Microsoft Officially Stops Testing Windows 11 on Unsupported Hardware

News
By
published

There's the door

Windows 11
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft has reportedly started to hit Windows Insider Program members testing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware with a "wham, bam, thank you ma'am" message informing them that they're no longer allowed to use the operating system.

The Verge reported that Microsoft sent affected testers this message: "Your PC does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. Your device is not eligible to join the Windows Insider Program on Windows 11. Please install Windows 10 to participate in the Windows Insider Program in the Release Preview Channel."

Microsoft said in June that Windows 11 would require 2nd Gen AMD Ryzen or 8th Gen Intel Core processors or newer as well as a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 security chip. But public criticism of those system requirements led it to evaluate the operating system's viability on 1st Gen AMD Ryzen and 7th Gen Intel Core CPUs.

The company then announced on August 27 that it would add support for certain processors—the 7th Gen Intel Core X-series and Xeon W-series and the Intel Core i7-7820HQ in specific circumstances—to Windows 11. It won't budge on the CPU generation requirements, however, purportedly because of reliability issues.

An official workaround is expected to allow Windows 11 to be manually installed on unsupported hardware, but Microsoft plans to disable the Windows Update utility on those installs. Now it's removing systems featuring that hardware from the Windows Insider Program, too, closing off another way to use the upcoming operating system.

Microsoft said Windows 11 would start to roll out to new devices on October 5. But it's not expected to reach all existing systems until mid-2022, so Windows 10 users who want to upgrade will have a while to buy a supported CPU and TPM. Assuming they can find either of those products in stock, that is, which is easier said than done.

Nathaniel Mott
Nathaniel Mott
Freelance News & Features Writer

Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.

9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • logainofhades
    Microsoft creating unnecessary E-Waste.
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    Ah, the daily flip flop.
    Reply
  • ezst036
    Linux, the ultimate Windows service pack.
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    ezst036 said:
    Linux, the ultimate Windows service pack.
    Every new Windows version, or even Service pack...people say this.
    Interestingly, very few do this.
    Reply
  • Phaaze88
    Oh, so the 7820X is still relevant. Well, I wasn't gonna budge even if it wasn't.
    Windows 10 is still good 'till 2025 - 2028(?), so who's really getting screwed here?
    Reply
  • ezst036
    USAFRet said:
    Every new Windows version, or even Service pack...people say this.
    Interestingly, very few do this.

    Agreed, very few do it. For many it's a disruptive process to switch. But enough do it and the vast majority of them that do take the plunge stay. Windows doesn't have much to recommend coming back, it's all third party applications at this point. That's all Windows has now.

    Realistically, "very few" keeps adding up. There was "very few" at Windows XP, plus another "very few" at Windows Vista, .... (rinse repeat) is why Linux is a growing user base. Microsoft keeps bullying people - they refuse to learn. Linux right now is around 2.5% according to StatCounter and has never been bigger looking at long term trends. Several years ago, it was 2.0% even. Several years from now it will be 3.0% and even probably 4.0% thanks to Valve. Go back far enough to 1991, and Linux had a grand total of one user on one computer.
    Reply
  • ThatMouse
    Hold on let me buy $1500 of hardware so I can get the new snipping tool!!!
    Reply
  • salgado18
    USAFRet said:
    ezst036 said:
    Linux, the ultimate Windows service pack.
    Every new Windows version, or even Service pack...people say this.
    Interestingly, very few do this.
    "Damn Windows, I'll install Linux instead!"
    (favorite game is only available on Windows)
    "Humm... ok, I'll dual-boot then."
    (never boots Linux again)
    Reply
  • drtweak
    salgado18 said:
    "Damn Windows, I'll install Linux instead!"
    (favorite game is only available on Windows)
    "Humm... ok, I'll dual-boot then."
    (never boots Linux again)


    Right? I have Ubuntu dual booted on my work laptop ONLY because some things i do for work is easier in linux, but how many times have i booted to it? 3 times in 8 months XD


    I got a feeling someone somewhere is going to do something to get around this, or some of this.

    The thing i don't get is when they tested Ryzen Gen 1, they were all "It had 52% (Or something like that) more crashes. Ok how many did the supported gen have? 1, 2 crashes? so now 3 crashes a month? I could live with that. Or some people can until they can't anymore (Luckily all my stuff will support 11 as I just upgraded to a 3600. but yea I won't be upgrading for a while. Sadly all my PC's at my office are not supported with the exception of my laptop which I may upgrade as it has nothing of real importance on it and mainly just use in the field for some basic stuff.
    Reply