Ask: Dear Geek. I have a tower running Windows 10. Windows Update tells me that the PC does not meet the minimum requirements to run Windows 11. Checking the PC Health tells me my i7-7700@3.60 GHz CPU does not support Windows 11.
I phoned Dell hoping they would sell me another CPU, but they made it clear that they couldn’t help me. Should I wait until Windows 10 is no longer supported and buy a new computer; download the Windows 11 ISO, create a bootable flash drive and install the Win 11 operating system manually (whatever that means), or try to buy another CPU that supports Windows 11?
— Ronald R., Niceville
ONE: Dear Ronald. I hope you didn’t miss my discussion on a similar topic just a few issues ago in reply to reader Keith N. in issue number 782. I said it was “similar” because although both questions are generic as to whether or not to stick with Windows 10, you brought up something in your question that Keith didn’t, and that is the ability to strongly trigger the installation Windows 11 to include it on a system that Microsoft claims does not support.
Yes, it is entirely possible to force the installation of Windows 11 onto supposedly incompatible hardware. Some of the so-called requirements that Microsoft imposes on hardware to run Windows 11 are well-intentioned efforts to create a safe computing environment for Windows 11 users, but have nothing to do with whether the machine actually works. the ability to run the new operating system. .
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The largest and most controversial of these requirements is the presence of a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 or later. While Microsoft may “want” you to have one, the operating system doesn’t really “need” one.
As for your processor, the Intel i7-7700 you describe dates back to 2017. When it comes to performance, it’s second to none at the time. I looked it up on the PassMark Software website at TinyURL.com/IGTM-0785a and it recorded a “CPU Mark” of 8,653. That sounds pretty impressive, until you realize that more modern processors score between 20,000, 40,000, 80,000 and even higher.
Unfortunately, Microsoft doesn’t list processor requirements in benchmarks. Its website lists processor specs as “1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on Chip (SoC)”. i7-7700 is a quad core, 64 bit processor and your processor is running at 3.6 GHz. All those specs are beyond the bare minimum, so the sound is definitely compatible with me.
However, only the trusted brains at Microsoft know how much CPU horsepower it actually takes for you, the end user, to have a smooth user experience unaffected by annoying lags when launching apps. or other windows pop up.
Now, like I said, it is possible to force through the settings with a registry tweak. However, if you do so, the system may not work as you intended. Additionally, Microsoft may refuse to provide you with security updates. So choose wisely whether this path is for you or not.
The actual process you mentioned near the bottom of your question is a method to do a final run around Windows and force the loading to take place. You have all the terms right, even if you don’t understand what it means.
In short, you download the Windows 11 disc image (“ISO file”) from the Microsoft website. To a computer, this file looks and works exactly like a CD and can be used as a file even if you don’t have a CD/DVD drive in your computer.
The process uses it as the installation disc, and according to Microsoft’s own website, an “install image” such as this will bypass the CPU and TPU requirement checks. From what I’ve read, that’s not always the case.
You modify your system registry to skip checking the TPM module and CPU requests. All the usual warnings about working in the Registry apply here. Take it easy and make only the changes you are asked to make and make them exactly as illustrated.
You can find all the instructions you need on the How-To Geek website in the article titled “How to install Windows 11 on an unsupported PC”. For your convenience and easy access, I have created a shortcut for the article at TinyURL.com/IGTM-0785b.
Remember, if you decide to force install Windows 11 like this, you are doing something against Microsoft’s recommendations. So you won’t get much from them by providing support if something goes wrong. Good luck!
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