How to Fix "This PC Can't Run Windows 11" Error

Introduction

When upgrading to Windows 11, many users encounter the error: “This PC can’t run Windows 11.” This typically happens because the PC doesn’t meet Microsoft’s hardware requirements — specifically TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. However, you can bypass these checks during installation by editing the registry.

Why This Error Occurs

Windows 11 requires:

• TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) — a security chip
• Secure Boot — a UEFI feature that prevents unauthorized bootloaders
• 64-bit CPU with specific instruction sets
• 4GB RAM minimum
• 64GB storage minimum

Older PCs often have TPM 1.2 (not 2.0) or have Secure Boot disabled, triggering this error even when the hardware is otherwise capable of running Windows 11.

Which CPUs Are Affected

Windows 11’s CPU requirement specifically mandates 8th-gen Intel (Coffee Lake, 2017) or AMD Ryzen 2000 (2018) or newer. This left millions of perfectly capable 6th and 7th gen Intel systems — and first-gen Ryzen — unable to upgrade through official channels. These CPUs handle Windows 11 without issue in practice; the block is a policy decision, not a technical necessity.

Before You Bypass: Check Your BIOS First

Before attempting any bypass, check whether TPM is simply disabled in your BIOS/UEFI firmware. Many PCs manufactured from 2015 onward include TPM 2.0 support via:

• Intel PTT (Platform Trust Technology) — Intel CPUs from Skylake (6th gen) onwards
• AMD fTPM (Firmware TPM) — AMD CPUs from Ryzen/3000 series onwards

If your PC has one of these, you can often enable TPM 2.0 in BIOS without any bypass:

1. Reboot and enter BIOS/UEFI (usually F2, Del, or Esc during boot)
2. Look for a Security, Advanced, or Trusted Computing menu
3. Enable TPM, Intel PTT, or AMD fTPM (exact name depends on motherboard)
4. Enable Secure Boot (usually under Boot → Secure Boot)
5. Save and exit

Enabling TPM in firmware is always safer than a software bypass. It gives you full BitLocker support, Windows Hello, and Microsoft’s official blessing. Only proceed with bypass methods if your hardware genuinely lacks these features.

How to Check Your Current TPM Version

Before diving into BIOS, check what TPM version your system currently has:

1. Press Win + R, type tpm.msc, and press Enter
2. In the TPM Management console, look for TPM Manufacturer Information → Specification Version
3. If it shows 2.0, your system already has TPM 2.0 — the BIOS is likely the issue
4. If it shows 1.2, your CPU may support fTPM but it’s running in legacy mode
5. If you see “Compatible TPM cannot be found”, TPM is either disabled or not present

You can also check via PowerShell:

Get-WmiObject -Namespace "Root\CIMv2\Security\MicrosoftTpm" -Class Win32_Tpm

Microsoft Removed Official Bypass Guidance

In 2023, Microsoft briefly published a support document describing the AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU registry key under HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup. This was an official acknowledgment of the bypass method. Microsoft later pulled the document and now directs users to upgrade their hardware instead.

The MoSetup key differs from the LabConfig approach:

The MoSetup key was intended for in-place upgrades from Windows 10. Microsoft’s removal of the documentation signals that while the bypass works, it is no longer condoned. Use it with that understanding.

The Fix: Registry Bypass During Installation

This method works during a clean install from a USB drive or ISO. It bypasses the TPM and Secure Boot checks by adding registry keys before the installer checks compatibility.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Start the Windows 11 installation

Boot from your Windows 11 USB drive or ISO. Proceed until you reach the screen that shows the error “This PC can’t run Windows 11.”

2. Open Command Prompt

At the error screen, press Shift + F10 to open a Command Prompt window.

3. Open Registry Editor

In the Command Prompt, type:

regedit

Press Enter to open the Registry Editor.

