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103 Posts

467

August 7th, 2025 08:10

windows 11

On several occasions, Windows Update has said that my laptop, Inspiron 15 5000 is suitable for upgrading to Windows 11.

Two days ago, I performed this and a day later had another major uplift from 23H2 to 24H2.

It went very well and is working well. Until I log into DELL support which tells me:

"The Microsoft requirements for Windows 11 are not supported on this device. Read more about system requirements here."

So who am I supposed to believe, and what's next for me? As my machine is well outside warranty, I am not in a position to engage with DELL.

Any ideas?

My machine is:

Device name W11UL2
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8265U CPU @ 1.60GHz (1.80 GHz)
Installed RAM 8.00 GB (7.87 GB usable)
Edition Windows 11 Home
Version 24H2
Installed on ‎05/‎08/‎2025
OS build 26100.4770
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.197.0

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March 22nd, 2026 10:45

I faced almost the same situation, and after checking things properly, it turned out there’s nothing actually wrong. In my case too, Windows Update allowed the upgrade to Windows 11 (even the newer version), and the system has been running smoothly since then without any major issues.

The confusion usually comes from the difference between Microsoft and Dell. Microsoft checks the real hardware requirements like CPU, TPM, and security features, and if your system meets those, it allows the upgrade. On the other hand, Dell relies on its own tested device list, which is not always updated for older models.

Because of this, Dell Support may show a message saying the device is “not supported,” even though Windows 11 is already installed and working perfectly. This message is more about official validation from Dell, not about actual compatibility or performance of your laptop.

What matters most is how your system is performing. If there are no crashes, driver issues, or update problems, then your device is handling Windows 11 just fine. Windows Update itself now provides most essential drivers, so you are not fully dependent on Dell for support.

So in the end, you should trust your working system rather than the warning message. If everything is stable, there is no need to worry or take any action. It’s a common situation with older laptops, and as long as performance is good, you’re good to go.

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7 Posts

August 22nd, 2025 08:19

Windows often indicates if your device is "eligible" for upgrading based on the hardware and system requirements, but this is a preliminary check. It doesn’t always reflect the actual compatibility, especially if your device has components or configurations that are borderline or not officially certified.

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103 Posts

March 22nd, 2026 18:01

@Soniyarathi​ thanks for that. A voice of reason at last.

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30.8K Posts

August 7th, 2025 15:21

There's no hardware there that windows 11 does not support, so I suspect it is a configuration issue such as a system that's booting in legacy mode or has a boot drive in MBR rather than GPT, or does not have secure boot enabled.

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103 Posts

August 22nd, 2025 08:26

Thank you for that @UakoDave .I can fully understand that 

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