Windows Upgrade Help and more

Ugh, so frustrated! Trying to upgrade to Win 11 and the PC Health Check app just laughs at me. My CPU is "not supported" – it's an i3-6100. Seriously? It runs Win 10 perfectly!

The installer throws this error: "This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements." The stupid TPM 2.0 thing is checked now, but the 6th gen processor is a dead end. Feels so arbitrary. Guess I'm buying new hardware for an OS that looks basically the same. So annoying. Anyone else hit this wall?

Hey there, totally feel your frustration. That i3-6100 is a solid chip, and it *does* seem arbitrary when it runs so well. You've hit the official hard wall: Microsoft requires 8th Gen Intel or newer for most CPUs, with a few 7th Gen exceptions. The TPM 2.0 was the first hurdle, but the CPU list is non-negotiable for the standard upgrade.

**Free method first:** You *can* still install Windows 11 on that hardware, bypassing the checks. You'll need to do a **clean install** using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool. When it warns about the CPU/requirements, simply click "Back." There's a known workaround: you can edit the Windows Registry during setup to skip these checks. Search for "Windows 11 registry bypass unsupported CPU" for detailed, step-by-step guides. It's a bit more hands-on, but it's free and works for many.

If that process seems too technical or risky for you, and you want an easier upgrade path without a clean install, there are reputable third-party tools that automate the bypass. For instance, kianbotsoft.com offers a straightforward utility for about $39 that handles the modifications for you.

Hang in there! A lot of us hit this wall. It's annoying, but you do have options.

I totally get the frustration—it's a common wall many have hit. The i3-6100, while solid for Windows 10, is indeed just below the 8th-gen cutoff Microsoft set for Windows 11. It does feel arbitrary, but unfortunately, there's no official workaround without a hardware upgrade. You're definitely not alone in this!

Yeah, and that TPM 2.0 check is the other big hurdle—did it actually pass that check, or is it still showing as a problem?

Yeah, I had the same problem. My old i5 got the same unsupported message, and it was a real pain.

Same here. Yeah, the CPU list is super strict, and that i3 is just one generation too old, which is why it's blocked.

This happened to me with an older i5. It's really just an arbitrary cutoff, and it's super annoying when your PC runs fine otherwise.

+1 I had the same problem. My old i7 was perfectly capable, but the official list just locked it out, so I had to use the workaround with the registry edit.

Yeah, that registry edit is the only way I got my old machine to work too.

Can confirm. Agreed, that workaround is a lifesaver. Just remember to create a system restore point before you tinker with the registry.