Your PC may not be able to run Windows 11, download Microsoft's Health Check to find out

[midian182]

What just happened? Windows 11 was finally announced yesterday, confirming much of what we already knew about the next version of Microsoft's OS. We also found out what the minimum requirements are for PCs that want the upgrade this holiday season.

Windows 11 doesn't ask for much in terms of PC hardware, though it is more demanding than Windows 10, so those still plodding along on an aging computer may want to consider something newer.

Like its predecessor, Windows 11 requires a 1 GHz or faster processor or System on a Chip. What's changed is that users now need at least a dual-core 64-bit CPU/SoC.

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC)

RAM: 4 gigabyte (GB)

Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device

System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable

TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 recommended

Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver

Display: High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9-inches diagonally, 8 bits per color channel

Internet connection and Microsoft accounts: Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use. Switching a device out of Windows 11 Home in S mode also requires internet connectivity. For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is required to perform updates and to download and take advantage of some features. A Microsoft account is required for some features.

Microsoft starting phasing out 32-bit versions of Windows 10 beginning with the May 2020 update last year and began supplying OEMs with 64-bit versions of its operating system. According to the most recent Steam Hardware Survey, just 0.09% of participants use Windows 10 32-bit, while 92.87% are on the 64-bit version.

RAM requirements are being increased in Windows 11, going up from 2GB to 4GB. Users also need 64GB of storage instead of 20GB, a GPU compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver, and a 720p display that's greater than 9 inches diagonally with 8 bits per color channel. Windows 10 required a GPU compatible with at least DirectX 9 and an 800 x 600 display.

The Win11 requirement for TPM is the biggest substantive change in Windows minimum requirements since Vista. Massive swathes of the ecosystem physically do not have it, or the capability is disabled in firmware.

— SwiftOnSecurity (@SwiftOnSecurity) June 24, 2021

The requirements also ask for a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip, which is used to securely store login information, encryption keys, passwords, etc. Microsoft describes the 2.0 requirement as a "soft floor," with TPM 1.2 being the "hard floor."

"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," it writes.

Update: Microsoft has backtracked and now states TPM 2.0 is a requirement, which is definitely causing no confusion whatsoever.

Those who lack a physical TPM or don't have it enabled may still get Windows 11 working by altering the BIOS settings. You can download and run Microsoft's health check app to find out if your PC is compatible. This writer's six-year-old PC isn't, according to the app, which is doubtlessly related to the TPM requirement.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/90194-pc-may-not-able-run-windows-11-download.html

 

[navuho]

Or you just activate the TPM in the bios setting of your PC. Every CPU has TPM module in it, its just disabled by default. "Microsoft’s own director for OS security David Weston notes only CPUs from the last five to seven years will possess the security chip."
https://www.pcmag.com/news/to-upgrade-to-windows-11-prepare-to-dig-into-your-pcs-bios

 

[hahahanoobs]

Manually enabled fTPM on ASUS X470, and according to Windows it's 2.0.
https://www.tomsguide.com/news/windows-11-wont-work-on-your-pc-without-a-tpm-how-to-check

 

[itgerald]

The list of Windows 11 supported CPU's are Intel 8 gen and up, AMD 3rd gen Ryzen and up.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...supported/windows-11-supported-amd-processors
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...pported/windows-11-supported-intel-processors
My 1st gen Ryzen build is sadly not on that list even though it meet all the requirements with UEFI Secure boot and TPM 2.0 enabled.
Microsoft's PC Health Check app does not help atm

 

[Dimitriid]

The list of Windows 11 supported CPU's are Intel 8 gen and up, AMD 3rd gen Ryzen and up.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...supported/windows-11-supported-amd-processors
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/wi...pported/windows-11-supported-intel-processors
My 1st gen Ryzen build is sadly not on that list even though it meet all the requirements with UEFI Secure boot and TPM 2.0 enabled.
Microsoft's PC Health Check app does not help atm

It might not be on the list but it should work: you might want to try to run the utility

 

[navuho]

Manually enabled fTPM on ASUS X470, and according to Windows it's 2.0.
https://www.tomsguide.com/news/windows-11-wont-work-on-your-pc-without-a-tpm-how-to-check

Will still work with TPM 1.2 on your CPU, but windows will say its not "advised"

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

My laptop can't. It's a Microsoft Surface Book 1 that runs wonderfully to this day. It is four years old, has an i5-6300U, 8 GB of RAM, and TPM. It seems like the processor is the limitation (Haswell). It was released 5.5 years ago originally, but Microsoft only released its successor 3.5 years ago. Thanks Microsoft.

 

[itgerald]

It might not be on the list but it should work: you might want to try to run the utility

I have ran it several times. it still say's "PC not compatible with Windows 11"

 

[Dimitriid]

I have ran it several times. it still say's "PC not compatible with Windows 11"

Well you could get a TPM module very cheaply if you really, really want to but honestly...I haven't seen anything that would warrant bothering to do something like that if I was making the call.

