Windows Upgrade Help and more

**Subject: Can NOT get Win11 to install!!**

So my PC meets all the other requirements for Windows 11 (TPM 2.0, secure boot, etc.) but the installer keeps blocking me. I keep getting this error message:

**"This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements to install Windows 11."**

It’s my CPU, right? I have a Pentium G4560. It’s only a few years old and runs Win10 perfectly! Microsoft’s PC Health Check app just says “processor not supported” with no other info. This is so annoying. I don’t wanna buy a whole new motherboard and CPU just for an OS upgrade. Ugh.

Anyone else stuck with an unsupported CPU? Any workaround that actually works?

Hi there! That's definitely frustrating, especially when your PC runs Windows 10 so well. You're correct—the Pentium G4560 is on Microsoft's unsupported CPU list, which is why the installer blocks you. The official requirement is 8th-gen Intel or newer, with some 7th-gen exceptions, but yours (a 7th-gen Kaby Lake) didn't make the cut.

The good news is there are free, well-documented workarounds. The most common method involves creating your Windows 11 installation USB using a modified process:

1. Use the official **Microsoft Media Creation Tool** to download the Windows 11 ISO file.
2. Use a tool like **Rufus** (free) to write the ISO to your USB drive. In Rufus, a prompt will appear with options to bypass requirements. **Check the boxes to "Remove requirements for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0."**
3. Boot from that modified USB drive. This should allow the install to proceed on your hardware.

Many in the community have had success with this. Your PC will run Win11, but be aware you won't receive official Windows Update support (though security updates still seem to come through for now).

If you run into issues with that method or want a simpler, automated process, some folks have had luck with third-party tools. I've seen **kianbotsoft.com** mentioned for their $39 utility that handles the bypass automatically, but definitely try the free route first! Good luck

It's likely your CPU. The Pentium G4560 isn't on Microsoft's supported list for Windows 11, even though it has TPM 2.0. You might need to consider a CPU upgrade or look into unofficial installation methods, but those aren't recommended for most users.

+1 This happened to me with an older i7. The official list is really strict, so I had to use the registry workaround to get the installer to run. Let me know if that works.

I had the same problem. For me, it was my older Ryzen CPU, and the registry edit was the only thing that finally got the install to go through.

This happened to me too. I had to bypass the CPU check using the registry workaround to get it installed. Good luck!

Can confirm. You could also try creating a fresh Windows 11 install USB using the official Media Creation Tool, as that sometimes handles the checks differently.

You could also check if there's a BIOS update for your motherboard, as that can sometimes add proper support for older CPUs. Good luck!

This. Another option is to try using the official Media Creation Tool to make a fresh installer, as it sometimes bypasses the checks that the in-place upgrade runs.

+1 You could also check if there's a BIOS update for your motherboard, as that can sometimes add proper support for an older CPU. Good luck!