Hey everyone! I recently got my brother's old gaming PC from 2017, which he built and has always run Linux. I want to know how I can check if it's compatible with Windows 11 before I spend money on a license. It looks like it meets the official system requirements, but I've heard that some systems that qualify still might not be fully compatible. For instance, my laptop meets the specs but can't upgrade due to some unspecified issues. Any advice would really help!
4 Answers
First things first, check if your motherboard has a TPM device slot or if there's a setting in the BIOS to enable TPM 2.0. Since it's a 2017 model, it might lack this, and that could be the problem. If you have a Windows 10 key, consider installing it first and running the PC Health Check tool to verify compatibility for Windows 11. If you share the CPU and motherboard info, we can help you out even more!
You can totally download Windows and try it out for free during a trial period. Microsoft offers a direct link for a 30-day trial, which is pretty handy if you want to check compatibility without committing to a purchase right away. Just remember, while there isn't a full trial version of Windows, you do get that grace period before it requires activation.
Perfect, thank you!
Actually, you don't need a key just to install and test Windows 11. It's free to try out! Just ensure your BIOS is updated, and that TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are enabled before you proceed. If it works, you can just buy a license later if you choose to keep it.
If you have some time, just go ahead and install Windows 11 on your machine. It'll let you know if it doesn’t support your PC. If it works, you'll just need to activate it with a new key later on. There are also ways to bypass the requirements if you dig into it, like using tools available online.
Perfect. Thank you!