Microsoft Said My Pc Was 'too Old' To Run Windows 11 - How I Upgraded In 5 Minutes Anyway

Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 10 earlier this month.
• Many PCs pinch Windows 10 don't walk Microsoft's strict request check.
• It's imaginable to bypass this and instal Windows 11 successful 10 easy steps.

I built my existent desktop backmost successful 2020, and it's had Windows 10 installed for nan long of its lifecycle. I went pinch what was -- astatine nan clip -- a solid, midrange Asus motherboard and Intel Core i9-9900 CPU, some of which still execute rather good successful 2025. 

Also: How to upgrade your 'incompatible' Windows 10 PC to Windows 11 - 2 free options

But there's 1 problem: This motherboard -- and galore retired location conscionable for illustration it -- is correct connected nan cusp of being eligible for Windows 11. It doesn't person a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) type 2.0, truthful Microsoft deems it ineligible for Windows 11. 

The TPM is simply a unafraid cryptoprocessor and an important constituent of your PC, designed to mitigate information risks and grip encryption keys connected nan system. However, nan mean PC personification is not apt to beryllium acquainted pinch TPM, and this is nan only point keeping my different coagulated PC from upgrading. 

In nan weeks and days starring up to Windows 10's nonaccomplishment of support connected October 14, I knowledgeable first-hand nan pop-ups and notifications from Microsoft nudging maine that "It's clip to bargain a caller PC." Microsoft is hoping consumers will forgo dealing pinch nan imaginable headache of an upgrade and conscionable fork complete nan money for a caller PC to "get up to speed" pinch Windows 11. 

But if you're for illustration maine and person a PC that would different tally Windows 11 conscionable fine, don't springiness up truthful fast. There are workarounds, and we've covered them extensively astatine ZDNET. Senior Editor Ed Bott wrote a comprehensive guideline connected really to upgrade your "incompatible" PC to Windows 11, and it's helped galore of our readers (just return a look astatine nan comments) upgrade systems that were initially deemed ineligible -- myself included. 

Also: Windows 11 upgrade not working? Try my 4 favourite troubleshooting tricks

The method that worked for maine -- and nan 1 I stake applies to astir folks pinch a PC astir 5 years aged -- involves 10 short steps and nan third-party programme Rufus. 

This method is astir apt to beryllium your champion stake if...

• Your PC is from astir 2020.
• Your hardware is successful different bully health.
• Windows says your strategy is not eligible because of nan TPM check.
• Your PC different meets each nan different requirements (enough storage, etc.).

Note: You will request an quiet USB thumb thrust pinch astatine slightest 8GB of retention abstraction connected it. Don't hide to move everything disconnected nan thumb drive; otherwise, it will beryllium deleted successful this process.   

10 steps to instal Windows 11

1. Download Rufus.
2. Go here and download nan Windows 11 multi-edition ISO nether "Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices" to nan Downloads files connected your PC. 
3. Insert your quiet thumb thrust and motorboat Rufus. 
4. In Rufus, prime your thumb thrust successful nan Device menu. Under Boot Selection, click "Disk aliases ISO image."
5. Click Select and find nan Windows 11 ISO record you conscionable downloaded to your Downloads folder.
6. Click Start. 
7. When nan Windows User Experience model pops up, make judge nan first container is checked: "Remove request for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0". The remainder of nan boxes are up to your preference.
8. Click OK, and past Start.
9. Once it's done, unfastened up nan USB thrust successful File Explorer. Double-click Setup. This will tally nan Windows 11 installation. 
10. A last step: When nan "Install Windows 11" model pops up, click "Change really Setup downloads updates" and make judge you prime "Not correct now." Click Next and spell done pinch nan remainder of nan installation.

At this point, your machine will exit Windows and participate nan OS installer, which could return immoderate time. It'll restart a fewer times during this process, which is normal. If each goes good -- and it should! -- your PC will footwear up into a caller type of Windows 11. 

Also: Windows 10's last update is simply a large 1 - pinch a grounds 173 bug fixes

If you person immoderate issues during this installation, I urge reviewing nan comprehensive guide aliases our Windows 11 troubleshooting guide. 

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