Windows 11: PC doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements

In this blog post, we will explore the steps to fix the error message “PC doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements” that appears when attempting to install or upgrade to Windows 11.

First, check if TPM can be upgraded on your laptop from TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0. If your laptop is not compatible with TPM 2.0 and does not meet CPU requirements, you can create a registry entry to bypass these requirements.

What are the Requirements for Installation or Upgrade to Windows 11?

Please note the following requirements before starting the installation/upgrade to Windows 11:

Processor	1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC).
RAM	4 gigabyte (GB).
Storage	64 GB or larger storage device Note: See below under “More information on storage space to keep Windows 11 up-to-date” for more details.
System firmware	UEFI, Secure Boot capable. Check here for information on how your PC might be able to meet this requirement.
TPM	Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0. Check here for instructions on how your PC might be enabled to meet this requirement.
Graphics card	Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver.
Display	High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per colour channel.
Source: Microsoft

Step 1 – Download and Install PC Health Check App

To check if you meet all the requirements for Windows 11 installation, download and install the PC Health Check App, then click on the “Check now” button. If you meet all the requirements, you can proceed with the upgrade process.

However, as we are aware that various systems may not meet the CPU or TPM requirements, you can follow the steps provided in the next sections of this article to bypass these requirements.

Additionally, if your laptop has TPM 1.2 and is compatible with TPM 2.0, you can upgrade it using BIOS security settings. Please refer to the next section for instructions on how to perform the upgrade. If Secure Boot is disabled on your system, it is recommended to enable it through the BIOS settings.

Step 2 – Upgrade From TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0 and Enable Secure Boot

For upgrading from TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0, first ensure that your laptop is compatible with TPM 2.0. For more information about the Trusted Module Platform (TPM), refer to the link: TPM Overview.

If your laptop is not compatible with TPM 2.0 and does not meet the CPU requirements, you will need to create a registry entry to bypass these checks for the Windows 11 upgrade. Creating the registry entry will allow you to proceed with the Windows 11 upgrade process. Refer to Step 3 of this blog post for more information on creating the registry entry.

If your laptop is compatible, proceed to enable it in BIOS by changing the security settings from TPM 1.2 to TPM 2.0. If your local drives are encrypted with BitLocker, disable BitLocker and decrypt your drive before the upgrade. Additionally, ensure to take a backup copy of all your data before taking this action.

1. Restart the machine and press F1 to enter the BIOS mode. Navigate to the Security tab, and using your keyboard, select “Security Chip” then press Enter.

2. Check the Security Chip Type to see if you can change the TPM level from 1.2 to TPM 2.0. On my laptop, it was set to TPM 1.2 which I updated to TPM 2.0.

3. To check Secure Boot, go to the Security tab, select Secure Boot, and press Enter.

4. Ensure that Secure Boot is enabled.

Step 3 – Create a Registry Entry to bypass TPM and CPU requirements

If you do not meet the TPM 2.0 or CPU requirements for the upgrade, you need to create the following registry entry to bypass the TPM or CPU checks. However, it’s important to note that you will still require TPM 1.2 at least to proceed with the installation.

During the Windows 11 setup process, a warning message will be displayed; click on “Accept” to continue with the installation proc

Steps to Create Registry Entry

• Click on Start and search for Registry Editor.
• Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup.
• Create a REG_DWORD registry entry AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU and set its value to 1.

• Once the registry entry is created and you initiate the setup process to install Windows 11, you will receive the following warning message indicating that your PC doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11. Click on “Accept” and then click on “Refresh” to proceed with the installation of Windows 11.

Further Reading

• Fix: Windows 10/11 Installation Failed Error 0x800f0830-0x20003
  • You could also see this error when attempting to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. To Fix this error, refer to the blog post: Fix: Windows 10/11 Installation Failed Error 0x800f0830-0x20003.