Upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 on Kaby Lake
Upgrade from Windows 10 to 11 on Kaby Lake
Earlier this year I assembled three identical PCs for relatives using Kaby Lake i7s with ASRock mobos. Now they aim to switch to Windows 11. The TPM 2.0 chips have just been released. What’s the optimal upgrade path? Kaby Lake should still function properly, as Microsoft includes one in a supported Surface model, though I doubt they’ll push an upgrade offer. I’m not willing to perform a clean install—everything must remain intact. In short, aside from hardware verification, this should be a fully supported setup. Ideally, I’d proceed normally and make the most of all features, including the upcoming TPM 2.0 installation.
Get help installing Windows 11 via the official assistant at https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11
I needed to perform a full reset after attempting an upgrade since the start menu stopped functioning.
Another valid reason is that I won’t accept Windows 11 unless it comes with the system already installed.
Not applicable. Indicates the PC fails to satisfy minimum criteria. Avoids discussing the Kaby Lake CPU; mentions TPM 2.0 and secure boot are active. Returning to the main issue.
You need to reinstall via a USB drive, generate an ISO with Rufus, and skip the minimum requirements to run Windows 11 on unsupported devices.
Would you like a fresh start? A complete reinstall is okay—this isn’t allowed according to the user. They also mentioned the system logs indicate installation using a bypass method, and future updates may not be possible.
Looking into this, it seems a customized installer might exist for spoofing devices like the Kaby Lake Surface model Microsoft backs. There appears to be a unique handling in the checker. If I owned one, I’d run a CPU ID dump and test the initial setup in a VM with a hidden processor, then transfer it to physical hardware. It’s challenging during an upgrade, but I shared this idea here hoping someone has experience.