Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements for the upcoming Windows 11 have left many users behind, but it turns out there’s a way to install the new operating system even if your PC’s processor or security features don’t. meet company standards—Although it is not guaranteed to work properly.
According to The Virgin, Microsoft confirms that users can install Windows 11 manually with an ISO. This ignores normal Windows update procedures, so you don’t have to pass the Windows PC health check to install Windows 11. However, your PC still needs to meet the minimum hardware requirements:
- A 64-bit processor at 1 GHz with at least two cores
- 4 GB of RAM
- At least 64 GB of free storage
We’ll learn more about the manual installation process once Windows 11 is available in the coming weeks, but the process is likely to resemble the installation Windows 10 with ISO, which means you’ll also need one of the following settings:
- A DVD drive that can burn discs
- Or a virtual drive installed on your PC
As long as it meets all of the above hardware requirements, you can install Windows 11 even if it does not meet the TPM or SecureBoot requirements needed to upgrade through normal channels.
Of course, this is not the planned upgrade path. Microsoft prefers users to buy a new PC or upgrade to the recommended hardware specifications, but offers manual ISO installation as an alternative for businesses that want to preview Windows 11, as well as for stubborn users who don’t want to upgrade. your hardware. Of course, manually installing Windows 11 on unsupported hardware is risk-free.
The biggest downside is that older computers may not be eligible for future Windows 11 updates. It’s one thing to miss new features and updates, but the biggest concerns are security and driver updates. These smaller updates are released more frequently, apart from large-scale version updates. While Microsoft has not confirmed that it will block previous hardware updates, the company is certainly considering it. If this happens, older computers may be at risk for security issues without patches, such as PrintNightmare recent vulnerability.
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However, even if older computers can’t install updates automatically, Microsoft may release later versions of Windows 11 as an ISO, which you can use manually upgrade to the latest version (as long as they are available, that is).
Similarly, older computers may have compatibility issues with outdated drivers. Mismatched or obsolete drivers can prevent you from using USB devices, disrupting basic functions, and even preventing applications from running. Similarly, some games will malfunction if the screen drivers are not up to date. While you can manually update your drivers, this is a tedious process and can be difficult to find and install the right drivers.
Again, it is not fully confirmed that Microsoft will block previous hardware updates, but it can happen at any time. Staying with Windows 10 on older computers may be better if you don’t want to deal with these issues. Plus, there are ways to do it try Windows 11 without having to install anything.
[The Verge]