The official minimum system requirements set by Microsoft for Windows 11 are much higher than those for Windows 10, but people can always find solutions to install new operating systems on old computers. However, due to updates to the CPU instruction library, some older computer CPUs are no longer able to run Windows 11 as they used to.
Windows 11 has stopped running on older CPUs
Microsoft began testing the new version of Windows 11 as early as February, and some system functions require the POPCNT CPU instruction. It was unclear at the time whether this change was accidental or intentional, but if the CPU itself does not support POPCNT, the newer Windows 11 Build 26080 cannot even start. Instead, Windows 11 is stuck in a reboot cycle. When foreign media The Register raised questions, Microsoft declined to comment on this change.
POPCNT CPU instructions are part of the SSE4.2 instruction set, which was introduced in the first generation Core i5 and Core i7 processors (Nehalem architecture) in 2008, and AMD added it to the Bulldozer processor in 2013 . There is no solution for the lack of CPU instruction set other than changing to a new processor.
Microsoft’s official system requirements for Windows 11 currently include eighth-generation Intel Core CPUs or higher, as well as second-generation AMD Ryzen or higher CPUs, which require other PC features such as TPM 2.0. This change only affects very old systems. People who bypass official requirements on older computers with older CPUs. If your computer exceeds the official requirements, such as a first-generation Ryzen laptop or a computer with a seventh-generation Intel Core CPU, you can still use it now.
Even though these older CPUs weren’t supposed to run Windows 11 in the first place, it’s still an annoying change. Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 in October 2025 unless you pay for continued support. If your computer has an older CPU that doesn’t support Windows 11, you’ll have to downgrade to Windows 10 or try your luck with another operating system. However, some applications and games, such as Apex Legends, cannot run without this CPU instruction.
