Microsoft Finally Blocking Unsupported Windows 11?

[Judge]

Some European sources seem to imply that Microsoft may finally be incorporating software updates to thwart the use of hacks in allowing Windows 11 to run on unsupported PCs. If this is the case, we may see quite an increase in those reluctantly switching over to Linux for a simple reason. -Because they can.

Oddly enough I was just beginning to contemplate doing the hacks so I could run an upgrade to Windows 11 just for the heck of it. Now....I think I'll just either put away my Windows 10 SSD or overwrite it with another Linux distribution. Disappointing, but not surprising. At this point in time I'm not even using Windows 10 anymore for any reason.

And if you feel you're stuck having to use Windows with a newer computer, my advice would be to wait for Windows 12.

 

[Tony Ramirez]

That's why I finally switched over to macos when my four year old gaming pc was unsupported to run Windows 11. I switched when I got the new MacBook Air 15. I find I don't game much except for emulators and most mainstream emulators like Dolphin and Retroarch work on the Mac. I also found many of my apps have Mac versions and the ones that did not like media player classic I found alternatives.

 

[MildredHubble]

The requirements for windows 11 are so counterproductive in my opinion. MacOS is starting to integrate the TPM chips more in the most recent releases of MacOS which is starting to elbow out older Intel Macs like mine that can run more recent versions of MacOS with a little help from OpenCore.

I just think MS is dumb for insisting on silly unnecessary "security" devices to run their OS. Just give us a splash screen that says "Oh Hai! Your PC does not have a built in TPM2 chip. You can still install and run windows but your experience may be less secure. Click here for further information..."

I just think some priorities are out of order when you have a machine that can chew through windows tasks without breaking a sweat but for some arbitrary reason they made machines potentially released 6 months ago "incompatible".

Let's be honest, unless you are a "power user" rendering 8K 3D cinema masters or gaming at 4K with a steadfast insistence on 120fps minimum, the PC you bought 10 years ago can do everything you want and still have enough clock cycles left over to manage the national grid.

The technology was more advanced 15 years ago than anyone could ever reasonably need for when it came general computing tasks. It's only been increasing too. That's why intel could release tiny incremental CPU speed increases for over a decade. We just don't need computers with the sort of power we have available. It's like using a 1000 ton press to crack a peanut.

This is partially why websites have been becoming increasingly more sophisticated and cluttered with an obnoxious number of hi-res videos and "multimedia" nonsense, simply to bring you perfectly capable device to a crawl.

I use a raspberry Pi set up with PiHole to filter out most adverts and websites are darned quick to load and even ancient devices run like greased lightning.

There is no need for Microsoft to do what they are doing with windows. Sorry end of unexpected rant lol!

 

[Judge]

Frankly I get the impression that all these hardware demands for Windows 11 were really intended as just a selling point to shareholders and PC vendors. As if it was some iron-clad guarantee that everyone and his mother would not only flock to Microsoft, but to bolster sagging PC and CPU sales.

Linux seems indifferent about TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot functions on motherboards. Works for me.

 

[Judge]

That's why I finally switched over to macos when my four year old gaming pc was unsupported to run Windows 11. I switched when I got the new MacBook Air 15. I find I don't game much except for emulators and most mainstream emulators like Dolphin and Retroarch work on the Mac. I also found many of my apps have Mac versions and the ones that did not like media player classic I found alternatives.

Four years old? That's awful....I mean my system is over ten years old with a third-generation processor. But this system still runs quite well and is relatively robust. To simply discard it on account of Microsoft's demands for their new, but inferior operation system is outrageous.

Kudos to them though, for pushing me to discover Linux. For that I'll always be grateful.

 

[MildredHubble]

My desktop PC/Hackintosh runs on a 4th gen i5. I really only used that machine to run steam after I got my iMac, which is chugging along with a 4th gen i3! I've never saturated the CPU even on my Mac when running some pretty ambitious Reason (digital audio workstation application) productions. Not even a slight hiccup.

The only thing that makes it less than smooth is the mechanical hard disk. An SSD would eradicate that. It doesn't glitch or anything, it just approaches a point where it might when jogging through a project (as indicated on the performance meter).

The i3 performs basically as well as the i5, it just doesn't have a turbo mode. In real terms you simply can't perceive a difference. So my PC rarely gets used since I went on a bit of a gaming hiatus the last couple of years.

If Microsoft insists on it's silly requirements and MacOS can't be persuaded to run on my machines any longer, I guess I'm going to hop on over to Linux full time.

I guess capitalism is the problem here. Just imagine what the human race could achieve if all those unused clock cycles and gigaFLOPS were going towards something useful rather than sitting idle in people's bedrooms and studies while they watch cats play piano on TikTok!

 

[Outdated]

Frankly I get the impression that all these hardware demands for Windows 11 were really intended as just a selling point to shareholders and PC vendors.

That's pretty much exactly how it works and they keep recycling the same pattern every few years. That's how we ended up with TPM and Secure Boot in the first place, both of which are completely irrelevant to a genuine Linux system.

