I’ve been running on Windows 7 for years.

I’m still on Windows 7, too. Microsoft may not support older OS’s but they’ll still run.

Still happily running Windows 7 here too, avoiding using later versions of Windows as much as possible (despite being a software developer), and planning to hold out with it (as well as Linux, and MacOS) as long as possible.

The only thing Windows 11 makes computers obsolete for, is for running Windows 11, which as usual doesn’t do much that many people actually need to do, that other operating systems, or earlier versions of Windows don’t also do.

The new requirements do mean that anyone who does want to run Windows 11, can’t use older machines to do it. And while that’s happened with almost every new version of Windows, in this case, it’s more severe and requiring things that wouldn’t usually be required by an OS except MS has chosen to require them for its own reasons.

I love having the latest system but in the case of Windows 11 I would have to rebuild my entire PC

There is a way to defeat the high requirements for Windows 11 – I found a method last weekend. I am running W11 on my main machine, and it doesn’t have the TPM module on this 5-year odl machine.

But then, I am a tinkerer.

Thare are things I dislike on W11 – the new taskbar/start menu, and the new File Manager without icons. But there are workarounds and add-ons for those. So I can live with it.

Summary: You can run W11 on your machine even if it doesn’t meet Microsoft standards, if you’re willing to learn a little.

How do you get around TPM? Only 2 computers in my house have it.

@RocketGuy https://www.tomsguide.com/news/you-can-actually-upgrade-to-windows-11-without-a-tpm-heres-how

worked for me

@elbanditoroso And what about the Bios UEFI requirement?

@omtatsat fortunately my 5-year old machine did have UEFI in the ROm settings, all I needed to do was turn that on (it was off by default) so that was not an issue for me. So I can’t give aa good answer on that.

see this https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/10/how-to-upgrade-to-windows-11-whether-your-pc-is-supported-or-not/2/#h3

@anyone Microsoft may not support older OS’s but they’ll still run.

I thought “no support” meant no patches or fixes for problems like vulnerabilities that were found. Isn’t that a bad thing? Like – not a good idea to run a “no support” version? Also, no upgrades, correct? So isn’t that a bad thing, too?

It’s not the best idea to run an OS that does not get security updates.

@Blackwater_Park That’s kinda what I was thinking. But I think it also may depend on how computer savvy you are. Someone who really knows the ins and outs of computers may be fine running a “no support” version.

Whatever happened to Windows 9??

@Soco – right? Similar to Star Trek movies, only the even numbered Windows are good.

I’m surprised Bill Gates does not want a Covid vaccine certificate to update to Windows 11. I guess his TPM and UEFI requirements are his way of doing the same thing

It seems it’s not working well with AMD processors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRj2BMWUT1I

If you need to add a TPM module you may want to secure one now. Scalpers are already snatching them up. They normally cost $15–20. Don’t pay more than that.

Also if you have an Intel chipset look in your bios for PTT. That’s the on chip TPM that needs to be enabled if you have it. Windows won’t see it and you may think you need to add one when you don’t.

@Soco What happened to Windows 9 was that programmers (not at Microsoft) in the past made their OS version checks for Windows95 so sloppy that many of them would think Windows 9 was Windows 95. Microsoft wisely elected to skip version “9” of Windows to avoid the confusion.

Wow. This PC health check. Sounds like having to do a Covid test. Are they really such idiots at Microsoft!

@omtatsat – no, they’re tired of viruses at every turn.

At now they even splash some advertising for windows 11 in the startup screen before the login!