I'm trying to install Windows 11 from a bootable USB. The computer has a 64-bit processor, 10 GB of RAM, and about 72 GB free on the C: drive where I want to install it. I changed the boot priority to USB HDD and selected the flash drive from the boot menu. The Windows logo appears briefly, then the computer restarts and repeats the process. If I do nothing, it eventually boots into the existing Windows installation normally. I first created the installer with Rufus, then reformatted the USB and recreated it with Microsoft's official Media Creation Tool, but the same loop continued. I also tried starting the upgrade from within Windows and received a compatibility error. What should I check, and would Rufus help bypass the requirements?
3 Answers
“64-bit processor” alone doesn’t confirm Windows 11 compatibility. You need the exact CPU model, along with TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot support. An older 64-bit processor may still be unsupported. Check the model in System Information or Settings and compare it with Microsoft’s supported CPU list. Also check whether TPM and UEFI/Secure Boot are enabled in firmware.
The 72 GB figure is technically around the minimum disk requirement, but it leaves very little room for updates, temporary installation files, applications, or recovery data. A much larger drive—around 250 GB or more for the system partition—would be a safer choice. If you’re trying to dual-boot, make sure the partition is properly created and backed up before changing anything.
Before assuming Rufus is the fix, verify that the USB was created from an official Windows ISO, try another flash drive, and boot it through the UEFI entry rather than a legacy or CSM entry. If the upgrade attempt reports that the hardware is unsupported, bypassing the checks may allow installation but can lead to unsupported updates and driver problems. Confirm the hardware requirements first and back up important files.
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