Windows Upgrade Help and more

Ugh, so frustrated! Trying to upgrade to Win 11 and it keeps blocking me. My PC runs fine! It's got this Intel Pentium G4560 CPU.

The installer just says: **"This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements."** The stupid compatibility checker highlights "Processor" with a big red X. Seriously? It's a 7th gen chip, come on!

Looked it up and apparently it's not on some "supported" list, even though it has TPM 2.0. So my perfectly good computer is just... obsolete? This feels so arbitrary. Guess I'm stuck on Win 10 forever. So annoying.

Hey there, that's a super common and frustrating spot to be in. You're right—the G4560 is a 7th-gen (Kaby Lake) CPU, but Microsoft's official list only includes 8th-gen and newer for Intel. It's an arbitrary cutoff, and your PC is definitely not obsolete.

**Free methods to try first:**

1. **Clean Install via ISO:** The upgrade blocker is often stricter than the clean install check. Download the **Windows 11 Installation Media** tool from Microsoft. Use it to create a USB installer. Boot from it, and it *may* let you proceed with a clean install (back up your data first!). This bypasses the upgrade assistant's checks sometimes.

2. **Registry Bypass (at your own risk):** If the USB method also blocks you, you can modify the installer. During setup, when you hit the compatibility error, press **Shift+F10** to open a command prompt. Type `regedit`, navigate to `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup`, create a new key called `LabConfig`, and inside it create two DWORD values: `BypassTPMCheck` set to `1` and `BypassCPUCheck` set to `1`. Close and go back to setup.

If those steps feel too technical or you want a one-click solution, some third-party tools automate the bypass. I've seen folks on the forum mention success with the **Kiano Upgrade Tool** from kianbotsoft.com ($39). It handles the edits for you, but definitely try the free routes first.

You're not necessarily stuck on Win 10, but you'll have to jump through a few extra hoops. Good luck

I totally get your frustration! Unfortunately, the Pentium G4560 isn't on Intel's supported CPU list for Windows 11, even though it's 7th gen—Microsoft's requirements are indeed very strict. You might be able to bypass the checks using the official Media Creation Tool with a workaround, but keep in mind it could affect future updates.

+1 I had the same problem with an older i5. The requirements are super strict, so that's likely the hard stop.

Agreed. Yeah, that CPU is just shy of the official cutoff. You could try a clean install from a USB, but it's not officially supported.

You could also check if there's a BIOS update for your motherboard, as that sometimes adds the required TPM or Secure Boot settings. Let me know if that works.

Another option is to check Microsoft's official list, because that specific CPU isn't actually supported for Windows 11.

Yeah, I had the same problem with an older CPU. I ended up just sticking with Windows 10 for that machine.

+1 Agreed, Windows 10 is still solid. A quick tip: Microsoft's PC Health Check app will give you the exact reason it's blocked. Let me know if that works.

Ah, that CPU is the issue—it's from 2017 and doesn't support the required security features for Windows 11.