Upgrade to Windows 11

[mt2525]

I have a HP EliteBook 850 G4 Notebook and it can not upgrade to Windows 11 because of the CPU. Is there any CPU that is Windows 11 approved that can replace the one in my laptop?  I really like my laptop and hope there is some upgrade for it.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

There aren't any supported W11 Intel processors for your notebook.

A PC not meeting all of the W11 hardware requirements does not necessarily mean you can't install W11 on your PC, but you would have to perform a clean install and reinstall all of your programs and files.

If you want to see if W11 works on your PC, you can make a bootable W11 USB installer from the link below.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/software-download/windows11

See this article.  3rd headline from the bottom.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-windows-11-how-to-get-it-now-or-later/?ftag=TREc64629f&bhid...

If for some reason, W11 does not work correctly on your PC, you can reinstall W10.

I currently have W11 clean installed on two PC's that I have, that do not meet the requirements for the W11 upgrade and they both work fine on W11 so far.

I used the free Macrium Reflect software to make system images of the W10 installation before I installed W11.

You may want to do the same. 

Make a system image using Macrium reflect, and if W11 doesn't work right, you can easily go back to your current W10 installation.

You save the image on a portable hard drive and the software will have you make a bootable USB flash drive or DVD you boot from to access the system image stored on the portable hard drive.

Macrium Software | Reflect Free Edition

You want the file listed on the left side of the webpage under the Backup at Home section.

Tuesday was Microsoft's 'Patch Tuesday,' and I had heard about the possibility that Microsoft would not offer the monthly security updates to PC's  running W11 that did not meet the W11 hardware requirements.

Both of my non-supported W11 PC's got the all of the security updates yesterday, so that is good news.

[mt2525]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I will try your suggestion following your advice for using Macrium Reflect.

Mike

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

Actually, I found an easier way to upgrade to W11, and do an in-place upgrade, so after you make the system image and bootable rescue media with Macrium Reflect, you can do this...

First make this registry change...

https://www.hellpc.net/how-to-bypass-tpm-and-cpu-requirements-windows-11-upgrade-unsupported-pc/

Then download the Windows 11 ISO file (3rd option), not the W11 installation assistant.

Download Windows 11 (microsoft.com)

Then open the file with Windows explorer, and click on the setup application.

To do that, right click on the ISO file and select 'Open With' and select Windows Explorer.

See the screenshot...this is what you will see when you open the file with Windows Explorer.

After you double click to run the setup application, you will get this window, and you can now upgrade to W11.

You just have to accept the agreement that comes up during the upgrade process about your PC not meeting the requirements, etc., etc..

My PC got all of the W11 updates. 

However, I don't know how long that will continue, or what will happen when the new build of W11 comes out next year in October.