Windows 11 is going to be the new software sensation for the next few months. Although we can start installing the first builds in a few days after the announcement, the stable version will not arrive until October or November. And even when the day comes, you may not be able to install the new version if your computer is a few years old.
One of the advantages offered by Microsoft operating systems is that they are compatible with all types of hardware. With Windows 10, in fact, we can perform installations on computers that are more than 15 years old. However, Windows 11 may cause more of a headache on computers that work perfectly with Windows 10.
TPM 2.0 and Securte Boot, mandatory in Windows 11?
Installing the leaked build of Windows 11 in a virtual machine is quite simple, since programs like VirtualBox offer compatibility with all kinds of standards. However, there are many computers that have not been able to install this filtered operating system.
When installing Windows 11, an error may appear because our computer does not meet any of the four minimum requirements required by the system. These requirements are:
- 2-core or higher processor
- That the drive where the system is to be installed has at least 64 GB of storage or more.
- That the computer supports TPM 2.0 .
- That the computer supports Secure Boot .
- That the system RAM is 4 GB or more (there will only be a 64-bit version)
Many cheap tablets and computers now have 32GB of internal memory, so these models will have to somehow upgrade to higher capacity memory, either through internal drives or external via microSD cards or external SSDs. RAM is a requirement that we already found in Windows 10 64-bit, so there are no changes there.
However, cold sweats come with the other two requirements. The first Secure Boot , a feature that was introduced with Windows 8 in 2013 , and that all computers compatible with the operating system were required to include. This feature aims to verify the integrity of the operating system boot before loading it, thus preventing malware from being installed on it and running in layers closer to the hardware that escape antivirus protection.
Limitations may be for OEMs only
The TPM 2.0 requirement is one that not all computers will necessarily meet. TPM 2.0, next to Trusted Platform Module , is a secure coprocessor that stores encryption keys to protect information. It is currently included in the chipset of motherboards, even though it works in conjunction with the CPU. This chip stores, for example, the secure keys used by Windows biometric verification, such as the fingerprint reader or the webcam with Windows Hello.
To check if our computer is compatible with TPM 2.0, we have to go to the start menu and write tpm.msc to open the TPM module . There, it will appear to us at the bottom right if our computer is compatible or not, for which we have to have the function activated in the computer’s UEFI.
These limitations, however, may apply only to OEM computer manufacturers , and may not apply to those who assemble computers in parts. If so, the leaked build would belong to a manufacturer that has had early access to adapt its drivers to the new system.
And it would not make much sense to introduce this limitation to all users, since that would imply that any computer prior to 2016 would be left without update support in October 2025 , when Microsoft stops updating Windows 10. We will have to wait until the 24th to confirm it, although there are already modified builds of the Windows 11 leak that already bypass this limitation.