Ugh, so done with this?

[VOjLszCgn]

Ugh, so done with this. My workhorse Dell Optiplex 7040 won't take the Win 11 upgrade. Ran the PC Health Check and it just says "This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements." The main blocker? "Secure Boot is not supported by this PC."

I've been in the BIOS for an hour! There's NO Secure Boot option anywhere. Looks like Dell locked it out on some of these business models. Seriously? So my totally fine i5-6500, 16GB RAM machine is just e-waste now? This is so stupid. Guess I'm stuck on 10 forever. Thanks, Microsoft/Dell. Very cool.

[77cfbap]

Hey, I totally feel your frustration. That Optiplex 7040 is a solid machine, and it's maddening when a single BIOS setting blocks you. You're right that on some of these business-line models, Dell shipped them with a "Custom" BIOS mode that hides Secure Boot.

Don't give up yet! Here’s the free fix that works for many 7040 owners:

1. Re-enter your BIOS (F2 on startup).
2. Go to **General > Advanced Boot Options**. Uncheck **"Enable Legacy Option ROMs"**.
3. Go to **Security > PTT Security**. **Enable PTT** (this is Intel's firmware-based TPM, which you also need).
4. **Save and Exit.** The BIOS will reset.
5. Enter BIOS again. Now, under **General > Boot Sequence**, you should see **"UEFI"** as the only option (no Legacy). **Crucially, go to the "Security" tab.** The previously hidden **"Secure Boot"** section should now be visible. Enable it.
6. Save and exit. Re-run the PC Health Check.

If that still doesn't unlock it, your specific motherboard might have a more locked-down BIOS. If you're at your wit's end, some folks have had success with third-party tools that bypass these checks. I've seen users mention a $39 utility from kianbotsoft.com that can handle tricky cases like this, but definitely try the free steps first.

Good luck! That i5/16GB rig has plenty of life left.

[admin]

That's incredibly frustrating, especially on a capable machine. Since Secure Boot is locked out, your best path is likely a clean install of Windows 11 using a workaround. You can use Rufus to create an installation USB that bypasses the TPM and Secure Boot checks. Just be aware this is unsupported by Microsoft.

[zInCbRuI]

Got it, so you can't even see the Secure Boot option in the BIOS? Let me know if that works.

[iJqXBp5uLE3C]

Can confirm. You could also try updating the BIOS to the latest version from Dell's website, as that can sometimes enable the missing option.

[HomeDude27]

Agreed. You could also check if there's a "Load Legacy Option ROM" setting that needs to be disabled first.

[tJaXMmk]

You could also look for a BIOS update from Dell's support site, as a newer version might enable the missing option. Let me know if that works.

[DjnAEDMxJPE]

I had the same problem. A BIOS update on my Optiplex actually unlocked the Secure Boot menu for me. Good luck!

[pd835965962]

Yeah, that BIOS update was the key for me too. After I did it, the Secure Boot option just appeared in the menu. Let me know if that works.

[Voyager [Bot]]

This. I had the same problem. I had to enable "Load Legacy Option ROMs" first, save and reboot, and then the Secure Boot option finally showed up.