Apple called its App Tracking Transparency framework one of the most impactful moves towards creating a more private ecosystem, but recent independent research shows that it is not really effective against third-party trackers and doesn’t block the transfer of personal or device data either. The core premise of the ATT framework was to offer users more transparency about their data, such as which apps collect information, what data they extract, and how it is shared. More importantly, each app was mandated to ask users explicitly about tracking via a pop-up notification.Of course, the likes of Facebook, whose coffers are generously filled by its massive advertising business, wasn’t too happy about the change and resorted to an industry-wide lobbying campaign. However, Apple remained adamant that it wants to give users a choice whether they want an app to show them personalized ads by tracking their activity across the web and apps. Following a fierce backlash and claims of Apple not implementing the rules on its own apps, the company temporarily delayed the ATT implementation for months and eventually enabled it with the iOS 14.5 release. However, the whole system might not be as effective as Apple claims.In a study conducted by Lockdown Privacy — whose members are said to be ex-Apple engineers — App Tracking Transparency didn’t create any difference when it comes to disabling third-party trackers associated with an app and is minimally effective at blocking connection requests. As part of the research, the team selected ten top ranked apps on the App Store and monitored third-party tracking for each one under two scenarios — ATT enabled and ATT disabled. Apps like Grubhub, DoorDash and Peacock TV were found to have roughly the same number of active third-party trackers even when users enabled ATT. Another study earlier this year in June also arrived at a similar conclusion about the inefficacy of the ATT system.The Yelp app was found to have allowed at least six active trackers even with ATT enabled using the “Ask App Not To Track” prompt. Interestingly, the same six trackers were observed when ATT was disabled. Likewise, 39 tracking attempts were recorded, which is only marginally lower than the 42 attempts when ATT was disabled. Lockdown Privacy concluded that enabling or disabling ATT didn’t make any difference for the 50 trackers they observed while running the selected pool of apps. When it came to tracking attempts, enabling ATT only reduced the number by a mere 13-percent.In terms of the kind of data that the apps were able to share with third parties, everything from time zone, carrier name, iOS version, and iPhone model to more sensitive details such as the user’s first and last name, location with exact latitude and longitude, free storage on device, battery and volume levels, as well as accessibility setting details were included. Lockdown Privacy mentions that in all test scenarios, the IP address of users was exposed as well. Contrary to what Apple claims, there was no automatic blocking of tracking requests either. Even if users denied an app’s request for tracking their activity, a majority of the test apps did not seem to honor that choice at all.The study is a sign that Apple may need to implement a more stringent vetting process to ensure that apps do not avoid the ATT norms and violate user privacy despite an explicit denial for tracking. If it continues the same way, Apple might not be too far from another lawsuit over privacy concerns, misleading advertising, and/or more regulatory scrutiny.
Apple called its App Tracking Transparency framework one of the most impactful moves towards creating a more private ecosystem, but recent independent research shows that it is not really effective against third-party trackers and doesn’t block the transfer of personal or device data either. The core premise of the ATT framework was to offer users more transparency about their data, such as which apps collect information, what data they extract, and how it is shared. More importantly, each app was mandated to ask users explicitly about tracking via a pop-up notification.
Of course, the likes of Facebook, whose coffers are generously filled by its massive advertising business, wasn’t too happy about the change and resorted to an industry-wide lobbying campaign. However, Apple remained adamant that it wants to give users a choice whether they want an app to show them personalized ads by tracking their activity across the web and apps. Following a fierce backlash and claims of Apple not implementing the rules on its own apps, the company temporarily delayed the ATT implementation for months and eventually enabled it with the iOS 14.5 release. However, the whole system might not be as effective as Apple claims.
In a study conducted by Lockdown Privacy — whose members are said to be ex-Apple engineers — App Tracking Transparency didn’t create any difference when it comes to disabling third-party trackers associated with an app and is minimally effective at blocking connection requests. As part of the research, the team selected ten top ranked apps on the App Store and monitored third-party tracking for each one under two scenarios — ATT enabled and ATT disabled. Apps like Grubhub, DoorDash and Peacock TV were found to have roughly the same number of active third-party trackers even when users enabled ATT. Another study earlier this year in June also arrived at a similar conclusion about the inefficacy of the ATT system.
The Yelp app was found to have allowed at least six active trackers even with ATT enabled using the “Ask App Not To Track” prompt. Interestingly, the same six trackers were observed when ATT was disabled. Likewise, 39 tracking attempts were recorded, which is only marginally lower than the 42 attempts when ATT was disabled. Lockdown Privacy concluded that enabling or disabling ATT didn’t make any difference for the 50 trackers they observed while running the selected pool of apps. When it came to tracking attempts, enabling ATT only reduced the number by a mere 13-percent.
In terms of the kind of data that the apps were able to share with third parties, everything from time zone, carrier name, iOS version, and iPhone model to more sensitive details such as the user’s first and last name, location with exact latitude and longitude, free storage on device, battery and volume levels, as well as accessibility setting details were included. Lockdown Privacy mentions that in all test scenarios, the IP address of users was exposed as well. Contrary to what Apple claims, there was no automatic blocking of tracking requests either. Even if users denied an app’s request for tracking their activity, a majority of the test apps did not seem to honor that choice at all.
The study is a sign that Apple may need to implement a more stringent vetting process to ensure that apps do not avoid the ATT norms and violate user privacy despite an explicit denial for tracking. If it continues the same way, Apple might not be too far from another lawsuit over privacy concerns, misleading advertising, and/or more regulatory scrutiny.
