Windows 11 to finally install an older machines?

[Diggs]

I'm out on the road doing the van life thing again, and just ran into this article that says older machines will now be accepted under Windows 11. Something I suspected would happen long ago but this is the first I've seen of it. I'm not all caught up on news these days so I'm not sure how accurate this is.

Windows 11 Update Finally Lets You Install on Older PCs

Microsoft is making a surprising shift in its approach to Windows 11, and it’s one that’s being welcomed by many users. The latest update finally opens ... Continue Reading →

jasondeegan.com

 

[mmerry]

MS realized enterprise was not going to spend that much money to replace perfectly good hardware. It seems their hand was forced.

 

[britechguy]

Yet that article has no reference that I can find to anything "straight from the horse's mouth" to support it.

If it's true that's a major oversight. The fragrance of clickbait wafts through the air.

 

[ThatPlace928]

I just read a couple articles on this subject. You can install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware but you won't be eligible for automatic updates and there will still be incompatibility issues with certain apps and processes. If you want updates, you have to download and install manually.

Sorry, but I won't be installing Windows 11 on incompatible hardware, unless Microsoft relents and gives us their full blessing and automatic updates to do so.

 

[britechguy]

@ThatPlace928

I'm aware of those articles, too, and I'm right with you there. When I asked Copilot what the current requirements are, it sent me here: https://pureinfotech.com/windows-11-system-requirements/

That article indicates there has been some tweaking around the very edges for processor requirements, mostly seemingly aimed at business-grade platforms, but it's certainly not extensive.

There's nothing I can find from Microsoft directly that gives any indication of any major changes in hardware requirements for Windows 11, which does not surprise me in the least, particularly since there's now an extended support program for Windows 10 available to both home users ($30/year, probably only for 1 year) and for business.

I don't think that this is a "line in the sand" that will be shifting other than "by a few grains" if at all.

 

[britechguy]

MS realized enterprise was not going to spend that much money to replace perfectly good hardware. It seems their hand was forced.

As an aside, if their hand was forced, the movement was "by millimeters, not miles." Those businesses that don't want to buy new hardware are going to have to buy extended Windows 10 support (or ::shudder:: run unsupported, which many tiny businesses [and home users] will end up doing, no matter how stupid that is).

But back to the article, when I see anything in print that references not a single primary source, I immediately call bs. Even the AI searches, with their occasional hallucinations, cite their sources. Human writers (or professional ones, anyway) have been trained to do the same for a very long while now. If they don't then whatever has been written is instantly suspect.

 

[fincoder]

The fragrance of clickbait wafts through the air.

It's absolutely clickbait, I agree Brian. Apart from the lack of sources, the lack of any technical detail is a red flag.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yeah, no sources... documentation on Microsoft's side remains unchanged...

And we have misinformation, otherwise known as propaganda, or blatant lies, all to abuse engagement mechanisms for pennies on the dollar.

 

[dcomp12]

There are registry hacks that can. But in a business setting would you want to?

Nothing worse than something happens to the client data when it is compromised because of a compromised install of Windows 11.

 

[Diggs]

I should have mentioned originally that I in no way recommend this professionally and is something I won't or wouldn't do. But in my case, I have eight or nine computers around the house (with most of the old ones getting turned to Linux) but I would like to still run Windows 11 on a few.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I've got more than a few things that won't make the Win11 cut.

But that's OK, the stuff that matters has moved, and the rest should be Linux anyway!