How to Fix the Windows Setup “Aka.ms/windowssysreq” Error

Installing Windows 11 on a system that does not satisfy the minimum system requirements is not advised. You should feel confident with the risk of experiencing stability problems if you decide to install Windows 11 on incompatible hardware.

Installing Windows 11 on a system that doesn’t satisfy the requirements triggers the following disclaimer in the Windows setup screen:

“This PC doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11 – these requirements help ensure a more reliable and higher quality experience. Installing Windows 11 on this PC is not recommended and may result in compatibility issues. If you install Windows 11, your PC will no longer be supported and won’t be entitled to receive updates. Damages to your PC due to lack of compatibility aren’t covered under the manufacturer warranty.”

These compatibility problems or other problems could cause your device to malfunction. Upgrades, including security patches, won’t be guaranteed to reach systems that don’t fulfill these system requirements anymore.

When attempting to install Windows 11 on their computers, many customers have encountered the “this pc can’t run Windows 11 issue.” Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 settings on a device are to blame for this problem. A user may need to correct both or just one of the problems to install Windows 11 on a Computer correctly.

Windows 11 Minimum Requirements

Here’s what you need to have to install Windows 11 on your PC:

• Processor – 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC).
• RAM – 4 gigabytes (GB).
• Storage – 64 GB or larger storage device.
• System firmware – UEFI should support Secure Boot.
• TPM – Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0. Check here for instructions on how your PC might be enabled to meet this requirement.
• Graphics card – Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver.

Check your computer’s compatibility with Windows 11 by running the PC Health Check app before upgrading to the new operating System.

This tool accesses the PC’s fundamental parts to determine which ones fall short of the standards and links to specific instructions on fixing the problem.

• Don’t Miss: Trusted Platform Module has Malfunctioned Repair Guide

Fixing the “Aka.ms/windowssysreq” Error Message

First Method – Check for New Windows Update

Ensuring that your Windows 10 Operating System is up to date is very important to ensure that your update to Windows 11 goes smoothly. Windows updates contain driver updates, updates on system files, virus definitions updates, bug fixes, and a lot more. Follow these steps to check for new Windows updates.

1. Click on the “Windows” key on your keyboard. Simultaneously press “R” to bring up the run line command window. Type in “control update” and hit enter.

2. Click the “Check for Updates” button in the Windows Update window. You will receive notifications such as “You’re Up to Date” if no updates are necessary.

3. Alternatively, download and install if the Windows Update Tool finds you a new update. You will be required to reboot your computer after an update.

Second Method – Unplug External Hardware Devices

If you have multiple external hardware, unplug them all. Unplugging external hardware devices such as USB flash drives, external hard drives, and speakers from your computer eliminates the chance that one of the devices is causing the error message.

You can disable it in the device manager, but unplugging them is much faster. After unplugging all devices, check if the error persists.

Third Method – Manually Updating Device Drivers

As mentioned, outdated drivers may also cause the “Aka.ms/windowssysreq” error. Follow these steps to update your device drivers manually.

1. Press the “Windows” and “R” keys and type in “devmgmt.msc” in the run command line, and press enter to open Device Manager.

2. Look for the device you wish to update in the list of devices in the Device Manager. In this example, we will update the disk drive drivers. Double-click “Disk Drives” to expand it, right-click on your drive, and click “Update Drivers.”

3. To update hardware drivers, “Search Automatically for Drivers” should be selected in the update drivers popup. Follow the subsequent prompts to install the new disk drive driver completely. Close the Device Manager window, restart your computer, and check this fixed issue.

Fourth Method – Use a Third-Party Tool to run a Diagnosis

You can use various tools to diagnose errors in your computer that might be causing the “Aka.ms/windowssysreq” issue. One of the most reliable all-in-one tools we highly recommend is Fortect.

Fortect will fix common computer issues, clean up system files, prevent losing files, fix incorrect registry values, protect you from spyware and hardware failure, and tune your PC to run at its best. In three simple actions, you can immediately fix PC problems and remove threats:

1. Download Fortect.

2. Once Fortect has been installed on your computer, you will be directed to the homepage of Fortect. Click on Start Scan to let Fortect analyze what needs to be performed on your computer.

3. Once the scan is complete, click Start Repair to fix all the items Fortect found causing your computer’s “Aka.ms/windowssysreq” problem.

Fifth Method – Run a Disk Cleanup

If you have had your System for a long time, it may have obsolete and corrupt system files. These files may be the reason for the error you are experiencing. To fix this, you should try running a Disk Cleanup.

1. To free up your disk space, search for Disk Cleanup in the Windows search by clicking on the Microsoft logo or start menu button on the bottom left corner of your desktop and type in “Disk Cleanup,” and press enter.

2. In the Disk Cleanup window, select the drive you want to clean up.

3. Click on “Clean Up System Files” in the Disc dialog box.

4. Select the files you wish to delete from your disk and click “OK.”

Sixth Method – Reconfiguring Registry Values

Sometimes, you have to trick the Windows setup into thinking that your System meets the minimum system requirement for Windows 11. But remember, although this eliminates the setup error “Aka.ms/windowssysreq”, this does not guarantee stability.

1. Restart your computer and begin the setup. While you are on the “This PC can’t run Windows” error message, press the “shift” key and “F10” keys on your keyboard to bring up the Command Prompt window.
2. Type in “regedit” and press enter to open the registry editor.
3. In the registry editor, navigate to “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup,” right-click on the “Setup” folder, and select “new” and “Key.”

4. Name the new to “LabConfig,” right-click on a blank space inside the folder, and click “New.” Select “DWORD (32bit) value and name it “BypassTPMCheck.”

5. Repeat the same process and create three more DWORD values and name them with the following:

• BypassSecureBootCheck
• BypassRAMCheck
• BypassCPUCheck

6. After creating these DWORD values, change the value data to “1.” Close the registry editor and relaunch the Windows setup. The “Aka.ms/windowssysreq” setup error message should no longer pop up.

Wrap Up

If you want the whole Windows 11 experience, we suggest meeting at least the System’s minimum requirements. Windows 11 is a beautiful system, and getting hiccups and problems is a guarantee if your System does not meet the minimum system requirement for Windows 11.