 

[Ludak021]

TPM is the first thing I disable on my home PC.
Try again Microsuck.

 

[itgerald]

Well you could get a TPM module very cheaply if you really, really want to but honestly...I haven't seen anything that would warrant bothering to do something like that if I was making the call.

Am hoping they expand that list later on. I really like Windows 10 and Windows 11 seems like a rebranding of w10

 

[yRaz]

One has to assume that I WANT to "upgrade" to windows 10 first

 

[fadingfool]

TPM is disabled in my bios so at the moment I don't meet windows 11's system requirements. The advice via the checking tool is to purchase a new PC

 

[Achaios]

I really didn't want to upgrade to Windows 10 and I only upgraded to Win 10 fm Windows 7 in Sep 2020.

However, Win 11 is a different story as it promises substantially faster game loading times with a NVMe drive as well as HDR for older titles.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

The bigger problem is the processor requirement. The most recent update of Windows 10 supported 883 Intel processors whereas Windows 11 supports 567 Intel processors... For AMD it went from 369 processors to 167 processors. See if your processor is supported here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/windows-processor-requirements

 

[kimo1]

If your PC can run w10 x64 without problems, then you can also run w11; don't worry about increased demands. At least in case of custom Windows builds.
The TPM thing is meant to scare ignorant into buying a new computer. A custom Windows builder noted that after disabling TPM in BIOS, the dev build of w11 ran perfectly fine still. The checks for TPM and Secure Boot are done on installation of Windows, but can be bypassed with a custom installer, and w11 will install and run fine.
Maybe Microsoft will strengthen the "hardware DRM" in public release by including system changes that demand presence of TPM, maybe not. But I bet even then custom Windows builders can reverse all that bs.

@Plutoisaplanet I think those lists are meant for something else. Microsoft's permitted modern hardware configuration or something. I have a long ago discontinued i7-4790, and it isn't in any of w10 Intel CPU lists, yet, I'm running w10 x64 perfectly fine with that CPU.

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Conspiracy Theory 101, it is a Google plot to convert all older machines to Chromium... pass it on.

 

[m4a4]

Eh, I'm sure there will be a workaround later for those that want it. Or maybe the requirement will silently go away...

 

[QuaZulu]

Hmm, this is a community that I would think knows a bit about computers ... and the vast majority don't have PCs "healthy enough" for win 11. Does that mean MS is actually going to tell 60%-80% of their current customers, "Sorry, you need a new PC to run Windows. Oh yeah, and you've got until 2025 to buy one"?
They have a hard enough time getting people to sign up when there are no hoops and the thing is *free*.
I guess we'll see the truth when release day arrives.

 

[Aranarth]

TPM is a good thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Platform_Module

So how would you like to know that your bank will only allow specific machines to connect to bank account? Or how about making sure that encryption work properly with a real random no pseudo random number? That's what this does.

 

[QuaZulu]

TPM is a good thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusted_Platform_Module

So how would you like to know that your bank will only allow specific machines to connect to bank account? Or how about making sure that encryption work properly with a real random no pseudo random number? That's what this does.

I'm not sure whether TPM being a good thing is up for debate. Requiring a 2019 technology (and, thereby, obsoleting anything older) to run the next version of Windows is.

 

[Aranarth]

Note in the article I linked: The last revised edition of TPM Main Specification Version 1.2 was published on March 3, 2011. So the minimum spec is 10 years old.

Also note that some security features in Windows 7 required a TPM such as Bitlocker which needed v1.2: https://uit.stanford.edu/service/encryption/wholedisk/bitlocker

So TPM is not new and has been used by windows for a long time.

 

[wiyosaya]

IMO, The UEFI bios requirement will kill the possibility of Windohs 11 on a large number of PCs. I guess M$ must have an agreement with hardware manufacturers.

 

[Lew Zealand]

Wow on that supported processor list:

No Kaby Lake and no Zen 1.

That stuff is not old!

 

[defaultluser]

Or you just activate the TPM in the bios setting of your PC. Every CPU has TPM module in it, its just disabled by default. "Microsoft’s own director for OS security David Weston notes only CPUs from the last five to seven years will possess the security chip."
https://www.pcmag.com/news/to-upgrade-to-windows-11-prepare-to-dig-into-your-pcs-bios

Nope - enabled TPM 1.2 plus secure boot on my Dell Skylake system, and no compatibility.


the TPM spec is a broken by-design: firmware is unique to every motherboard (so you have to find the branded adapter in stock, for whatever kings ransom they charge) , and not every one has a hardware slot! Apparently, the designers had never heard of a standard security layer, so this will be much harder to fix.

Standard encrypted USB devices like Smart Card readers make it clear that this could happen (but didn't in the case of TPM); your motherboard brand OEM would have to care enough to make a USB adapter (they don't, as it up-sells to more expensive motherboard).

Either this tool is bullshit and I will get Windows 11 installed on day one or MS sticks to their guns and the Win11 install base will be 20% after 4 years - but for now, this is the best we can guess.