The first major update for Windows 11 (supposedly called Sun Valley 2) is supposedly ready to be released, but some last-minute testing seems to have raised questions about Microsoft’s strict hardware requirements to run the operating system. It was accidentally released to almost all Windows Insider Program members in the Release Preview – including unsupported devices.
As reported by latest windows (opens in new tab)Microsoft released Windows 11 22H2 on the Release Preview Channel on June 7, which includes features like drag and drop, a better Start menu, a new Task Manager, and Mica for Win32 apps. Some users on Reddit (opens in new tab) quickly noticed that they also received updates on systems that do not officially support the operating system due to TPM 2.0 requirements or the use of older processors.
Something to note is that other users on the same Reddit thread also confirmed that despite being in the Insider Program, their own unsupported machines didn’t get the update, so this doesn’t seem to be something that made it to all systems.
Regardless, the update has been removed completely and Microsoft has filed a statement claiming there are no plans to change the current hardware requirements for Windows 11. “It’s a bug and the right team is looking into it,” Microsoft noted. “The requirements haven’t changed.”
Only Insider Program members will be affected by this issue. As for the full release of 22H2, most sources are currently estimating an October release date for when Sun Valley 2 will be available to the public, coming on Windows 11’s one-year anniversary from October 2021.
Analysis: Where there’s a Windows, there’s a way
Some things are just a given: the water is wet, you should wear sunscreen when you go out, and if you give people a way to fiddle with the software, they will.
Windows essentially breaking its own hardware requirements for Windows 11 might encourage some developers and hobbyists to find additional workarounds to bring the OS to older machines, even if a bug was the root cause. The fact that it happened purely by mistake is enough indication that it might be easier than you might think.
Let’s be clear: we do not condone or suggest doing so, as Microsoft justified its decision to omit certain systems and hardware for security reasons, likely in an attempt to make Windows 11 its most secure operating system to date. That doesn’t mean curiosity won’t get the best of some people.