4. Navigate to the Setup key

In Registry Editor, navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup

5. Create the LabConfig key

Right-click on Setup → New → Key

Name the new key: LabConfig

6. Add bypass values inside LabConfig

Click on the LabConfig key you just created. Then add the following DWORD values:

Bypass TPM check:

• Right-click in the right pane → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value
• Name: BypassTPMCheck
• Double-click it and set the value to 1

Bypass Secure Boot check:

• Right-click → New → DWORD (32-bit) Value
• Name: BypassSecureBootCheck
• Double-click it and set the value to 1

Optional — Bypass RAM check (if needed):

• Name: BypassRAMCheck
• Value: 1

Optional — Bypass Storage check (if needed):

• Name: BypassStorageCheck
• Value: 1

Your LabConfig key can include any of the following bypass values:

Most users only need BypassTPMCheck and BypassSecureBootCheck. Add the others only if you encounter additional compatibility errors during setup.

7. Close Registry Editor and retry

Close the Registry Editor and the Command Prompt. Click the back button in the installer and try the installation again. The compatibility check should now pass.

Alternative: Rufus Method (Easiest for USB Creation)

Rufus remains the simplest way to create Windows 11 installation media with all hardware checks removed. It applies the same registry bypasses automatically during USB creation.

1. Download Rufus (latest version) and a Windows 11 ISO
2. Launch Rufus and select your USB drive
3. Click Select and choose the Windows 11 ISO
4. Click Start
5. In the dialog that appears, you can check any combination of:
   • Remove requirement for 4GB+ RAM, Secure Boot and TPM 2.0
   • Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account (for Windows 11 22H2+ local account setup)
   • Disable data collection (skip privacy questions)
6. Click OK and let Rufus create the drive

Rufus and Windows 11 25H2

Rufus continues to support the latest Windows 11 builds, including 25H2. As of 2026, all current Windows 11 ISO releases work with Rufus bypass options. If a future update blocks the bypass, Rufus authors typically release an updated version within days.

The resulting USB will install Windows 11 without TPM, Secure Boot, RAM, or storage checks, depending on what you selected.

Alternative Methods

appraiserres.dll Deletion

The appraiserres.dll file in the \sources folder of your installation media contains the compatibility check logic. Deleting it can bypass hardware checks entirely.

During installation:

del D:\sources\appraiserres.dll

Tip: The drive letter may not be D:. Run notepad D:\sources\appraiserres.dll — if it opens, that’s the right drive. Common alternatives are E:, F:, or G: depending on how many drives you have connected.

For a permanent USB solution, delete the file from the ISO before writing it to USB:

1. Extract the ISO contents to a folder using 7-Zip or by mounting it
2. Navigate to \sources\
3. Delete appraiserres.dll
4. Rebuild the ISO (or use Rufus with the modified folder)

Server Trick

An undocumented but effective method is to launch setup in Server mode. The Windows Server installer does not enforce TPM or Secure Boot requirements:

D:\sources\setupprep.exe /product server

Replace D: with your USB drive letter. This installs the consumer edition of Windows 11 (Pro/Home) but uses the Server installer’s relaxed compatibility checks. After installation, the system behaves identically to a normal Windows 11 installation.

Hybrid USB Method

This approach combines a Windows 10 installer (which has no TPM checks) with Windows 11’s install image:

1. Create a bootable Windows 10 USB
2. Mount your Windows 11 ISO and copy install.wim or install.esd from \sources\
3. Replace the same file on the Windows 10 USB
4. Boot from the USB and install normally — no TPM checks occur

AnyBurn ISO Modification

AnyBurn is a free tool that can edit ISO contents without extracting everything:

1. Open your Windows 11 ISO in AnyBurn
2. Navigate to \sources\
3. Delete appraiserres.dll
4. Save the modified ISO
5. Write to USB with Rufus or any ISO burner

This produces a clean ISO that skips compatibility checks on any installation attempt.

Method Comparison

After Installation: Keeping Windows Updated

Day-to-Day Updates

For regular monthly security and cumulative updates, Windows Update works normally on unsupported hardware. Microsoft does not block these — they are delivered regardless of TPM or CPU compliance.

