Thursday, February 23rd 2023

Installed Windows 11 with TPM Disabled? Expect an Ugly Watermark on the Desktop

Users of Windows 11 on "unsupported hardware" report that since the most recent Patch Tuesday (monthly) Cumulative Update, an ugly watermark message began appearing on the Windows Desktop screen for the Windows 11 22H2 Update operating system. The bottom-right corner has a permanently-overlaid message that reads "System requirements not met. Go to Settings to learn more." This is visually similar to the watermark you get when you haven't activated Windows with a valid license.

Windows Setup is designed to prevent the installation of Windows 11 on machines that don't meet its minimum system requirements, most notably, the need for a hardware Trusted Platform Module (TPM). There are ways to circumvent this hardware requirements check during setup. The latest Patch Tuesday update apparently takes a quick check on whether Windows 11 is installed on a machine that actually meets its requirements as laid by Microsoft; and if not, places the watermark message on Windows Desktop. It's important to note here, that unlike the "Activate Windows" watermark, this "System requirements not met" watermark does not impact the functionality of Windows 11, and you probably won't wake up one day to find that your machine won't boot. It seems more like a means to get people to fix their hardware requirements using an eyesore.
Source: Tom's Hardware
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90 Comments on Installed Windows 11 with TPM Disabled? Expect an Ugly Watermark on the Desktop

#76
Karti
TomorrowPSB is is a pure enterprise feature. I remember Moore's Law is Dead youtube channel discussing this with a server person in one of their Broken Silicon podcasts.
sadly it is not just enterprise feature

take ANY ryzen based Lenovo Think series desktop device - standard, SFF, tiny or whatevr

if you got it with Ryzen 4000 or higher, it has PSB enabled - so even a normal office PC will have its CPU locked... Already tested that in my company with ThinkCentre M75q Tiny based on Ryzen 4350GE - when one of those devices "died" duio the fail that happened in warehouse, we wanted to simply use that CPU in different device - puff, we cannot use it because CPU got locked

OEM partners are enabling PSB by default in their devices and not just enterprise segment - but even office segment
Posted on Reply
#77
caroline!
KartiWhat about AMD PSB? Locking physical hardware (CPU) to specific OEM motherboard
yea, good luck re-using that CPU or anything - enjoy more e-waste

And THIS is exactly why more people are finally quitting Windows for Linux..

I myself still love older Windows version... baa I can even go with Win10 without any issues
But Win11 is a joke - it is not a system, it is an online service forcing its user for some stupid requirements ;s

Wondering why Valve totally went away from MS Windows years ago and why they decided to fully utilize Linux based desktop system on SteamDeck instead of Windows...

Curious....
The "..." should include that as well. Locking CPUs is corporate insane greed in its purest form.

I use Linux but have to run a Windows VM in order to play games. It's easier than dual booting or losing my mind trying to get WINE or PoL to work.
As for Valve... where's number 3?
Posted on Reply
#78
cyber-o
Ya, well, what y'all are saying is fine and dandy but I now cannot get Office 365 Outlook to login now without TPM...
Posted on Reply
#79
eidairaman1
The Exiled Airman
I killed Windows Update and have had no issues
Posted on Reply
#80
R-T-B
Kartisadly it is not just enterprise feature

take ANY ryzen based Lenovo Think series desktop device - standard, SFF, tiny or whatevr

if you got it with Ryzen 4000 or higher, it has PSB enabled - so even a normal office PC will have its CPU locked... Already tested that in my company with ThinkCentre M75q Tiny based on Ryzen 4350GE - when one of those devices "died" duio the fail that happened in warehouse, we wanted to simply use that CPU in different device - puff, we cannot use it because CPU got locked

OEM partners are enabling PSB by default in their devices and not just enterprise segment - but even office segment
KartiWhat about AMD PSB?
TomorrowPSB is is a pure enterprise feature. I remember Moore's Law is Dead youtube channel discussing this with a server person in one of their Broken Silicon podcasts.
It's PSP not PSB. And yes it's in consumer parts.

EDIT: No wait, PSB is a separate thing. Yes, it sounds bad.
Posted on Reply
#81
bobbybluz
eidairaman1I killed Windows Update and have had no issues
Me too on all of my Win 10 & 11 PC's. WUB is a great thing.
Posted on Reply
#82
ThrashZone
cyber-oYa, well, what y'all are saying is fine and dandy but I now cannot get Office 365 Outlook to login now without TPM...
Hi,
There's always lower versions 2016 pro plus or higher TPU has discount sells just about every month and or holidays
Office pro plus 2021 for 34.us this is not monthly lol
Oops that is with win-11 pro key to :cool:
www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/godeal24-introduces-software-big-sale-get-genuine-software-at-jaw-dropping-prices.305176/
Posted on Reply
#83
cyber-o
ThrashZoneHi,
There's always lower versions 2016 pro plus or higher TPU has discount sells just about every month and or holidays
Office pro plus 2021 for 34.us this is not monthly lol
Oops that is with win-11 pro key to :cool:
www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/godeal24-introduces-software-big-sale-get-genuine-software-at-jaw-dropping-prices.305176/
I tried one of those cheap deals years ago and the license worked for a while (6 months?) and then it died when MS shut it down.
I've ordered a TPU chip, arriving tomorrow, we'll see...
Posted on Reply
#84
ThrashZone
cyber-oI tried one of those cheap deals years ago and the license worked for a while (6 months?) and then it died when MS shut it down.
I've ordered a TPU chip, arriving tomorrow, we'll see...
Hi,
From here you tried one / Doubt it ;)
Posted on Reply
#85
cyber-o
No not there. It was years ago, been there, done that!
Posted on Reply
#87
cyber-o
They are bulk/multi-user licenses and if/when MS catches them, they will stop functioning...
Posted on Reply
#88
Mussels
Freshwater Moderator
you can get legit OEM licences for a single motherboard cheap and legitimately, or you can use sketchy sites that sell the same retail key many times that eventually get shut down (You dont notice until you need to re-activate)


The only thing even mildly concerning about this whole thread is outlook needing TPM - we can still run the OS without TPM, and we can use third party email clients but that's such an odd security to enforce for email
Posted on Reply
#89
cyber-o
So, I ordered a TPM 2.0 chip from Amazon.ca for CAD$25.99, plugged it into the socket on my-not-very-old MSI Z590-A Pro mobo and everything Microsoft related now works as it used too before...
Posted on Reply
#90
Ernest1ca
OneMoarget the point microsoft
we don't want mandatory tpm
Microsoft is ignorant.
Posted on Reply
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