Microsoft reinstates its PC Health Check (Win 11 specs check) app

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Meanwhile, MS has added an update waiver notice for those putting Win 11 on older PCs.

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Read more.

Windows 11, the most secure Windows ever. Except when someone doesn't read the disclaimer, just clicks accept, and doesn't know they'll never get security updates.

FWIW and if anyone is interested. It seems older processors aren't compatible because they don't support MBEC (Mode Based Execution Control), at least going on this reddit thread.

Oop can't run it on PCs with corporate update servers (WSUS). Only gives you basic info

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Originally Posted by Corky34

Windows 11, the most secure Windows ever. Except when someone doesn't read the disclaimer, just clicks accept, and doesn't know they'll never get security updates.

FWIW and if anyone is interested. It seems older processors aren't compatible because they don't support MBEC (Mode Based Execution Control), at least going on this reddit thread.

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Pretty sure I read somewhere (why is it you can never find it again) that some of the cpu's that are supported (xeon iirc) don't include MBEC.

In all honesty it would be a lot more useful if MS actually came out and said why they've picked what they have because no one can say that a ryzen 1000/2000 series (4 years old at most) isn't capable of running windows 11.... it will run it but is unsupported and as such won't get updates from what I can see now....

I still think this release, mainly due to rubbish information being given out, is a complete cluster f***

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Originally Posted by LSG501

In all honesty it would be a lot more useful if MS actually came out and said why they've picked what they have because no one can say that a ryzen 1000/2000 series (4 years old at most) isn't capable of running windows 11.... it will run it but is unsupported and as such won't get updates from what I can see now....

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I have a Ryzen 7 2700 and it passes the compatibility check, using the latest version thereof.

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Originally Posted by Friesiansam

I have a Ryzen 7 2700 and it passes the compatibility check, using the latest version thereof.

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Oh ,looks like the 2000 was recently added, missed that, still not great for ryzen 1000 series though

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Originally Posted by LSG501

Pretty sure I read somewhere (why is it you can never find it again) that some of the cpu's that are supported (xeon iirc) don't include MBEC.

In all honesty it would be a lot more useful if MS actually came out and said why they've picked what they have because no one can say that a ryzen 1000/2000 series (4 years old at most) isn't capable of running windows 11.... it will run it but is unsupported and as such won't get updates from what I can see now....

I still think this release, mainly due to rubbish information being given out, is a complete cluster f***

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Could well be, at this point we're playing a game of the blind leading the blind because Microsoft either don't know what they're doing or are choosing not to tell people.

Well, that's the decider for me.

I'm not upgrading older systems with that caveat. They can stay on W10. I'm not faffing around with newer stuff on 11 and older ones on 10, so newer can stay on 10 too (or get Linux).

When W10 support runs out, Win10 PC's can go behind my air-gap and not be net- connected at all (and at that point, I don't care about support), and I'll use Linux for any remaining connected machines. Or buy an Apple.

I'm a bit disappointed in MS, but I have to say, not surprised. Also, not reallybothered. In fact, it saves me having to faff about with the upgrade process.

/Here endeth my interest, such as it was, in W11.

Waiting for Windows 12 when my Threadripper will be magically supported again because reasons.
Or I just use Linux on my gaming PC too.
It's obvious that they made some deals with hardware manufacturers.

and for some reason the new one won't run on this pc (old version did) because my pc is managed....by me nice one; sigh

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Originally Posted by Saracen999

Also, not reallybothered. In fact, it saves me having to faff about with the upgrade process.

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I've been on and off about grabbing a surface pro and the new 8 is now rather tempting but the BIG issue is it comes with windows 11 (and I really don't like the UI) as will most new laptops/2in1's so I'll now need to find out if I can downgrade to windows 10, who wants to bet there will be driver issues if you downgrade....

