The release of the Windows 11 system requirements caused quite a bit of confusion as well as problems caused by the PC Health Check app. Microsoft ultimately did not release this app, but the good news is that it has now been fixed.
One of the major problems with the original PC Health Check app was that if your PC was not compatible with Windows 11, it did not explain why. However, the updated version includes a full report detailing what you need to do to make your machine compatible with the new OS, which launches in two weeks. [This is especially important because of confusion about the requirements of the TPM 2.0 module in Windows 11. In some cases, apps told people that their PCs were incompatible, when in fact they simply did not have TPM enabled.
At the time of discontinuing the Health Check app, Microsoft admitted that it was "not fully prepared to share the level of detail and accuracy that customers expect about why Windows 10 PCs do not meet upgrade requirements."
Fortunately, the updated version adds a new button labeled "See all results" that provides a more detailed explanation of the upgrade's compatibility status and offers several ways to resolve this issue.
For example, my 3-year-old Huawei MateBook X Pro exceeds the minimum requirements for Windows 11, and the Health Check app confirmed that I have TPM 2.0 enabled, the proper processor, and all other necessary hardware.
If your PC cannot run Windows 11, this list will tell you exactly what is wrong and point you in the direction of resources to help you understand the problem. In some cases, such as if your machine's TPM 2.0 module is not enabled by default, you may be able to solve the problem yourself.
However, as The Verge's Sean Hollister points out, the results are still a bit misleading: Hollister ran a health check on a machine running the latest version of the Windows 11 beta, and was told that it was incompatible with the OS He was just told it was not compatible with the OS. Strange, isn't it?
Microsoft has already said that Windows 11 can be installed on machines with unsupported CPUs. However, The Verge also points out that if you try to do this with the Windows 11 beta, you will be presented with a disclaimer, confirming that your PC is unsupported and that compatibility issues may arise. The waiver states that unsupported systems are not entitled to receive updates and that installing Windows 11 may even void the warranty.
Still, this is all a step in the right direction, as is Microsoft's recent attempt to clarify the TPM situation. If you want to check to see if your PC meets the requirements, you can download the updated PC Health Check app from the official Windows 11 page.
In any case, Windows 11 comes out on October 5, but older PCs may not get the upgrade option until sometime in 2022.
Prior to the big announcement, Microsoft is also holding a Surface event today (September 22), where it may announce new hardware, including the Surface Book 4, Surface Duo 2, and Surface Pro 8 tablet.
The event begins today at 11:00 AM ET / 8:00 AM PT, and you can follow it all on Microsoft's Surface event live blog. You will also find information on how to watch the September 22 Microsoft Surface event.
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