Looks like Microsoft is changing system requirements before releasing Windows 11 23H2. The company regularly updates the processor support lists for the newest OS. But this doesn't mean that the list is only being expanded. With the latest update, the Redmond firm removed 44 Intel processors from the list of supported ones at once.
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All the units are from the Intel Xeon E family and belong to 8th generation "Coffee Lake" of processors. The reason for the removal of processors from the list of supported is not reported. Interestingly, the 8th generation of CPUs includes several "consumer" models, which remain supported. But several models the Xeon E series which are designed for use in servers now left alone in the dark.
Removed processors
- Intel® Xeon® E-2104G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2124
- Intel® Xeon® E-2124G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2126G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2134
- Intel® Xeon® E-2136
- Intel® Xeon® E-2144G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2146G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2174G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2176G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2176M
- Intel® Xeon® E-2186G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2186M
- Intel® Xeon® E-2224
- Intel® Xeon® E-2224G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2226G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2226GE
- Intel® Xeon® E-2234
- Intel® Xeon® E-2236
- Intel® Xeon® E-2244G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2246G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2254ME
- Intel® Xeon® E-2254ML
- Intel® Xeon® E-2274G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2276G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2276M
- Intel® Xeon® E-2276ME
- Intel® Xeon® E-2276ML
- Intel® Xeon® E-2278G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2278GE
- Intel® Xeon® E-2278GEL
- Intel® Xeon® E-2286G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2286M
- Intel® Xeon® E-2288G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2314
- Intel® Xeon® E-2324G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2334
- Intel® Xeon® E-2336
- Intel® Xeon® E-2356G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2374G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2378
- Intel® Xeon® E-2378G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2386G
- Intel® Xeon® E-2388G
Added processors
The updated compatible CPU list not only lost 44 items, but now features a few new models from AMD.
- AMD Ryzen 3 5380U
- AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655GE
- AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G
These are the recent chips, with the first one being a mobile CPU, and two "PRO" items are for desktops. All three units have an integrated Vega GPU core.
Tightened hardware requirements
Finally, Microsoft may soon start blocking the installation of Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. The workarounds previously available to install the operating system on unsupported processors are no longer effective.
A user was unable to install Windows 11 build 25905 on a device with an Intel Core 2 Duo T6500 processor, even though previous releases of the OS were successfully installed on the same computer. Similarly, attempts to install the operating system on an AMD Turion II P650 system using workarounds were unsuccessful.
While tools like Rufus and others can assist in creating bootable installation media to bypass the restrictions and perform a clean install of Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, it appears that Microsoft may soon implement even tighter restrictions to prevent such bypassing of requirements.
Via deskmodder
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I am affected with 1 CPU in a computer. Dell PowerEdge T40. I have a windows license on it too. However, Linux is currently running on it, but the one I usually run Windows on when I’m playing around.
https://i.imgur.com/5JEQFjL.png
This could be considered really good news! Why? Because millions of people will stay on Windows 10 for years to come even after it is no longer supported. And THAT means that software companies will probably support Windows 10 long after it isn’t supported by Microsoft. What company would make their software only work on Windows 11 when there are hundreds of millions of computers that can only use Windows 10?
Good job Microsoft! You’ve ensured people will continue using their perfectly good computers for years to come … with Windows 10 (because Microsoft won’t let them upgrade).
For those people that upgraded to Windows 11 already and are no longer eligible to update their operating system because Microsoft decided their CPU is retroactively non-eligible. Well, that’s pretty scummy of Microsoft. Who could possibly deny that? Why exactly would anyone trust Windows 11 when Microsoft is playing games like that? Obviously, Microsoft should continue to support Windows 11 on any CPUs that were originally supported. Maybe it would be reasonable for Windows 12 to have stricter requirements but doing this with Windows 11 when it is 2/3 through it’s life cycle smells immensely foul.