Feature Updates

Feature updates (e.g., 24H2 → 25H2) are a different story. These major version upgrades may re-check your hardware compliance during installation. This can result in:

• The update appearing in Windows Update but failing to install
• The update downloading but rolling back during the compatibility check phase

If a feature update fails, you have several options:

1. Re-apply the bypass — Boot from installation media with the LabConfig registry keys and perform an in-place upgrade
2. Skip the feature update — Stay on your current version, which continues receiving security updates
3. Clean install — Boot from bypassed media and perform a fresh install of the newer version
4. Use the MoSetup key — Try adding AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU = 1 under HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup for upgrade paths

Some users successfully upgrade through multiple feature releases; others hit a wall and need to clean install. This is inconsistent and depends on the specific build changes.

Watermark and Desktop Notifications

Windows 11 may show a watermark on unsupported hardware in the bottom-right corner of the desktop (similar to the “Windows 10 Activation” watermark). This can usually be dismissed via Settings → Personalization → Themes and does not affect functionality.

Hardware Limits: What No Bypass Can Fix

No registry hack can overcome fundamental hardware limitations. The most important is CPU instruction set support.

Windows 11 requires the following CPU features:

• SSE4.2 — Introduced in Intel Nehalem (2008) and AMD Bulldozer (2011)
• POPCNT — Population count instruction, same era
• SSE4.1 — Earlier, but still required
• CMPXCHG16B — Compare-and-exchange 16-byte instruction

If your CPU lacks SSE4.2 or POPCNT, Windows 11 will not boot even with all bypasses applied. The OS kernel itself depends on these instructions.

Systems with CPUs from the Core 2 Duo/Penryn era (pre-2008) are outright incompatible. There is no known workaround for this.

Additionally:

• No TPM = No BitLocker — Full disk encryption with BitLocker requires TPM 2.0 (or a discrete TPM add-on module)
• No Secure Boot = No measured boot — Advanced bootkit malware protection depends on Secure Boot
• No TPM = Limited Windows Hello — PIN-based login still works, but biometric authentication (fingerprint, facial recognition) tied to TPM may not

These are hardware-enforced limitations that software bypasses cannot address.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

TPM Not Found Error

If the installer still refuses your hardware:

• Reboot into BIOS and confirm TPM is enabled, not just present
• Look for Intel PTT or AMD fTPM specifically — these are the firmware-based TPM implementations
• Some motherboards hide TPM settings under Advanced → CPU Configuration → AMD fTPM or PCH-FW Configuration → Intel PTT
• Reset BIOS to defaults and check again — a prior setting may have disabled the TPM controller

Secure Boot Option Missing

Secure Boot requires UEFI mode with CSM (Legacy/BIOS compatibility) disabled:

• Switch from CSM/Legacy to UEFI in BIOS
• If your GPU or RAID card doesn’t support UEFI, Secure Boot will remain hidden
• Modern GPUs (2012+) support UEFI; older cards may need a BIOS update

Installer Drive Letter Mismatch

When running del D:\sources\appraiserres.dll, the wrong drive letter is a common mistake:

• Run diskpart → list volume in Command Prompt to see all drive letters
• The USB drive is typically not C: (that’s the target hard disk during setup)
• Common USB letters: D:, E:, F:, G:

“Windows Could Not Configure One or More System Components”

This error indicates a failed bypass attempt:

• Start the installation process from scratch — reboot and try again
• Verify you added the registry values under the correct key: HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\LabConfig
• Ensure values are DWORD (32-bit) with Value = 1
• Try adding BypassCPUCheck = 1 in addition to the TPM and Secure Boot bypasses

Setup Freezes or Reboots During Hardware Check

Some systems with very old firmware may hang during the compatibility check:

• Disconnect unnecessary peripherals (external drives, USB hubs, PCIe cards)
• Update motherboard BIOS to the latest version
• Try the appraiserres.dll deletion method instead of the registry bypass
• Use Rufus with all bypass options enabled

