Microsoft won’t stop you installing Windows 11 on older PCs

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FlyingPenguin
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Microsoft won’t stop you installing Windows 11 on older PCs

Post by FlyingPenguin »

Aaaand bingo. I knew those restrictions wouldn't stand. Too many enterprise users will stay with Win10, even after it's expiration date, if they kept the restrictions.
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
https://www.theverge.com/22644194/micro ... rs-changes
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Executioner
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Re: Microsoft won’t stop you installing Windows 11 on older PCs

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So a fresh install only from an ISO file.
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Re: Microsoft won’t stop you installing Windows 11 on older PCs

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I thought so at first as well, but it sounds like an upgrade from an ISO will work, although a fresh install is always a good idea when practical.

Waiting for Microsoft to clarify the updates issue. Doesn't make sense they would allow this and then block updates on unqualified hardware, so I think that's a PR person talking out their ass.

The whole reason for allowing this is that enterprise customers are always going to be slow to upgrade, and they tend to hang on to old hardware. Makes no sense to allow an upgrade path and block security updates.

As I said when Win11's TPM restriction was first announced, it makes no sense to make it hard for people to upgrade. We had this problem with WinXP. It's not in Microsoft's best interest to encourage people to stick with an obsolete OS. Makes more sense to get everyone on the Win11 bandwagon, and then eventually make the TPM requirements stricter with future builds to improve security.

This still doesn't affect OEMs who will be required to have TPM enabled on new builds, and that's where most people get a new computer from.

And older chipset and CPU compatibility has always been hit or miss. MS is still validating CPUs and adding older ones to the list, but if it works on an unsupported one, then groovy.
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