Although the newest version of the Windows operating system Windows 11 beta version Insider Preview Build has been available for Windows Insider users since the announcement of this update in early June 2021, it was not officially available for the general public. Recently, the company has confirmed that a full release will start rolling out from the 5th of October, 2021 as a free upgrade for users that currently have Windows 7 or newer versions.
This PC can’t run Windows 11
When performing Windows 11 installation, some users may experience a This PC can’t run Windows 11 error. According to the team’s at Microsoft announcement, there are four possible reasons why someone would receive this error:
- System disk’s storage capacity is less than 64 GB.
- The device’s processor is not supported by Windows 11.
- Secure Boot is disabled.
- TPM 2.0 is disabled.
While the first two causes would require additional hardware purchases of a larger SSD card or one of the supported processors, the latter can be enabled manually if the device is new enough to have them. Keep in mind that these procedures may differ depending on the device.
If you are not comfortable with the steps or get stuck at any point, please, contact a professional from your local PC repair shop or manufacturer.
What is TPM
A trusted platform module (TPM) chip is a computer crypto-processor ensuring hardware-based security-related functions. Due to its nature, malicious content is unable to tamper with the chip’s mechanisms, therefore, phishing attacks are less likely to be successful. TPM allows you to generate and store cryptographic keys, authenticate devices, and ensure that the platform’s integrity is maintained with only legitimate software installed.
Is my TPM 2.0 enabled?
The user is able to quickly check whether TPM 2.0 is enabled on their device by following these steps:
- From the Desktop, click Win+S or manually open up the Search bar (clicking Win+R opening Run tab works as well).
- Type tpm.msc into the field and press Enter.
- On the newly opened window, check the TPM Management on the Local Computer section for TPM status.
If there is a message stating that “This TPM is ready for use”, the Trusted Platform Module is enabled on the device. The user would need to check its version under the TPM Manufacturer Information to make sure it is indeed 2.0.
Enable TPM 2.0
If the message states “Compatible TPM cannot be found” like in the illustration above, or a similar message stating that it is disabled is displayed, follow these steps to enable this service.
- Open the PC BIOS menu. The user can either open it by constantly pressing the BIOS key (depending on the device, that can be F1, F2, F12, Esc, etc.) during the PC’s startup before the Windows logo appears, or by navigating to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced startup > Restart now. Then select Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > UEFI Firmware Settings > Restart.
- Depending on the device, the required settings will be under the Advanced, Security or Trusted Computing section. TPM can be enabled via the Security Device tab (depending on the device, it can also be called Security Device Support, TPM State, AMD fTPM switch, AMD PSP (Platform Security Processor) fTPM, Intel PTT or Intel Platform Trust Technology).
If you are unsure about making any of the changes, please, contact your PC manufacturer or your local PC repair shop for assistance.
What is Secure Boot
Secure Boot is another security measure developed for the sole purpose of only booting software that is marked as trusted by the Original Equipment Manufacturer. While the PC is starting, Secure Boot firmware checks the legitimacy and signature of the boot software and only if the signatures are valid may the operating system take over.
Is my Secure Boot enabled?
To check whether Secure boot has been turned on on the machine, the user would need to follow these steps:
- Open the Search (Win+S) or Run (Win+R) tab from your Desktop.
- Type msinfo32 into the field and press Enter.
- Navigate to the System summary > Secure Boot State and check its value.
One of the three options – On, Off or Unsupported – will be displayed on the right-hand side stating the feature’s status.
Enable Secure Boot
If Secure Boot State is Off, the following steps will allow the user to enable it.
- Open the PC BIOS menu.
- Navigate to the Secure Boot setting (depending on the device, it can be under the Security, Boot or Authentication tab) and enable it. If the PC does not allow to enable Secure Boot, the user can try resetting the BIOS to factory settings. Keep in mind that this will erase only the BIOS settings and return them to factory defaults.
- Save changes and exit, allowing the device to reboot.
If the PC is not able to boot after completing these steps, enter the BIOS menu once again and disable Secure Boot. To successfully enable the feature, contact your manufacturer or local PC repair shop.
Does my device support Windows 11?
Although RPM 2.0 and Secure Boot features are the main causes for This PC can’t run Windows 11 error, the rest of the requirements need to be fulfilled too.
This update has stricter hardware requirements than its predecessors. The minimal system specifications include:
- 4 GB of RAM;
- 64 GB storage;
- 1 GHz with 2 cores on a 64-bit processor or System on a Chip;
- Secure Boot capable UEFI system firmware;
- Version 2.0 Trusted Platform Module (TPM);
- Graphics card compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver;
- 720p display greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel;
- Internet connection and Microsoft account for most features.
The rest of the feature-specific requirements can be found directly on the Microsoft website.
The user can check their device’s RAM, processor and storage all in one place by following the same steps when accessing the device’s Secure Boot status. While RAM size and processor type can be found under the System summary section, to access already used and full storage sizes, users would need to further navigate to Components > Storage > Drives tab.
The graphics card compatibility and display size can be checked via these steps:
- Open the Search (Win+S) or Run (Win+R) tab from your Desktop;
- Type dxdiag into the field and press Enter;
- Under the System > System Information tab, the DirectX version can be found. To access display data, enter the Display tab and navigate to Device > Current Display Mode value.
If these specifications cannot be met, a new device would be required.
Some of Windows 11 new features include a cleaner user interface design featuring rounded corners, integrated Android apps, access to Widgets and integrated Microsoft Teams directly from the taskbar, Xbox console characteristics improving gaming experience, enhanced virtual desktop support and smoother transition between a monitor and a laptop.
Needless to say, in case the user is not satisfied with the Windows 11 update, they are able to roll back to the previous version within 10 days of the installation.