Windows 11 lets me install without any problems?

Hey, I pass every single requirement of windows 11. TPM 2.0, 16 gigs, Secure boot, EXCEPT the cpu, which is a i7-6700k intel 4.00ghz. and when i run setup without doing anything else, it lets me install and keep every file i have. I am on windows 10 22h2, and I am using the latest iso for windows 11. Why??? I am not using any 3rd party tools!

Hello @AGoodMan892 and welcome to ElevenForum.


I guess it depends on how you "created" the bootable install media.
If you used RUFUS... it has built in bypasses for some of the Windows 11 requirements.

If you just used the Microsoft tool to create the install media, they may have changed how that works.
They may have... decided that they'd have the tool allow 6700K CPUs, even though it hasn't been added to the "allowed" list?

It's getting hard to tell these days...

Over time I have seen comments about Microsoft lowering the CPU requirement but undocumented. Perhaps it might be true. I'll have to try on a few older systems I've got hanging around.

BamaInArk said:

Over time I have seen comments about Microsoft lowing the CPU requirement but undocumented. Perhaps it might be true.

Click to expand...

I would love to see someone here document that change. If it turned out to be true, a lot of us on this forum who are running 11 on systems that are "non-compliant" could stop being concerned about the possibility that MS will stop allowing updates on "unsupported" devices.

I pulled out a slightly older Dell Optiplex 3040 I have and currently running Win10. This system, like the OPs, satisfies every Win11 requirement except the cpu. It's an i5-6500. I connected a spare SSD I have and Win11(23H2) installed without balking. The only thing I did for install was to use the bypass without internet to get it installed first...then connect and let it update via MS Update, which it's doing now.

So we might can assume MS has backed off at least the cpu requirements somewhat. I'll have to try on some Xeon processors I have.

I just downloaded the ISO from Microsoft directly and left it untouched. I then mounted it and ran the setup. It let me install without the error message! I didn't actually upgrade though, PC health check says its unsupported. But ISO DOES let me install Windows 11 with no errors.
The PC health check shows unsupported, but ISO lets me install, which means Microsoft requirements for only 7th gen or higher are complete BS.

I'm a little surprised. You get no "unsupported hardware" watermark in the lower right corner of the display?

I have 11 on a laptop that meets all the requirements, save that it has a Gen6 Intel CPU. However, 11 was installed over 10 as an upgrade. I used the Registry key officially provided by Microsoft (for developers), and the installer identified the hardware as unsupported and asked me if I wished to proceed anyway. On subsequent upgrade installs, I get the unsupported hardware watermark. (Which I get rid of using another reg key.)

@bobkn

That's interesting. I have never once seen that watermark on my non-compliant (CPU generation only) PC, but maybe that's because I used the appraiserres.dll-substitution method to move from 10 to 11 back shortly after 11 was first released, and for every re-install thereafter.

Wisewiz said:

@bobkn

That's interesting. I have never once seen that watermark on my non-compliant (CPU generation only) PC, but maybe that's because I used the appraiserres.dll-substitution method to move from 10 to 11 back shortly after 11 was first released, and for every re-install thereafter.

Click to expand...

I've never used a modified installer.

I have done far too much messing around with beta, RP, and release versions.

I didn't install windows 11 yet.

AGoodMan892 said:

I didn't install windows 11 yet.

Click to expand...

Then how do you know "ISO DOES let me install Windows 11 with no errors?" There are (were?) hidden traps during the installation process that will balk the process before you get to the 11 desktop, unless you disconnect from the Net.

I quit the setup halfway through because i dont wanna break my computer possibly

At the risk of stating the obvious, all you have to do is image your OS drive and then proceed with the installation. If you’re unhappy with the result, restore the image and you’re good to go again.