While Microsoft managed to excite the Windows community with a new OS – Windows 11, it can soon kill the hype with a critical factor affecting its installation in most systems.
As per the system requirements sheet shared by Microsoft for running Windows 11, installing the new OS requires TPM v2.0 or a TPM v1.2 plus Secure Boot support in your hardware! This may leave most budget PCs out of the equation.
Windows 11 Mandatory Hardware Requirement
As everyone is eagerly waiting for the next big iteration of Windows OS – v11, most of the budget PCs may not be eligible for running Windows 11 at all, we fear.
This is because Microsoft mandates a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) – a hardware chip that often comes embedded in your motherboard or can be added later. It’s used for your PC’s cryptographic operations like securing the Windows Hello PINs, encrypting passwords, etc.
And as Microsoft prioritizes security in Windows 11, it requires the users to have robust hardware for supporting its goals. And this is possible with the help of the TPM chip on board, as it oversees all the hardware encryption functions.
Microsoft has already detailed the system requirements for Windows 11 that a user PC should have TPM v2.0 installed to support the new OS. While this is clear, another document from Microsoft says a TPM v1.2 and Secure Boot enabled on the motherboard should work just fine.
As this is confusing, the company has launched a dedicated tool checking your PC’s eligibility for running Windows 11. Named as PC Health Check App, this software can check and tell you the result when run after installation.
If you have a motherboard purchased recently and some high-end, you should be eligible to support the Windows 11 OS. If not, the app, after checking, shows a popup that your PC isn’t eligible, with a reason mentioned or skipped.
If it doesn’t have any reason mentioned, mind that you’re not having the TPM installed on your hardware. You may be blocked for having TPM v1.2 but not having Secure Boot support. Either way, you’re doomed.
In cases, you may have the chip in your hardware but disabled by default. So check in your BIOS settings (when starting up PC), and enable it for being eligible. Else, you have to purchase the TPM hardware and install it on your motherboard to run Windows 11.
