PC Health Check says My CPU doesn't meet Spec, but it does according to their specs?

Microsoft Says:
Processors/CPUs (Central Processing Units): 1 Ghz or faster with 2 or more cores and appearing on our list of approved CPUs. The processor in your PC will be a main determining factor for running Windows 11. The clock speed (the 1 Ghz or faster requirement) and number of cores (2 or more) are inherent to the processor design as it was manufactured and are not considered upgradable components.

I have faster than 1Ghz, more than 2 processors, but I am not on their list. MS must be in business with computer manufactures. This is what I have on Dell Optiplex:
CPU
Intel Core i5
Cores 4
Threads 4
Name Intel Core i5
Code Name Skylake
Package Socket 1151 LGA
Technology 14nm
Specification Intel Core i5-6500 CPU @ 3.20GHz
Family 6
Extended Family 6
Model E
Extended Model 5E
Stepping 3
Revision R0
Instructions MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, Intel 64, NX, AES, AVX, AVX2, FMA3
Virtualization Not supported
Hyperthreading Not supported
Bus Speed 99.7 MHz
Average Temperature 83 °F
Caches
Operating System
Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
CPU
Intel Core i5 @ 3.20GHz 83 °F
Skylake 14nm Technology
RAM
12.0GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 797MHz (11-11-11-28)
Motherboard
Dell Inc. 0HKCW0 (Socket 0)
Graphics
LG IPS FULLHD (1920x1080@59Hz)
Intel HD Graphics 530 (Dell)
Storage
465GB Western Digital WDC WD5000AZLX-75K2T SCSI Disk Device (SATA ) 103 °F
Optical Drives
PLDS DVD+-RW DU-8A5LH
Audio
Realtek Audio
L1 Data Cache Size 4 x 32 KBytes
L1 Instructions Cache Size 4 x 32 KBytes
L2 Unified Cache Size 4 x 256 KBytes
L3 Unified Cache Size 6144 KBytes
Cores
Core Speed Multiplier Bus Speed Temperature Threads
Core 0 3490.6 MHz x 35.0 99.7 MHz 83 °F APIC ID: 0
Core 1 3490.6 MHz x 35.0 99.7 MHz 85 °F APIC ID: 2
Core 2 3490.6 MHz x 35.0 99.7 MHz 83 °F APIC ID: 4
Core 3 3590.3 MHz x 36.0 99.7 MHz 83 °F APIC ID: 6

Hello @diverjer and welcome to ElevenForum.

The i5-6500 is NOT on the list of compatible CPUs.
The list is what matters.



However, you can still install Windows 11 if you want, just like many others...





Here is the download link for a compatibility checker that is much better than Microsoft's tool...


If you get all GREEN boxes, you're compatible... like so...





BUT... like I said above... there are a few work-arounds for installing Win 11 on incompatible hardware.

The i5-6500 is a 6th generation Intel CPU. An 8th gen or newer is needed in order to be technically supported. However, I can tell you for a fact that this CPU can run Windows very well. I know because I have that CPU in a laptop that runs wonderfully well.

Thanks for the information, I will start looking into it tomorrow. I really shouldn't be so cheap and buy another computer, but this one runs fine. It's been running 24X7 since November 2016 and I do have a backup computer (really slow) if this one dies while I ordered another.

The i5-6500 supports SSE 4.2, which means that it'll still work under Windows 11 24H2. (Unsupported, but that probably won't be an issue.)

You've run the PC continuously for nearly 8 years without stopping to clean the dust out of it? I'd bet its really dusty inside.

No I have shut it down and open up the case and blow it out, maybe every 6 or months or so. Also, if I go on a week vacation, I will shut it down. But that is the only shutdown time. Now this will blow people's mind. When I blow it out I use a leaf blower! But I am careful have case open sitting on driveway and stand way back.

diverjer said:

No I have shut it down and open up the case and blow it out, maybe every 6 or months or so. Also, if I go on a week vacation, I will shut it down. But that is the only shutdown time. Now this will blow people's mind. When I blow it out I use a leaf blower! But I am careful have case open sitting on driveway and stand way back.

Click to expand...

Leaf blower? Electric or gas?

A bit eccentric, I'd say. But at least you don't have to worry about spraying cold liquid, as with "canned air".