Linux never allowed anything to interfere with your bios in the first place. As for Windows, it's a way of trying to make people feel more secure without actually closing up the deliberate security holes in their operating systems. If they did that they wouldn't be able to get the same level of marketing data any more.

Consider how many computers around the world are running Windows. So the data they collect is incredibly accurate from a truly massive sample set and therefore is worth an incredible amount of money. Microsoft will never fix these security issues, not in their standard operating systems or in their server software.

It really surprised me when I found out just how much the US Navy has contributed to security features in Linux, including the LUKS encryption methods. They don't trust Microsoft either.

 

[Judge]

That's pretty much exactly how it works and they keep recycling the same pattern every few years. That's how we ended up with TPM and Secure Boot in the first place, both of which are completely irrelevant to a genuine Linux system.

Linux never allowed anything to interfere with your bios in the first place. As for Windows, it's a way of trying to make people feel more secure without actually closing up the deliberate security holes in their operating systems. If they did that they wouldn't be able to get the same level of marketing data any more.

Consider how many computers around the world are running Windows. So the data they collect is incredibly accurate from a truly massive sample set and therefore is worth an incredible amount of money. Microsoft will never fix these security issues, not in their standard operating systems or in their server software.

It really surprised me when I found out just how much the US Navy has contributed to security features in Linux, including the LUKS encryption methods. They don't trust Microsoft either.

Yeah. At some point I kind of just had it with Microsoft's telemetry. Got tired of sitting at my workstation watching my hard drive lights go crazy when I wasn't doing anything. That's when I began to use Glary Utilities 5.0 to purge everything I do so I could limit all the data they were stealing from me every time I turned on my computer.

But with Linux, so far the only telemetry I need to elect not to provide has to do with Mozilla.

 

[Outdated]

But with Linux, so far the only telemetry I need to elect not to provide has to do with Mozilla.

I've been pushing and pushing for my government to switch to Linux for years now, if private companies want to use insecure operating systems then they deserve all the problems they end up with but we expect governments to behave in a much more responsible manner.

I know that the Australian Federal Police and a few of our other security departments use Linux for both servers and operating systems just like in the US, but how much sensitive data is held by health and education departments? Or by the department of correctional services?

They don't want to change over because it would temporarily put more strain on our public servants? Not good enough.

 

[Misery]

Okay, so, someone educate me here: What's all this with the Win 11 OS requirements?

Like, I keep hearing about that, but the subject passed me by, so I've no idea what's going on with it.

I have 11 myself, and it's just sorta there, and that's been my extent of interaction with it.

 

[Slime_Punk]

Yeah, I also didn't know you could circumvent any of this. Now that they called attention to it, I'm curious

 

[Tony Ramirez]

My processor was one generation too old and it had no TPU requirements so it could not run Windows 11. I was annoyed it was forever stuck on Windows 10. I would not use Linux. I hate the command line and Linux is heavily command line focused. Also there are not many apps I use that are for Linux. Better to cut my losses and switch to macos which I find, easier and more stable than windows.

 

[MildredHubble]

Okay, so, someone educate me here: What's all this with the Win 11 OS requirements?

Like, I keep hearing about that, but the subject passed me by, so I've no idea what's going on with it.

I have 11 myself, and it's just sorta there, and that's been my extent of interaction with it.

Windows 11 will refuse to install on any system that doesn't have a very recent generation of CPU installed, along with a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 chip on the motherboard. However there are, or at least have been work arounds.

The OS will install and run happily on very old machines just fine when you side step the "requirements". But it has always been the case that Microsoft could break your windows 11 install with an update and you'd be out of luck since you were "running on an unsupported system". Basically the requirements are artificial. I think you'd have to run at least a 9th gen Intel CPU and have a TPM 2.0 module to meet the requirements.

The thing that is really ridiculous is that some PC manufacturers are using up their stocks of older generation CPUs, and people who buy those brand new systems are going to find that they can't install the latest windows version unless they know the hacks to get it installed. Even then MS could nuke their installation by being pedantic about the hardware.

 

[Suzanne]

I tried windows 11 and hated it and thankfully could revert back to windows 10 and so far, no issues.

 

[Judge]

Okay, so, someone educate me here: What's all this with the Win 11 OS requirements?

Like, I keep hearing about that, but the subject passed me by, so I've no idea what's going on with it.

I have 11 myself, and it's just sorta there, and that's been my extent of interaction with it.

If your system already has Windows 11 installed, it just means your computer has the three necessary considerations:

1) Secure Boot capability in your computer's motherboard BIOS

2) TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) hardware on the motherboard

3) A 9th generation CPU is required

Up to now there are any number of third parties who have provided less-than-foolproof methods of circumventing it all, with the following caveat: That it's possible that Microsoft would eventually incorporate to their updates the means to stop such registry hacks. And that it appears that some believe it's already starting to happen.

None of these requirements pertain to any other operating system that I know of. It all remains nothing but a cruel stunt by Microsoft to encourage PC sales (even when they aren't necessary) and further establish Windows as a monopoly in terms of consumer level computer operating systems.

