FLORIDA —
Whether you know it or not, this past week was a veritable rollercoaster for anyone still using Windows 10—especially on older hardware. I say it that way because there were multiple huge news developments—but they weren’t major headlines—and so they were pretty easy to miss unless you follow technology closely. But I’ve got your back! Read on for details.
Some background first. As I’m sure you know, Microsoft periodically puts out major new versions of Windows, and the last few times this has happened, they’ve actually offered existing Windows users a free upgrade to the newest version.
That’s been a great way for people to keep their PC running on the latest version without a lot of unplanned out-of-pocket expense.
And it’s a given that one should always run the latest available version of pretty much any software that you use—including Windows—in order to have the fewest bugs and the greatest level of protection against threats. So, the free upgrades to newer versions of Windows were great. That is, until Microsoft announced Windows 11.
Oh, the upgrade to Win 11 is still free for current Windows owners, but Microsoft attached a rigid list of “must-haves” for PCs to be eligible.
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This included certain performance parameters that some PCs met, and others did not. Most importantly, Microsoft mandated that a PC contain a Trusted Platform Module or TPM, which many older PCs don’t have on board. As an aside, a TPM is a special security chip that protects your computer’s operating system and data. It is used by software like Windows Hello and BitLocker to ensure privacy on your PC.
There was a tremendous backlash when people discovered that Microsoft was essentially obsoleting their computers. It’s not that their systems wouldn’t run anymore, but Microsoft drew a pretty distinct line in the sand where it comes to the ability to run the newest version of Windows.
The bottom line was either buy a new PC, or stay on Windows 10, knowing that support for Windows 10 was going to end. That deadline is this coming October, by the way.
Then came the hacks and workarounds.
For one, there was a semi-official Registry tweak that was actually published in Microsoft’s official support documents for Windows 11. This tweak provided a way to bypass the hardware restrictions that prevent Windows 11 from installing on PCs without a TPM.
There was also a piece of software called Flyby11. It was unwanted by Microsoft in the first place, but it did provide a means to perform the upgrade, albeit an unsupported and risky one.
So, what happened this week? Well first, Microsoft without fanfare, quietly removed the Registry tweak from the Windows support page. The tweak still works (for now) but its removal from the support documentation sends a clear message on the path Microsoft intends to take. Microsoft also seemed to be taking steps to remove the Flyby11 software.
Microsoft did clarify the current situation with another edit to their support documentation. It says in part: “If you installed Windows 11 on a device not meeting Windows 11 system requirements, Microsoft recommends you roll back to Windows 10 immediately.” Read that again. Microsoft is actually recommending to people to downgrade back to Windows 10.
You can read the entirety of the document at TinyURL.com/IGTM-0917 in a support note named Ways to install Windows 11.
This seems to be a bad time to be running an older PC. Microsoft certainly isn’t making things any easier with the apparently mixed messages they’ve been sending. However, the firm tone of this latest change sounds a lot like the final nail in the coffin for all of the countless PCs that are running Windows 11 on hardware without a TPM.
Time will tell where things go from here, but you just might want to start your plans for a system upgrade rather than deal with all this mess.
To view additional content, comment on articles, or submit a question of your own, visit my website at ItsGeekToMe.co (not .com!)
Jeff Werner, a software engineer based in Niceville, Florida, has been writing his popular “It’s Geek to Me” tech column since 2007. He shares his expertise to help readers solve everyday tech challenges. To view additional content, comment on articles, or submit a question, visit ItsGeekToMe.co (not .com!).
