The upgrade assistant says no and the compatibility app says nothing useful. TPM, Secure Boot, disk layout and CPU support are all readable with built-in commands, and each has its own fix.
Check **Get-Tpm**, **Get-SecureBootUEFI**, **Get-Disk** and the CPU model. Those four answers cover almost every blocker, and each one needs a different fix in firmware or on the disk.
TPM 2.0, UEFI with Secure Boot, GPT and CPU support decide eligibility. Reading them before touching anything prevents the trial-and-error loop with the upgrade assistant.
Get-Tpm | Select-Object TpmPresent,TpmReady,TpmEnabled,ManufacturerVersion
Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor | Select-Object Name,NumberOfCores,MaxClockSpeed
Get-Disk | Select-Object Number,FriendlyName,PartitionStyle,Size**$env:firmware_type** reports UEFI or BIOS for the running system. Secure Boot state comes from the UEFI variables, and a machine in BIOS mode cannot enable it without a disk conversion.
$env:firmware_type
Confirm-SecureBootUEFI
Get-SecureBootUEFI -Name SetupMode
msinfo32A TPM that is present but not ready is usually disabled in the firmware or owned by another OS. **tpm.msc** shows the state and the specification version in one dialog.
tpm.msc
Get-CimInstance -Namespace root\cimv2\security\microsofttpm -ClassName Win32_Tpm | Select-Object SpecVersion,IsActivated_InitialValue,IsEnabled_InitialValueThe upgrade needs room for the old installation and the new image. A disk with a legacy MBR layout must be converted before Secure Boot can be enabled.
Get-PSDrive C | Select-Object Used,Free
Get-Partition | Select-Object DiskNumber,PartitionNumber,DriveLetter,Type,Size
Get-Volume | Select-Object DriveLetter,FileSystem,SizeRemainingEnable the TPM and UEFI in the firmware first, convert the disk, then enable Secure Boot. Reversing the order produces a machine that will not boot.
:: firmware: enable TPM (fTPM or dTPM), set boot mode to UEFI, save and reboot
mbr2gpt /validate /disk:0 /allowFullOS
mbr2gpt /convert /disk:0 /allowFullOS
Confirm-SecureBootUEFIThe PC Health Check app and the compatibility appraiser in Task Scheduler report an independent result. A machine that passes both is eligible without a registry workaround.
Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName 'Microsoft Compatibility Appraiser' | Select-Object TaskName,State
dism /online /get-targeteditions
Get-CimInstance Win32_OperatingSystem | Select-Object Caption,Version,BuildNumberFirmware TPM is disabled or the board has none. Enable PTT or fTPM in the firmware; a discrete module needs the correct header and a BIOS update.
The disk is still MBR or the boot mode is legacy. Convert the disk and switch the boot mode to UEFI before the option becomes available.
There is no supported workaround. A machine that old usually runs better with a lightweight Linux or stays on Windows 10 with its remaining updates.
Read C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setupact.log. A driver or a language pack is the usual cause, and the log names it.
No. Windows 11 requires 2.0, and the check reports the version. Most boards from 2016 onwards can switch between them in the firmware.
The upgrade itself does not. The out-of-box experience of Windows 11 Pro asks for a connection, which a local account or a domain join can avoid.
Yes, and the machine then runs unsupported without security updates for the new requirements. Treat it as a temporary measure on a test device.
Firmware changes are reverted in the firmware itself. A disk conversion cannot be reverted with mbr2gpt; restore the backup you took before converting.
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