Windows 11 TPM 2.0 requirement - thoughts and advice?

[Reshi]

With the reveal of the specifications and requirements for Windows 11 today, I decided to use the Health Checker tool to be able to test if my machine can upgrade to Windows 11, especially after hearing that Windows 11 would require TPM 2.0 to be enabled to be used.

To my surprise my PC is apparently unable to update to Windows 11 according to the checker, but without explaining why. I've posted my specs before but considering that I got this machine from PCSpecialist only a few months ago, I realised that this must come down to TPM 2.0.

Sure enough, I checked my BIOS and manual and... my ASUS TUF B550 Plus board only has a TPM header, not a TPM 2.0 chip. Meaning, I'll require a TPM 2.0 chip if I want to bother to upgrade to Windows 10.

Apparently, some people had spoofed or found a way to mitigate that when they used the leaked Windows 11 ISO, but I assume that will be patched.

To me this is a very strange requirement for something I was alright with investigating. However, having to buy and install something I'm completely unfamiliar with to update to what appears to be currently a glorified Windows 10 update, when I can stick with Windows 10 until late 2025, is... not very tempting.

I perhaps wouldn't be so apprehensive if this was still my 2015 machine, but Microsoft requiring something that few customers will know about and may require going into the BIOS to enable seems like it could easily severly hamper Windows 11 advice.

Would be interested to hear about how fidely and expensive getting a TPM 2.0 chip would be for a board as well though.

 

[Bhuna50]

My Optimus Pro laptops ok:

Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements | Microsoft

Find an overview of Windows 11 specs and features from Microsoft. Learn about the device specifications, versions and languages available for Windows 11

www.microsoft.com

 

[Rakk]

I think its probably worth waiting, the Win 11 checker thing may not be properly correct for all we know yet.
And it would seem unlikely that they'd not allow a large amount of people to be able to use, or they've just got bigger checks for the Insider version

 

[Martinr36]

All good here on the laptop

 

[Reshi]

Yeah, it appears that laptops and OEM desktops bought after a certain date (I've heard anything after 2016?) should be fine.

That reminds me to check if my laptop (which I also got from PC-Specialist in late 2018) would be compatible.

I think it's mainly us desktop folks that, at the very least, may be locked out of the Windows Insider program for Windows 11, if not Windows 11 itself, without getting a TPM chip.

Apparently they are small and easy to install, but it's still a little bit of a downer.

 

[Martinr36]

Yeah, it appears that laptops and OEM desktops bought after a certain date (I've heard anything after 2016?) should be fine.

That reminds me to check if my laptop (which I also got from PC-Specialist in late 2018) would be compatible.

I think it's mainly us desktop folks that, at the very least, may be locked out of the Windows Insider program for Windows 11, if not Windows 11 itself, without getting a TPM chip.

Apparently they are small and easy to install, but it's still a little bit of a downer.

I'll check the desktop shortly, that was a PCS build late December 2018

 

[Rakk]

Mine (a desktop) claims it cant run it and is only 2 years old (June 2019), so not exactly ancient

 

[Martinr36]

The desktop is a NO

 

[DarTon]

My desktop was bought in April this year and cannot run Win 11!

Given I don't want to upgrade for a quite a while (probably give it till 2023) I suspect this will all be sorted out before then.

 

[Martinr36]

Found this article, sounds interesting

How to install Windows 11 without TPM 2.0

Yow you can install Windows 11 without TPM on unsupported hardware using ISO or perform an upgrade. It won't do TPM, Secure Boot, and other checks.

winaero.com

 

[AleTax]

From what I read, it won't be necessary for those already having a machine with Windows 10. Tom's Hardware asked Microsoft about it. But we'll see what will happen. At the moment I'm one of those that can't update, since I have a TUF Gaming B550 Plus motherboard. It should have TPM but when I type on RUN: "TPM.MSC" it says I don't have it 😂

 

[Bhuna50]

Must admit, a lot of the 'event' was aimed at laptop / portable hardware items hosting Windows 11 - so I expect the Win11 checker isnt set up fully yet for all variants of desktops etc (as @Rakk said earlier).

 

[SpyderTracks]

No desktop motherboard comes with a TPM chip built in, it’s a modular component.

Even if you did need a TPM 2 chip, any motherboard with a TPM header will have that ability.

The TPM header is just a socket on the board that can take a TPM add in card, you can slot in a TPM 1 or 2 variant into the header. TPM chips aren’t expensive.

 

[TonyCarter]

Just ran the checker-tool on my 8th gen i5 NUC (used as a media centre), and it says I’m good to go 🥳

 

[rouchie]

Just ran the checker-tool on my 8th gen i5 NUC (used as a media centre), and it says I’m good to go 🥳

my old beastie failed

 

[Bhuna50]

The TPM header is just a socket on the board that can take a TPM add in card, you can slot in a TPM 1 or 2 variant into the header. TPM chips aren’t expensive.

So is now the time to corner the market and buy as much stock as possible and sell at a profit - is it going to be the new 3080 gold dust item for H2 2021. LOL LOL

 

[SpyderTracks]

This is the TPM 2 modular board for Asus boards for instance:

Accessories｜Motherboards｜ASUS United Kingdom

ASUS ThunderboltEX 3-TR is a Thunderbolt™ 3 add-on card that delivers 40 Gbps bi-directional bandwidth and DisplayPort™ 1.4 support. It's able to support up to six Thunderbolt-enabled devices in a daisy-chain configuration, and its USB Type-C® port enables up to 100-watt charging for laptops.

www.asus.com

 

[AleTax]

No desktop motherboard comes with a TPM chip built in, it’s a modular component.

Even if you did need a TPM 2 chip, any motherboard with a TPM header will have that ability.

The TPM header is just a socket on the board that can take a TPM add in card, you can slot in a TPM 1 or 2 variant into the header. TPM chips aren’t expensive.

Still, why force someone to buy something in order to receive an update?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Still, why force someone to buy something in order to receive an update?

Ah, I wasn't aware of this, apparently in most modern motherboards that support UEFI BIOS, there may be an option to enable

AMD boards: fTPM (Firmware TPM)
Intel boards: PTT (Platform Trust Technology)

Windows 11's TPM Requirement Surprised PC Builders, but You Can Enable It in BIOS

Microsoft could have been more clear on Windows 11 upgrades.

www.tomshardware.com

Have a hunt through your BIOS, enable it if you've got the option and rerun the upgrade tool.

 

[AleTax]

Ah, I wasn't aware of this, apparently in most modern motherboards that support UEFI BIOS, there may be an option to enable

AMD boards: fTPM (Firmware TPM)
Intel boards: PTT (Platform Trust Technology)

Windows 11's TPM Requirement Surprised PC Builders, but You Can Enable It in BIOS

Microsoft could have been more clear on Windows 11 upgrades.

www.tomshardware.com

Have a hunt through your BIOS, enable it if you've got the option and rerun the upgrade tool.

I have that and the setting is on “discrete TPM”, but I can switch to “firmware TPM”