ZDNET – even if Microsoft says it’s ‘incompatible’ here’s how: “On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop delivering security updates to your Windows 10 PC unless you’re willing to pay an exorbitant price to join the Extended Security Updates program.  If you try to upgrade to Windows 11 on a PC over a few years old, you’ll be told, in no uncertain terms, that your old PC doesn’t qualify, because its CPU isn’t on the official list of compatible processors. Microsoft has made it abundantly clear that it will not revise those requirements. You will also hit roadblocks if your PC doesn’t have a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0. However, while that might be the official policy, as with everything Windows-related, it pays to read the fine print. Those pesky restrictions prevent you from automatically upgrading to Windows 11 using Windows Update or the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. Yet there are two fully supported workarounds, as I document in ZDNET’s Windows 11 FAQ. If you’re willing to perform a clean install of Windows 11, you can boot from installation media and run Windows Setup. That option skips the CPU compatibility check completely. After the installation completes, you’ll need to reinstall all your apps, restore your data files, and tweak settings to personalize your system preferences. Want to avoid all that hassle? Follow these four steps…”