September 22, 2021
Microsoft’s updated version of the PC Health Check App now provides information and detailed solutions on why the tool is not working on certain computers.
When Microsoft announced Windows 11 and its strict new hardware requirements, the company also launched a PC Health Check tool to analyze the hardware and tell users if their computer could upgrade to Windows 11.
The problem is that the app would not tell users why their computer failed the test, leading some people with relatively new PCs to believe that they cannot run the operating system without upgrading their hardware.
A new version of the PC Health Check app fixes the problem.
The newer version of the Health Check app makes recommendations if a user’s PC has easily remediable compatibility issues, such as if there is a firmware TPM module that is disabled, Secure Boot is turned off, or if they are upgrading RAM or hard disk space.
For more serious issues, such as a processor that is not on one of Microsoft’s compatibility lists, the user’s only option is to switch to a supported processor, replace the computer, keep Windows 10 running, or use an “unsupported” Windows 11 installation that may or may not receive advanced updates.
Pre-built PCs with supported processors have generally already enabled the security features that Windows 11 requires since Microsoft requires large PC companies to adhere to stricter hardware and configuration policies before the tech giant lets them sell Windows PCs.
The bigger problem is custom PCs, where these security features are often turned off by default and do not always specify how to turn them on.
One possible solution might be to install a newer BIOS update since many mainboard manufacturers change their default settings in the current BIOS versions to support Windows 11.
For more information, you may view the original story from Ars Technica.
