A few days ago we told you that Windows 11 24H2 introduced a new requirement to block the installation of this update on older computers, and we saw that the affected chips were all those that lacked POPCNT instructions, which was first built into AMD processors based on the K10 architecture back in 2007 and which, in the case of Intel, came with the first generation Intel Core based on Nehal, the predecessor of Sandy Bridge.

This leaves out generations of processors that were very popular, such as Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quadand in AMD’s case it’s less serious because it only affects processors before the Phenom Series first generation. Deep down, this move by Microsoft is completely normal, I think that’s what we’re talking about operating system that was released in 2021and from the processors that came to the market incl before 2007.

Will I be able to install Windows 11 24H2 on my computer?

You can find out in a very simple way, just check if your processor is supported by the relevant guide. In the case of AMD, it must have SSE4A instructionsand in the case of Intel s SSE4.2 instructions. The easiest way to check is to download CPU-Z and check the list of supported instructions.

You can see in the attached pictureInstructions that identify POPCNT support, necessary instructions to update or install Windows 11 24H2. It is important to be clear that if your processor does not support this instruction, you will not be able to force the installation of this update and it will not be possible to install this version of Windows 11 from the beginning, because it will be blocked when it detects that we do not have a compatible CPU.

What happens if my CPU does not support the POPCNT instruction?

If your processor does not support this instruction you will not be able to proceed with the Windows 11 update. All in all, you can rest assured because Windows 11 23H2 will continue to receive support until November 2025so you still have a few years ahead of you to continue using said OS if you have a very old computer.

However, remember this Windows 10 will be supported until October 2025, and in this case you would have full support and meet the requirements for a fully compatible CPU, so it is very likely that your user experience will be better with said OS. Remember that Windows 11 is a living operating system that is constantly evolving, so its requirements could change in the medium to long term.