Feature Update Fails After Previous Successful Install

This is the most common complaint from bypass users:

• The LabConfig bypass only applies during clean installation from boot media
• For feature updates, try the MoSetup key instead: HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup\MoSetup\AllowUpgradesWithUnsupportedTPMOrCPU = 1
• If that fails, perform an in-place upgrade: boot from bypassed media and select Upgrade (keep files and apps)
• As a last resort, clean install the newer version

Risks and Disclaimer

Important: These bypass methods are not supported by Microsoft. You assume full responsibility for any issues that arise, including system instability, data loss, security vulnerabilities, or failure to receive updates. Microsoft has explicitly stated that PCs installed via these methods are not entitled to support.

Specific risks to understand:

• Update revocation: Microsoft reserves the right to block Windows Update on unsupported hardware at any time via server-side changes. This can happen without warning.
• Feature update failures: Major version upgrades may fail, requiring manual re-bypass or clean install.
• Security posture: Running without TPM and Secure Boot weakens the measured boot chain. For most home users this is a minor concern, but for systems handling sensitive data it is a real downgrade.
• No warranty: OEM and manufacturer support is void if the system is running on unsupported hardware configurations.

If you proceed, maintain full backups and have recovery media ready. Consider this the same as running a preview/beta OS — it works, but it is unsupported.

Should You Do This?

Pros:

• Get Windows 11 on older but capable hardware that would otherwise be e-waste
• Access to Windows 11 security improvements (Credential Guard, Windows Defender System Guard, Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity)
• Avoid buying new hardware prematurely (extends PC life by 2-4 years)
• Secure Boot works on all UEFI-capable systems from 2012+, even without bypass
• Day-to-day performance on a 6th gen Intel + SSD is perfectly usable for productivity workloads

Cons:

• Unsupported configuration — Microsoft will not help if something breaks
• No BitLocker without TPM — Full disk encryption requires TPM 2.0 (or a discrete TPM add-on module)
• Limited Windows Hello — PIN and password work, but biometric authentication may not
• No guarantee of future updates — Microsoft reserves the right to block updates or refuse to activate the OS on unsupported hardware at any time
• Feature update friction — Major version upgrades (e.g., 24H2 → 25H2) may require re-applying bypasses
• Watermark — An unobtrusive “unsupported hardware” watermark appears on the desktop
• Security trade-off — Running without Secure Boot and TPM weakens the system’s measured boot chain, making advanced bootkits theoretically easier to deploy

Security Implications

The most significant practical risk is the lack of BitLocker if your hardware genuinely lacks TPM. For everyday use on a trusted network, this is a minor concern. For laptops that leave your possession, it is a meaningful downgrade.

Update Reliability

In practice, unsupported Windows 11 installations receive security updates reliably through 2026. Feature updates are inconsistent — some install cleanly, others fail. Microsoft could change this policy at any time with a Windows Update server-side change.

Performance on Older Hardware

Windows 11 runs well on 6th and 7th generation Intel processors with an SSD and 8GB+ RAM. Systems with only 4GB RAM will feel sluggish regardless of the bypass. HDD-based systems are not recommended — Windows 11 performs significantly worse than Windows 10 on mechanical drives.

Verdict

If your PC has an SSD, at least 8GB RAM, and a CPU with SSE4.2/POPCNT (Intel Core 2+ or AMD Bulldozer+), the bypass is a practical way to extend its useful life. Treat it as you would an unsupported OS on a homelab server — it works, but have a backup plan and maintain recovery media.

Resources

• Microsoft Windows 11 System Requirements
• Rufus — Bootable USB Creator
• AnyBurn — Free ISO Editing Tool
• MakeUseOf: Fix This PC Can’t Run Windows 11
• ElevenForum: Bypass Windows 11 Hardware Checks Guide
• Microsoft Learn: Windows 11 Hardware Requirements
• TPM.msc Troubleshooting Guide
• How to Enable Intel PTT / AMD fTPM in BIOS