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Originally Posted by LSG501

I've been on and off about grabbing a surface pro and the new 8 is now rather tempting but the BIG issue is it comes with windows 11 (and I really don't like the UI) as will most new laptops/2in1's so I'll now need to find out if I can downgrade to windows 10, who wants to bet there will be driver issues if you downgrade....

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I did think about a new Surface Pro. My existing one is good in most respects BUT a couple of things stopped me. First, they're expensive for the spec, IMHO. It's not just the basic machine but pen, mouse, docking station, etc. Add a few hundred quid for those. I have all three.

Second, it gets VERY hot, rather too quickly. Given the thickness, and weight, I guess it's not surprising. It's the compromise you make. Next, battery life is pretty poor. That leads to the next issue which is that unless many laptops (but not all) you not only can't easily repair/upgrade anything, but can't even open it up to clean out fans .... or rather, not by just taking out a few screws.

The last straw is that the heat seems to have affected the touch screen. About the rightmost 7 or 8cm of the screen ignores touch commands. I've tried everything, including recalibrating, but it doesn't respond to touch on those corners in calibration, either. I think it's probably heat damage. It works with pen and mouse, but not touch. Good job I mostly use pen on it.

So, while it's great in many respects, would I buy another? Well, not really, no.

And the final nail in the coffin of that is precisely the point you make - Win 11.

I've deferred making my decision until now. My 'feel', on previous versions, was that I don't mind the UI, BUT don't love it either. Some bits I quite like, others not. But there's no 'killer' feature (that I've seen yet) that says the rest is worth putting up with to get 'that'.

And given this announcement makes upgrading 'incompatible' machines highly unattractive, at least to me, it's enough to kill any lingering thoughts of another Surface Pro. Looking at maybe an Asus Zephyrus G15 instead, and W10.

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Originally Posted by Saracen999

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To be honest, heat is one of the reasons I've not bought into it yet, that and I'm still trying to decide if I'd use it enough for work to justify the cost seeing as I primarily work from home etc. If only it wasn't my own money when it comes to business items lol

How many peripherals will STOP working, merely because existing device drivers
for those peripherals will STOP working at W11? I have yet to receive any
answers to that question -- from anybody. We ran into a very similar problem
while we were testing several USB 3.0 to 2.5GbE dongles. Is W11 going to
tell me that my trusty HP LaserJet 4200 will NOT work at all with that OS?
not even with my cheap and effective USB-to-Parallel adapter cable?
(Happily, I no longer suffer nightmares where I'm locked inside a
high school gymnasium packed to the ceiling with trashed CRTs.
I don't think I can handle future reruns of that same nightmare! :)

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Originally Posted by supremelaw

We ran into a very similar problem
while we were testing several USB 3.0 to 2.5GbE dongles.

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Those sound quite new, in which case I'm sure the manufacturer will get drivers out. It takes time (and a ISTR Microsoft tax to get it included in Windows Update) for drivers to get written and tested. That' why I usually wait 6 months at least before switching to a new Windows version.

So a quick Google shows that cheap 2.5GbE USB dongles are using the RTL8156 chip, and Realtek seem to have W11 drivers on their site:

https://www.realtek.com/en/component...b-3-0-software

That makes sense, it costs a lot of money to design chips, so OS support for currently selling silicon is just a cost they shoulder.

It tends to be historic hardware that falls off the supported list. I had a rather nice force feedback PC Steering wheel accessory that didn't work on Windows 7. That sucked, as I needed Windows 7 to get the 64 bit support for games, but needed 32 bit XP for that wheel. So I stopped playing driving games.

Hmm, our experiences make me think what Microsoft really need isn't a PC Health Check, it's Windows User therapy for us to work through all our accumulated anger and resentment at MS products over the decades. But all we would get is Clippy the therapist.

"You seem to be failing to install a driver, how do you feel about that?" :D

I thought I would try running the app on my PC here. It said:

"You need Windows 10, version 1803 or later to install this app"

But I'm on Fedora 34 so bang up to date :D