Microsoft has been receiving much flak lately for its new operating system, Windows 11, which was launched on October 5, 2021. Not all can install this new OS because Microsoft demands some hardware parts to install it, like enabling TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.
The majority of PC owners with PCs launched in 2018 or before are affected. Not due to TPM 2.0 problems (since TPM 2.0 is present in most of the PCs and laptops manufactured from 2015 to 2017), but their processors don’t meet the specifications needed. Earlier, Microsoft had offered a workaround for those users who couldn’t install Windows 11.
The workaround could be used to circumvent the blockades in case their computer was equipped with TPM 1.2 or later, something Microsoft defined as the bare minimum. Microsoft has now permanently withdrawn the workaround from its site. It can still be accessed through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
Without the official workaround, users are no longer able to use Microsoft’s approved method of skirting the rules. Instead, it seems that users are being pushed towards buying new hardware that is up to spec. While it is still technically possible to work around the restrictions and install Windows 11, the process is not advised as it risks causing compatibility problems and leading to lack of support on unsupported hardware.