Electric, have gas but don't use it. I never cared much for the canned air. Like I said I stand waaay back. I bet if an IT person was watching they would say what an idiot! And I am someone who spent 35 years as a system software program on IBM mainframes. I can still read binary or hexadecimal as well as base 10. Right before retirement in 2003, I did have to start supporting PC.s We hated them, use to call the PC staff micro brains, then I had to start learning to be a micro brain. So using a leaf blower is something I always think is kind of funny and weird, yes even eccentric.

I'd prefer to use my air compressor, but it's not oil-less.

A leaf blower, judiciously applied, may be safer than risking electrostatic charges from a brush.

My computer is also a Skylake and I'm running Win 11 on it.
To do a Win 10 upgrade to Win 11 you do a In place upgrade with tweaked Win 11 installation files. How to upgrade from Win10 or Win 11 to Win 11 23h2 - A guide

I wonder if it's still possible to upgrade from 10 using a simple registry change? "Bypassing requirements with the Registry Editor"


I believe it's not a hack, but rather something provided by MS for use by developers with older hardware.

I'm not sure if that was the Registry change I used to upgrade an unsupported laptop (Intel Gen6 CPU), but it may have been. The notable thing was that the Windows installer informed that the hardware was unsupported, and asked if I wish to proceed. (I did.)

The link that bobkn posted was Updated Jul 26, 2024.

That's only 9 days ago so it may have the new work arounds.

Up to 23H2 all bypass compatibility check methods still work. An additional requirement for 23H2 is to disconnect from the internet to make sure the upgrade won't fail due to a hidden online compatibility check or due to Windows Update messing with your working drivers. I have not installed 24H2 yet. I will report back when I do. For Legacy BIOS (MBR) installations we might have to replace the bootloader with the 23H2 version after the upgrade. I have read that the new 24H2 bootloader only supports UEFI mode, it doesn't boot in Legacy BIOS mode. But if it is as simple as replacing the bootloader it is another small inconvenience to keep our old unsupported computers.

diverjer said:

I really shouldn't be so cheap and buy another computer,

Click to expand...

Yep.

Just buy el cheapo Dell Optiplex with 8th/9th gen CPU support (3070, 5070, 7070), and look forward to no time wasting, running Win 11.

I got mini tower version, so PSU can power i9, when they are also cheap..

Nonsense, apart from Windows 11 24H2 that requires SSE4.2 and the PopCnt instruction, all earlier versions of Windows 11 can run on almost any computer that can run Windows 8.0 64-bit. I have even installed Windows 11 23H2 on an Intel Pentium 4 640 (first Intel 64-bit family) system with 2GB DDR RAM, 250GB mechanical IDE hard disk, without UEFI, without Secure Boot, without TPM 2.0. Of course it was very slow, but I wanted to see if that's possible. Yes, it was. So anyone with an Intel Core 2 Duo with 2GB RAM or better should not hesitate. If you have a CPU that supports SSE4.2 you can upgrade to 24H2 after the general release in October or November. Any Vista 64-bit or higher driver works in Windows 11 except certain Intel graphics drivers locked by Intel to install only on Windows 7. Don't replace your old PC yet.

spapakons said:

Nonsense,

Click to expand...

Buying a cheap machine, with 8th/9th gen cpu, that is "fully compatible" with Win11, will require no tinkering or time wasting, you can just download iso direct from Microsoft, burn to USB key, "unmodified", and install.

That is not nonsense, that is fact.

Why buy a new one if your current PC can run Windows 11 as fast as Windows 10 64-bit or even Windows 7 64-bit? Unless you need (want) a faster PC of course.

spapakons said:

Why buy a new one if your current PC can run Windows 11 as fast as Windows 10 64-bit or even Windows 7 64-bit? Unless you need (want) a faster PC of course.

Click to expand...

I mentioned nothing about new, and previously said used/cheap.

Buying used 8th/9th gen machine, for < $200 on ebay, is cheapest/easiest way to run Win 11 with no headaches, and look forward to simple upgrade to Win 11/24H2.

I guess it's all about how much time, a person has to waste.

Why waste time? You start downloading the ISO while you can use the computer for your work or play. No need to wait for it to finish. Then you need 10-15 minutes to create a patched USB flash drive with Rufus. Then you are ready to upgrade any time. Just disconnect from the internet and run Setup from the patched USB flash drive to begin. Upgrading this way is no different than upgrading from Windows 7 to 10, for example. Just select the first option (upgrade) and follow on screen instructions.