Windows 11 is What's Next for Windows!

[Corrine]

It is official!  Windows 11 is the next version Microsoft operating system.  As Satya Nadella said in the "What's Next for Windows" event, "It's the beginning of a new generation".  Highlights of that new generation are described in the article on the Windows Experience Blog by Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer, Windows + Devices, "Introducing Windows 11". You can also be certain that all the "tech bloggers" will be publishing numerous articles highlighting the new Windows 11.

A question that many home computer users have been wondering about since rumors of the new operating system started is whether the upgrade from Windows 10 will be free. We now know that Windows 11 will be available through a free upgrade for eligible Windows 10 PCs and on new PCs beginning this holiday and will continue into 2022.

The minimum system requirements to run Windows 11 are as follows:

processor	1 gigahertz (ghz) or faster with 2 or more cores on acompatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (soc)
memory	4 gb ram
storage	64 gb or larger storage device
system firmware	uefi, secure boot capable
tpm	trusted platform module (tpm) version 2.0

graphics card	directx 12 compatible graphics / wddm 2.x
display	>9" with hd resolution (720p)
internet connection	microsoft account and internet connectivity required for setup for windows 11 home

Certain features require specific hardware, see detailed system requirements.

To determine if your current PC is eligible for the free upgrade to Windows 11, download the PC Health Check app.

I happy that my PC meets the system requirements for Windows 11 and am looking forward to testing the new Windows Insider Builds for Windows 11 next week.


(Note  If you had a problem with the event streaming as I did during the event, you can watch a replay here.)

[ky331]

Unfortunately, the app is advising me that my PC will NOT run Win11... but there doesn't appear to be any elaboration as to which requirements it doesn't meet.   So I don't know whether it's merely a software/bios setting that can be updated/tweaked... or a perhaps a minor hardware upgrade... or if there's some "essential" flaw that's limiting my system.

[Corrine]

ky331, if your device meets the processor, memory, storage, etc., take a look at the detailed system requirements.  Perhaps that will help: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications

[winchester73]

Unfortunately, the app is advising me that my PC will NOT run Win11...

Same here, my guess is TPM 2.0 requirement ... but by the 2025 end of support for Win 10 I'll need a new laptop  ;)

[Corrine]

Information about the TPM setting at https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/if-your-pc-says-it-cant-upgrade-to-windows-11-check-your-bios?fbclid=IwAR2m2CQPTptLuKhwJIGWOg7j2jB2jHWpy_GgB0r1Z21uG37QVh0x0I0t5ew

If your device has an Intel Processor, only 8th gen and higher are supported.  The list of supported Intel Processors is at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-intel-processors

For the sake of completeness:

--  Supported AMD Processors:  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-amd-processors
--  Supported Qualcomm Processors:  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-qualcomm-processors

[ky331]

I only have a 3rd-Generation Intel "Ivy Bridge" [purchased 2012], so that won't meet the TPM 2.0 requirement.
The system was originally purchased with Win7 (that I upgraded to Win10)... so as far as I know, it's still booting from BIOS rather than UEFI, and so I believe it's not using Secure Boot either.

[Corrine]

I only have a 3rd-Generation Intel "Ivy Bridge" [purchased 2012], so that won't meet the TPM 2.0 requirement.

Even with the PC not meeting the upgrade requirements, with Windows 10 support lasting until 14 October 2025, you'll still do fine and, like Winchester73, likely need a new device by that time.

[ky331]

There's a program called WhyNotWin11 available from MajorGeeks
https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/whynotwin11.html

I just ran it, and have included my results as an attachment.

CAVEAT:   Because this is an essentially "unknown" program,  I had to "go through contortions" to run it.   Windows attempted to block it --- both from downloading AND from running --- which I had to explicitly override.   And my antivirus also blocked it, until I set-up an exclusion.   I did so because I trust MajorGeeks as a reliable site.   There is no indication that the program performed any actions other than those it indicated it would be doing.

[Corrine]

ky331, BC agrees with you that WhyNotWin11 is better.  As shown in the article, it is also available from GitHub:  WhyNotWin11 is a better replacement for Windows 11's PC Health Check

[ky331]

Here are my updated results from WhyNotWin11 version 2.2