RAYMOND OGLESBY @RaymondOglesby2
October 12, 2021
Based on reading other blog posts and websites, we recommend you wait to upgrade. Microsoft even seems to be reluctant about this upgrade. Why else would they offer a 10 day rollback to Windows 10? One thing it does is allow you to try out the upgrade.
Windows 11 arrived on October 5, 2021. Unlike the big Windows 10 upgrade offer that felt impossible to avoid, Microsoft is recommending many PC owners not to upgrade.
This is for devices running Windows 10 and 11
How the Upgrade Will Work
Windows 11 will be a free upgrade for PCs running Windows 10, just as Windows 10 was a free upgrade for PCs running Windows 7 and Windows 8.
However, this time, Windows 11 is not designed for all those PCs. Windows 11 officially supports only very recent hardware. In addition to requiring TPM 2.0 and UFFI with Secure Boot, Windows 11 only supports certain recent CPUs.
Specifically, PCs with Intel processors must have an Intel 8th generation or newer processor. AMD PCs must be running at least AMD Zen 2. ARM PCs must have Qualcomm 7 or 8 Series hardware.
Microsoft refuses to explain exactly why only certain CPUs are supported.
Can your PC Run Windows 11
Not sure what hardware your PC has and whether it will support Windows 11? Microsoft offers an official PC Health Check app (yes the app is back) that will tell you whether your PC can officially run Windows 11. If not, the PC Health Check will tell you what the problem is. First, to check on your PC, download the PC Health Check app and scroll down to the bottom, then click on the download button. Refer to below image:
Next, after the download, click on the .msi file to install. Once installed, click the big blue Check now button. See below image:
Now, the app will tell you whether your PC can officially run Windows 11. See following image:
However, the tool will not tell you the full story. Even if your PC can run Windows 11, you might not want to upgrade yet. And, even if your PC does not officially support Windows 11, you can upgrade anyway.
If Your PC Does Supports the Upgrade
Next, if Windows 11 officially supports your PC and you are not too worried about any missing options or potential bugs, feel free to upgrade. Refer to below image:
For example, Windows 11’s Taskbar is missing some features that were found in Windows 10’s. Windows 11’s Taskbar is glued to the bottom of your screen, and you can not drag and drop files and other items to Taskbar icons, as you could on Windows 10.
If Your PC Does Not Support the Upgrade
Now, if Windows 11 does not officially support your PC, you have a more difficult decision to make. Microsoft recommends against installing Windows 11 on computers that have older CPUs it does not officially support. We would also recommend against installing Windows 11 on these PCs.
Sure, it may work, but you may encounter bugs; and Microsoft says it will not guarantee security updates will be available in the future. After all, Windows 10 will be officially supported until late 2025.
So that’s our official recommendation: Do not do it, particularly if you use your PC for work or other critical tasks and you just need it to work. See below image where the processor is outdated:
However, if you really want to get your hands on Windows 11 on a PC that is not officially supported, feel free to install the upgrade anyway. Just know what you are getting into. That’s why Microsoft makes you agree to a waiver full of legalese before you install Windows 11 on such a PC.
Try It For 10 Days
Next, if you are on the fence about Windows 11, you can give it a try. For the first 10 days after you upgrade, you will have the option to downgrade back to Windows 10.
It will be at;
Settings > System > Recovery > Go Back
under Recovery options. If the option is grayed out, it’s no longer available. See following image:
After 10 days, the option to downgrade will silently vanish as Windows 11 will delete your old Windows 10 files from your system drive to free up space.
You can still downgrade a PC running Windows 11 back to Windows 10. However, you will have to perform a full reinstall of Windows 10, so you will have to reinstall all your applications and set everything up from scratch.
Quote For the Day
Design is a funny word. Some people think design means how it looks. But of course, if you dig deeper, it’s really how it works.
Steve Jobs
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