Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU G4400 @3.30 GHz, 3300 Mhz ,2 Core(s) Logical Processor(s) 64 bit with both T.P.M and Secure Boot Included..(5th/6th Gen.Intel)

Dear Sir/Madam,

How's things?,

In the Microsoft's website it clearly shows and lists only 8th Gen. Intel or later can properly run Windows 11 and prefers other computer users not to download and install Windows 11 in any computer under 8th Gen.Intel or any other brand of computers, as you can see my computer listed above in the subject is under 8th Gen.Intel and not getting any known computer errors yet and not found my computer type listed in the Microsoft websites relating to Windows 11 hardware requirements, can you please let me know of any newer changes that Microsoft is going to mention regarding computers like mine, so I can decide what's the next best step to take either go ahead with another upgrade now just to please Microsoft or go back to Windows 10 till 2025 and then upgrade after 2025, or look into buying an affordable 8th Gen.Intel or later if one can be found?.. Any further advice would be much appreciated.. bye

Very few truly understand the reason for the 8th Generation Intel processor requirement with Windows 11, so you won't typically receive a satisfactory answer to the question of whether older processor generations might eventually be supported.

The simple answer is No, they never will.

The more complex answer is that the problem with older processors is a technical issue with their design that though a handful of 7th generation Intel processors include the required change, other issues with those few regarding both processing power, video performance and most importantly, operational stability, resulted in the decision to draw the line at 8th generation.

The technical details describing these changes in processor design are mentioned in a handful of Microsoft documents, but not described well enough that most non-technical consumer users can understand them. Instead, Microsoft decided to list the specific processors that were acceptable, which simply led to the mass confusion by many as to why older processors with many cores and plenty of apparent processing power weren't being supported as well. The point is not processing power, it's the lack of the new hardware capability in most processors before 8th generation, and nothing can be done to change that.

One place this technical difference was mentioned was the following set of Microsoft documents, the first of which describes the Windows 11 requirements and refers to the second article in the last few words of the section titled 'Security'.

Update on Windows 11 minimum system requirements | Windows Insider Blog

Important sentence and reference to the second document in the section of above titled; Security

"To meet the principle, all Windows 11 supported CPUs have an embedded TPM, support secure  boot, and support VBS and specific VBS capabilities."

Virtualization-Based Security: Enabled by Default - Microsoft Tech Community

Portion of the second document above that mentions the critical hardware feature required for Windows 11. Specific section relating to Intel processors is underlined.

"Last but not least, we further reduced the performance and power impact of a key VSM feature called Hypervisor-Enforced Code Integrity (HVCI) by working with silicon partners to design completely new hardware features including Intel’s Mode-based execute control for EPT (MBEC), AMD’s Guest-mode execute trap for NPT (GMET), and ARM’s Translation table stage 2 Unprivileged Execute-never (TTS2UXN)."

Finding the documentation for this Intel - MBEC hardware feature in the specs for those processors that do actually contain it is often difficult, since it typically wasn't discussed in the first few years it existed as at the time, Microsoft was only experimenting with its use and so few were interested or even aware that the new feature existed.

Here's another article about these specific issues relating to Windows 11 that may be a little easier to read, since it was created to try and explain these technical issues to consumer readers.

Why Windows 11 has such strict hardware requirements, according to Microsoft | Ars Technica

Rob

Hi maroner,

I'm Dyari. Thanks for reaching out. I will be happy to assist you in this regard.

I am afraid that there is no any official announcement or news from Microsoft about running Windows 11 on unsupported devices regularly. Therefore, the best option for you is to stay with Windows 10. Microsoft will continue to support at least one Windows 10 release until October 14, 2025:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/prod...

However, you can submit feedback may Microsoft work on it in the future updates:

Press Windows Key + F to open the feedback hub and submit your feedback.

Please let me know if you need further assistance and have a nice day.

Stay safe