How to prepare the PC for the installation of Windows 11

Microsoft recently unveiled a major new update to its operating system, which revealed itself to the world as Windows 11. Although "in the previous installments" the update procedure turned out to be something immediate and hasty, the transition to the latest version of Microsoft's operating system could prove to be a little more insidious than expected, mainly due to the change in the minimum requirements for installation, which could be unsatisfied even by some PCs that boast quite modern components.

Another problem is that caused by the interruption of the "PC Integrity Check" utility, which helped the user to understand if your computer was compatible or not with the new update: the problem lies in the fact that this software does not specify what the problems are in case of incompatibility with the update, thus making it difficult to find a possible solution. The best current alternative is to download the WhyNotWin11 tool, which basically performs the same function as the Microsoft utility, explaining exactly the reasons why it is not possible to install Windows 11 on your PC.

In waiting for Microsoft to solve all the problems of the case, we list a series of steps that it would be good practice to follow before proceeding with the update, in order to avoid any kind of hitch during and after the installation of Windows 11:

Processor compatibility: Microsoft has published a constantly updated list in which you can verify that your CPU is compatible with the new update. Do not be upset by the fact that your processor may currently be incompatible: the final version of Windows 11 is scheduled to be released in October 2021, so it is very likely that until then the list will be expanded; TPM 2.0 module: this module has been integrated into processors for years with the task of verifying the general integrity of the system, overseeing the tasks related to security, authentication and generation of cryptographic keys. To check for the presence of TPM 2.0, simply use the Win + R key combination and start the tpm.msc command. In the event that the TPM chip is missing or disabled, you will need to reboot the system and enter the UEFI BIOS. In Windows 10 you can press Win + R, type “shutdown / r / fw / t 0 / f” and then press CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER to execute the command with administrator rights and then enable the chip via BIOS. If your PC is only compatible with the TPM 1.2 specifications, there are two possible ways to follow: check on the manufacturer's website if a specification update is available, or use a possible free connector on the motherboard to install the TPM 2.0 module via hardware;

BIOS in UEFI mode: to check which mode is currently set, simply use the msinfo32 utility and make sure there is UEFI entry next to BIOS mode. If Legacy mode is currently selected, you need to switch from the MBR to the GPT scheme using the following command (to be run as administrator and after making a general backup):

mbr2gpt / convert / allowfullOS

Once the conversion is done, you will be able to activate UEFI mode from the BIOS settings.

Activate Secure Boot by entering the BIOS settings; DirectX 12 Compatibility: Windows 11 requires your graphics card to be compatible with the latest version of DirectX. Although it seems a foregone conclusion, some PCs found themselves out of the list of compatible devices for this very reason, so we recommend that you also check the DirectX version before proceeding with the update. You can perform the verification procedure using the Win + R combination and running the dxdiag command.