen is still pure bullshit - it has the same security features as Ryzen+.

[sounds]

Summary

Microsoft back pedals away from actually blocking Win11 even if your PC does not meet the requirements. You know, like TPM 2.0.

 

Quotes

Quote

Microsoft is announcing today that it won’t block people from installing Windows 11 on most older PCs. While the software maker has recommended hardware requirements for Windows 11 — which it’s largely sticking to — a restriction to install the OS will only be enforced when you try to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 through Windows Update. This means anyone with a PC with an older CPU that doesn’t officially pass the upgrade test can still go ahead and download an ISO file of Windows 11 and install the OS manually.

 

Microsoft now tells us that this install workaround is designed primarily for businesses to evaluate Windows 11...

 

My thoughts

Consider how hard it is for people to get new hardware, Microsoft. Or, even, just make a decision instead of flip-flopping!

 

Sources

https://www.theverge.com/22644194/microsoft-windows-11-minimum-system-requirements-processors-changes

[da na]

Just make up your damn mind, Microsoft!

But seriously, this is very good (unless they change their mind again...) It'll seriously reduce ewaste from otherwise perfectly working computers. 

[BondiBlue]

Finally. It made no sense for end users to be required to upgrade their hardware just to run Windows 11. 

[Chris Pratt]

I'd hardly call this flip-flopping. It was already expected. Microsoft has never outright blocked you from installing an OS version. They may tell you it's unsupported (and it will be unsupported) but they let you continue anyways. People got all in a huff simply because the unofficial pre-alpha ISO didn't give you an option to continue. That never meant anything.

[jaslion]

The core 2 office machines live on once more

[RTX 3090]

2 minutes ago, jaslion said:

The core 2 office machines live on once more

With a SSD, and a £7 CPU upgrade (core 2 quad Q6600), they actually aren't too bad of a machine, and handle word, youtube etc just fine. I even managed to get some basic video editing done on it. 

[BondiBlue]

2 hours ago, Spotty said:

The surface RT will have support for windows 10 same as first generation Ryzen CPUs.

What? The Surface RT has never had official support for Windows 10. It still runs Windows RT.

[emosun]

Translated: Microsoft remembered what happens when they gatekeep their software , nobody gets it.