A Neowin reader, Adam, recently attempted to install Windows 11 version 24H2 on machines with Intel’s sixth and fifth-generation processors, which are officially unsupported by Microsoft. Despite the risks, he successfully installed the operating system using an unmodified image downloaded from the Media Creation Tool app.
Adam’s setup met all the necessary requirements for TPM 2.0, a non-negotiable standard for Windows 11. The installation process went smoothly without any issues or blocking. However, the PC Health Check app reported incompatibility, and disabling TPM 2.0 blocked the installation wizard.
This experiment is not an isolated incident. A similar discovery was made earlier this year with Windows 11 version 23H2 Enterprise. Adam’s attempt using the standard Home SKU adds to the discussion around Microsoft’s hardware requirements for Windows 11.
The situation highlights a potential loophole in Microsoft’s guidelines, and Neowin is investigating further. The company has lowered the requirements for Windows 11 IoT and LTSC, making TPM 2.0 optional. A response from Microsoft is pending, and an update will be provided once more information becomes available.
Source: https://www.neowin.net/news/apparently-you-can-install-windows-11-24h2-on-unsupported-cpu-but-there-is-a-catch