A stunt that for some has backfired for Microsoft, for instead of succumbing to their corporate will, they have opted to embrace Linux distributions, Chrome or gravitate to Apple.

It ultimately doesn't surprise me though. After all, Microsoft has always operated as a classic model of corporate proprietary reasoning, as has its competitor Apple. To refrain from giving their customers any real sense of choice about much of anything. And to force them to always come back to them, no matter how badly they mess up every other incarnation of Microsoft Windows. They don't want to be the biggest bully on the block, but to be the only bully on the block. On a playing field which frankly offers better products than theirs. Even though they'll never admit as such.

And perhaps worst of all to discover Windows 11 to be just another less-than-average version of Windows, which is oddly the case for every other version they create. Where Windows 12 may be just around the corner to spare Microsoft further embarrassment.

Nearly two years later, I must say that I adore Linux. It runs better, looks better and is considerably more secure in comparison. And it isn't forever spying on me as does Windows. It wasn't an easy transition with such an old computer, but it was worth the effort. No question!

Thanks to those of you who continued to encourage me in this transition.

 

[Judge]

I hate the command line and Linux is heavily command line focused.

That's not entirely true. You can install an OS like Mint 21.1 without using the terminal at all.

Once I got Linux Mint and Pop!OS running, I now seldom use the terminal to execute command line functions. Though it came in quite handy in fixing problems relative to what the log files showed, apart from getting sound to work from old hardware and software through my external speakers. Tweaking and trouble-shooting, but once you get past that there's little need to use a command line.

But I didn't do it by mastering any languages like "bash" used at the terminal's command line. I simply copied and pasted whatever was explicitly required to make something happen. LOL...that's all!

- Seriously....though when you do use the terminal, as with all command line functions, syntax counts.

You don't have to become a computer programmer to execute command line functions. You just have to be able to explicitly follow directions, and be able to find the answers you're looking for if and when something doesn't work properly. Keeping in mind that not all fixes even require use of the terminal and its command line.

MacOS is a good alternative, except that you are still stuck with corporate proprietary thinking, compounded by absolutely unreasonable, even criminal pricing based on a perception of a cult following who will pay anything for their products. And frankly a number of developers feel that Linux surpassed MacOS some time back.

 

[MildredHubble]

Where Windows 12 may be just around the corner to spare Microsoft further embarrassment.

I have a feeling that windows 12 will likely drop the asinine system requirements too. A bit like with windows 8 when they stuck to the stupid metro interface and hobbled start menu, then reintroduced the start menu in Windows 10.

 

[Judge]

I have a feeling that windows 12 will likely drop the asinine system requirements too. A bit like with windows 8 when they stuck to the stupid metro interface and hobbled start menu, then reintroduced the start menu in Windows 10.

Hard to say. That would be the prudent thing to do, but generally all shareholders want to hear on a quarterly basis are what plans are being executed to generate revenue, rather than only damage control to consumers.

They may also offset all their errors by claiming the miracles of AI as another marketing gimmick. Worthy of charging more without any apologies of Windows 11.

Funny to think that since Windows XP I've been using methods and software to emulate a Windows 98SE menu system. Even on Windows 10, I was using "Open Shell" to accomplish this. Just to keep my menus simple and easily accessible. With Linux Mint I use a custom menu system as well- "Cinnamenu". Simple to navigate without wasting any time hunting for things. Better and more customizable than Windows 11.

Windows ME, Windows Vista, Windows 11....and so on. Oops! Their bad.

 

[MildredHubble]

Hard to say. That would be the prudent thing to do, but generally all shareholders want to hear on a quarterly basis are what plans are being executed to generate revenue, rather than damage control to consumers.

They may also offset all their errors by claiming the miracles of AI as another marketing gimmick. Worthy of charging more without any apologies of Windows 11.

They certainly didn't want to climb down from the UI disaster that was windows 8. They could have easily patched it. But when windows 10 was announced everyone made such a big deal about the huge advancement that was the start menu and more traditional windows UI. Like it was a new innovation or something

I think you may be right about the AI thing though. When I logged into windows 10 on my MacBook and had to search something up on the internet, I realised that I only have the Edge browser installed. "No big deal" I thought since I just needed to find the software for my flash programmer. I typed in my search as usual, and a page of results followed. I went to click on the link I needed, then.... The whole page changes before I could click with loads of stuff about Chat GPT and Bing.

The search results all vanished and instead there's a chat bot blabbing on about my search. Worst of all, the way back to the search results was not obvious at all! So MS hijacked my browser and tried to force me to use a really inefficient Chat GPT interface!

Since I rarely use windows I keep running into this, I really need to remember to install Firefox next time I boot into windows!

 

[Judge]

Microsoft is bad enough in being a champion of proprietary, mediocre operating systems. And every bit as invasive towards their customers as is Google. All compounded by their sense of what "artificial intelligence" will or should be.

I find this so objectionable that I want no part of it. No secret that all developers will gravitate to AI, but I'd just prefer not to be involved with Microsoft in this particular instance.

Then again imagine had the Germans successfully created an atomic bomb. Uh-huh....