Solved Is this being enforced? Installation on incompatible hardware will not receive updates

glasskuter · Sep 19, 2022

Is this new or have I been asleep and missed it? Is MS enforcing it now or is it one of those "Maybe we'll enforce this rule" kind of things? I know we've suspected that it may happen at some point.
Per this MS article- Download Windows 11

It states WARNING: Installing Windows 11 media on a PC that does not meet the Windows 11 minimum system requirements is not recommended and may result in compatibility issues. If you proceed with installing Windows 11 on a PC that does not meet the requirements, that PC will no longer be supported and won't be entitled to receive updates.

Edwin · Sep 19, 2022

Porthos · Sep 19, 2022

glasskuter said:
Is MS enforcing it now or is it one of those "Maybe we'll enforce this rule" kind of things? I know we've suspected that it may happen at some point.

Time will tell.
I am going to come out and say this. I hope they do. I would honestly like to see MS "enforce" this in the near future.
Users have been treating Windows and other software like they own it and not just using it under a user agreement for so long.
You may own the hardware but not Windows. You can run Linux on "your" hardware if you wish.

glasskuter · Sep 19, 2022

Why I asked is the wording on this particular MS site has changed a bit sinced I visited it last. I wondered if things might change with 22H2. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not.

Dirtyflash · Sep 19, 2022

Porthos said:
Time will tell.
I am going to come out and say this. I hope they do. I would honestly like to see MS "enforce" this in the near future.
Users have been treating Windows and other software like they own it and not just using it under a user agreement for so long.
You may own the hardware but not Windows. You can run Linux on "your" hardware if you wish.

You mean the same MS that provided a registry hack last fall to install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware?

flashh4 · Sep 19, 2022

6 of mine still get updates, waiting to see if it changes. I bet there will be a work-a-round if it happens !

Chuck

Cromax · Sep 19, 2022

If they enforce it, it would be final push for dismantling their "monopoly".. i dont think they are that much stupid

wabbit · Sep 19, 2022

Actually, many OEMs state on their web sites state that they will not support any of their PCs not tested or not compatible with Windows 11. It could also void any warranties. From what I've seen from various sites, one may be able to do hacks to install Win 11 22H2 on unsupported systems. For people still running Windows 10, you still have about 3 years before mainstream support ends.

Ghot · Sep 20, 2022

Maybe this is what will happen if the PC is not compatible with Windows 11...

Bree · Sep 20, 2022

glasskuter said:
Why I asked is the wording on this particular MS site has changed a bit sinced I visited it last. I wondered if things might change with 22H2. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not.

That exact wording was first seen and reported on 6th October 2021, here....

Opinion: I hope Win 11 can roll out to older cpu late 2022 - post #13

...and all my unsupported devices have got all their updates to this day, even the Insider RP 22H2 one.

jimbo45 · Sep 20, 2022

W11 will run as a VM until the "End of the Universe" so long as the VM software system on the Host can paravirtualise enough of the hardware.

I´ve got several W11 VM's running as a VM on an old HP Gen 8 microserver (which has to boot from an internal SD card) and 2X E3 CPU processors - 2 separate processors so an MP system (16 cores) , and is MBR only. Has 20TB of standard HDD storage (4 X 5 TB HDDS's in 2 RAID 0 arrays).

Only the boot needs to be on the SD card . I replaced the DVD with an SSD which is used for the Host and store VM's on the 1TB SSD. These VM's run perfectly OK -- the KVM/QEMU system enables UEFI, sec boot and TPM emulation. Still getting updates.

Server has 32GB storage and the VM's run probably better than W11 does in Native mode on a low end but supported laptop. This host just sits in a closet out of the way and runs 24/7 -- has been for several years -- Only needs rebooting if Linux kernel is updated and that only takes a few secs to do.

It's possible Ms will find ways to prevent Windows running on "Real" unsupported hardware - an easy way would be for Windows to issue a CPU command that doesn't exist on the unsupported hardware - and so cause BSOD on the offending hardware or deactivate Windows. It's almost impossible to do this on a proper VM system as the Virtual CPU emulation could emulate all these tricks.

cheers
jimbo

barman58 · Sep 20, 2022

This is a normal protection for Microsoft as used by most, if not all major developers, if something on a specific set of hardware does cause an issue then the developer has a built in "get out of jail free card". Microsoft still has the option to modify the base code to correct the potential issue but if they cannot or feel it is not practical then they are covered

Bree · Sep 20, 2022

barman58 said:
....a built in "get out of jail free card". Microsoft still has the option to modify the base code to correct the potential issue but if they cannot or feel it is not practical then they are covered

There is that, but it's not happened yet. The only real and current impact of the "that PC will no longer be supported..." part is that you can't call MS and ask for help with your unsupported device.

barman58 · Sep 20, 2022

Shows all the signs of being the work of the legal department rather than the engineering department :wink:

Try3 · Sep 20, 2022

glasskuter said:
Is MS enforcing it now

glasskuter said:
won't be entitled to receive updates

It's being enforced rigorously.
MS are enforcing the policy that incompatible computers are not entitled to receive updates.
MS have provided updates so far but incompatible computers remain not entitled to receive updates.
I don't recall their policy being expressed differently & none of my printouts of MS articles from 2021 say anything different.
Certainly, the wording was only about entitlement on 5th October 2021 because that was the date I saved a pdf of the article that I then quoted in the post #13 linked to by Bree above.

It's just like the situation in which Windows 7 users can still upgrade to Windows 10 even though they were only entitled to do so until July 2016.

All the best,
Denis

cereberus · Sep 20, 2022

glasskuter said:
If you proceed with installing Windows 11 on a PC that does not meet the requirements, that PC will no longer be supported and won't be entitled to receive updates.

That statement just says the PC will not be entitled to updates.

It is subtle wording, but that does not mean PC will not get them.

In another words, MS can let a PC get them or not as they might decide at a later date.

So if in future, if they decide to stop updates, anybody complaining has no grounds for such complaints.

If they were enforcing it, statement would say something like:

"If you proceed with installing Windows 11 on a PC that does not meet the requirements, that PC will no longer be supported and will not receive updates".

bobkn · Sep 20, 2022

I'm not sure that it's the right word, but "Jesuitical" comes to mind.

flashh4 · Sep 20, 2022

I think most of us who operate a computer that does not meet the requirements to be supported are prepared to deal with it when the time comes, if ever ! I have other machines like this one that meets all the requirements necessary. Until then i guess we do the old saying "keep on keeping on" !!

Chuck