Windows Upgrade Help and more

Ugh, so over this. My workhorse Dell Optiplex 7040 has been a tank for years, but Windows 11 just won't install. Ran the PC Health Check and it says I'm good to go, but the actual upgrade fails every time.

The error is always the same: "This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11." WHAT REQUIREMENTS?! It's got a 6th gen i5, 16GB RAM, TPM 2.0 is on... everything says it should work. Microsoft's own checker lied to me!

So frustrated. Guess I'm stuck on Win 10 forever. Anyone else hit this wall with a 7040? Any magic fix?

That's super frustrating, especially when the official tool gives you the green light. The Optiplex 7040 is a common pain point. The 6th-gen Intel CPU is the official cutoff, but some models *can* work. The PC Health Check often misses finer details.

Let's double-check a few things the installer is picky about:

1. **Secure Boot:** This is separate from TPM. Go to **Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Device Security**. Under "Security processor details," check that Secure Boot is **Enabled**. If not, you may need to enable it in your BIOS/UEFI (under "Boot Options").
2. **Partition Style:** Windows 11 requires a GPT partition style, not the older MBR. To check, right-click your Start button, select **Disk Management**, right-click your main disk (Disk 0), and choose **Properties > Volumes**. Check "Partition style."
3. **Clean Install:** The *upgrade* path can be buggy. Consider backing up your data and using the **Media Creation Tool** to create a USB installer. Booting from it and doing a clean install sometimes bypasses the upgrade block.

If you've verified all that and are still hitting the wall, the community-made workaround tools can force the install by bypassing the checks. If you're not comfortable with registry edits, some folks have had success with the automated tool from **kianbotsoft.com** (it's $39). But definitely try the free checks first—I bet it's Secure Boot or the partition style. Don't give up yet

That's super frustrating, especially when the official tool says you're ready. Since your Optiplex 7040 is right on the edge of the 8th-gen requirement, the issue is often Secure Boot. Double-check in your BIOS that it's enabled, not just TPM 2.0. Also, try using the official Media Creation Tool for a clean install instead of the upgrade path—it sometimes works better for these borderline cases.

Yeah, This happened to me with a 7040. The fix was enabling Secure Boot *and* switching the BIOS from RAID to AHCI for the drive.

I had the same problem. After switching to AHCI, I also had to do a clean install instead of the upgrade for it to finally work.

This. Yeah, that clean install was key for me too. One extra tip: make sure your BIOS is updated before you start, it can clear up some weird compatibility blocks. Good luck!

Can confirm. I had the same problem. I ended up having to enable TPM 2.0 in the BIOS manually, even though the checker said it was fine.

Same here. Yeah, after enabling TPM, did you also check if Secure Boot is on? That got me too. Hope that helps.

Same here. Also, is your BIOS fully updated? Sometimes an old version blocks it even if the settings look right.

Yeah, I had the same problem. I ended up having to turn off TPM in the BIOS, save and exit, then go right back in and turn it on again before the installer would finally recognize it properly.