Microsoft accidentally offered Windows 11 update to unsupported PCs

3 years ago 1

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Microsoft mistakenly prompted several Windows users to upgrade to Windows 11, despite their PCs not meeting the minimum system requirements.

Engadget reports that Twitter user PhantomOcean3 was among the first to spot the mistake on an unsupported machine.

Microsoft initially prompted him with a window saying, “Now unlocked: You’re eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 11”.

After choosing to “Get” the new OS, the following window showed that Microsoft recommended Windows 11 for his PC and let him begin the download.

However, he could not install the update, as Microsoft’s PC Health Check detected the system did not meet the minimum requirements.

In his case, the unmet requirements included the processor lacking Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 support and only having 2GB RAM instead of the minimum 4GB.

On one of its support pages, Microsoft said it became aware of the issue and fixed it on the same day.

The blunder might have irritated those users who desperately wanted to upgrade to Windows 11 and thought that Microsoft had relaxed its seemingly stringent hardware requirements.

A big sticking point has been the need for the processor to support TPM 2.0, which has cut off many powerful chips preceding Intel’s 8th-generation and AMD’s Ryzen 2000 processors.

Several high-end options in those line-ups are faster than the latest entry-level Intel 13th-gen or AMD Ryzen 7000 processors that support Windows 11.

Fortunately, a relatively simple way to bypass the PC Health Check exists that involves creating a Windows 11 ISO, allowing users with unsupported systems to download and install the OS.

However, Microsoft does not recommend this and advises customers rather upgrade their systems if they want to enjoy Windows 11.

For those who couldn’t be bothered to upgrade or use the workaround, Microsoft plans to continue supporting Windows 10 with security updates until at least 2025.