Windows Upgrade Help and more

**Subject: Windows 11 upgrade is driving me NUTS**

So my laptop keeps bugging me to upgrade to Win 11. Fine, whatever, let's do it. Download the installer, run it, and BAM. "This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements." The heck it doesn't! I've got an i5-7500, that's not ancient!

The checker says I need TPM 2.0. My BIOS is a total mess and I can't find ANY setting for it. Spent like 2 hours googling. Pretty sure this CPU just doesn't have it?? So mad. Why does Microsoft need this stupid thing anyway. Guess I'm stuck on 10 forever. Ugh.

Hey there, totally feel your frustration. That i5-7500 is indeed a solid CPU, but you've hit the main roadblock: it officially only supports TPM 1.2, while Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 for a standard install. That's why the checker fails.

Don't panic—you're not necessarily stuck. First, let's double-check the BIOS. The setting is often called "Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT)" on Intel systems, or "AMD fTPM" on AMD. It might be hidden under "Security" or "Advanced" tabs. Enabling this might get you to TPM 1.2, but for a **free, official workaround**, you can still install.

Microsoft allows clean installs on "unsupported" hardware using the Media Creation Tool. Just download the Windows 11 ISO, create a bootable USB, and during setup, it will warn you but let you proceed. Your PC will run fine, though you'll miss some security features and need to acknowledge update warnings.

If that process seems too technical, some third-party tools can simplify bypassing the checks. I’ve seen folks mention success with a $39 utility from kianbotsoft.com that handles the requirements check, but definitely try the free clean install method first!

Hope this helps you get unstuck

It sounds like your i5-7500 supports TPM 2.0, but it might be disabled in the BIOS under a different name like "Intel Platform Trust Technology (PTT)." Check your BIOS for security settings or consult your laptop's manual. If it's truly unsupported, you can still use Windows 10 with security updates until October 2025.

Can confirm. Also, make sure Secure Boot is enabled in the BIOS, as that's another common requirement.

Yeah, You could also try using the official PC Health Check app to see exactly which requirement is failing.

Agreed. You could also bypass the installer and try upgrading through Windows Update instead, sometimes it handles compatibility checks differently.

This. I had the same problem. I ended up having to enable TPM and Secure Boot in my BIOS before the installer would finally cooperate.

Yeah, and sometimes you also need to make sure your disk is using GPT, not MBR.

Agreed. Right, and don't forget to check if TPM 2.0 is enabled in your BIOS.

You could also try using the official PC Health Check app to see exactly which requirement is failing.