DC’s Stargirl has just upgraded Joel McHale to a series regular for season 3. Stargirl, which follows Courtney Whitmore, a teenager who joins the Justice Society of America, premiered on the CW in 2020 and is currently airing its second season, which is set to conclude on November 2. The series stars Brec Bassinger, Anjelika Washington, Trae Romano, Amy Smart, Luke Wilson, Yvette Monreal, and Cameron Gellman.Joel McHale has appeared as Starman on five episodes of the series. Starman’s cosmic staff is the source of his powers, and following his supposed death in the show’s pilot, Courtney discovers it in her stepfather’s collection. When she realizes she can activate the power of the staff, she assumes Starman is her father and takes up the mantle Stargirl. At the beginning of the second season, it is revealed that Starman is still alive and looking for Courtney’s stepfather, but the show has held off on revealing further details.While appearing on an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show guest hosted by Arsenio Hall, Joel McHale confirmed that he will be a series regular on the next season of Stargirl. With typical humor, he exclaims, “In the first episode of the first season, my character dies. But now I’m back!” He says he’s excited to be joining the show in a fuller capacity because lead Brec Bassinger is a “dynamo” and Luke Wilson and Amy Smart are “no schlubs” either. Yes, [I’ll be a series regular in season 3.] I was just appearing. In the first episode of the first season, my character dies. But now I’m back! So hold onto your hat or your cosmic staff, [which] is what my character holds.I’m Starman, but Stargirl is played by Brec Bassinger, who is a 22-year-old dynamo actor… When I was 22, I was like, “I don’t have any shirts. And I’m just gonna go out without one.” And so she’s very very, she’s great, and Luke Wilson and Amy Smart are in it, and they’re no schlubs… I’m very happy to be part of the show, so thank you Geoff Johns who invented it. It’s the greatest show on television streaming that’s ever been made, so there you go.Joel McHale is best known for playing the sardonic Jeff Winger in the beloved cult sitcom Community, though he has branched out quite a bit since it went off the air in 2015. On the darker end of the spectrum, he starred in the demonic possession thriller Deliver Us from Evil as well as two science-fiction reboot series: The Twilight Zone and The X-Files. He has also appeared in the TV comedies The Great Indoors and Santa Clarita Diet and stopped by the Netflix film A Futile and Stupid Gesture to cameo as his Community co-star Chevy Chase.Starman returning to Stargirl full time is big news for fans of the show who want to explore the mysteries of their relationship. This provides the potential for a lot of storylines down the road, especially considering that she has modeled her alter ego after him and is in fact using his staff. There will certainly be some conflict about who gets to wield it, and whether or the nature of their familial relationship will come into play. What is certain is that the dynamics of the Justice Society are about to have a wrench thrown into them.Source: The Ellen DeGeneres Show
DC’s Stargirl has just upgraded Joel McHale to a series regular for season 3. Stargirl, which follows Courtney Whitmore, a teenager who joins the Justice Society of America, premiered on the CW in 2020 and is currently airing its second season, which is set to conclude on November 2. The series stars Brec Bassinger, Anjelika Washington, Trae Romano, Amy Smart, Luke Wilson, Yvette Monreal, and Cameron Gellman.
Joel McHale has appeared as Starman on five episodes of the series. Starman’s cosmic staff is the source of his powers, and following his supposed death in the show’s pilot, Courtney discovers it in her stepfather’s collection. When she realizes she can activate the power of the staff, she assumes Starman is her father and takes up the mantle Stargirl. At the beginning of the second season, it is revealed that Starman is still alive and looking for Courtney’s stepfather, but the show has held off on revealing further details.
While appearing on an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show guest hosted by Arsenio Hall, Joel McHale confirmed that he will be a series regular on the next season of Stargirl. With typical humor, he exclaims, “In the first episode of the first season, my character dies. But now I’m back!” He says he’s excited to be joining the show in a fuller capacity because lead Brec Bassinger is a “dynamo” and Luke Wilson and Amy Smart are “no schlubs” either.
Yes, [I’ll be a series regular in season 3.] I was just appearing. In the first episode of the first season, my character dies. But now I’m back! So hold onto your hat or your cosmic staff, [which] is what my character holds.
I’m Starman, but Stargirl is played by Brec Bassinger, who is a 22-year-old dynamo actor… When I was 22, I was like, “I don’t have any shirts. And I’m just gonna go out without one.” And so she’s very very, she’s great, and Luke Wilson and Amy Smart are in it, and they’re no schlubs… I’m very happy to be part of the show, so thank you Geoff Johns who invented it. It’s the greatest show on television streaming that’s ever been made, so there you go.
Joel McHale is best known for playing the sardonic Jeff Winger in the beloved cult sitcom Community, though he has branched out quite a bit since it went off the air in 2015. On the darker end of the spectrum, he starred in the demonic possession thriller Deliver Us from Evil as well as two science-fiction reboot series: The Twilight Zone and The X-Files. He has also appeared in the TV comedies The Great Indoors and Santa Clarita Diet and stopped by the Netflix film A Futile and Stupid Gesture to cameo as his Community co-star Chevy Chase.
Starman returning to Stargirl full time is big news for fans of the show who want to explore the mysteries of their relationship. This provides the potential for a lot of storylines down the road, especially considering that she has modeled her alter ego after him and is in fact using his staff. There will certainly be some conflict about who gets to wield it, and whether or the nature of their familial relationship will come into play. What is certain is that the dynamics of the Justice Society are about to have a wrench thrown into them.
For Boyka’s return to the ring in Undisputed 5, Michael Jai White should also be brought back as George “Iceman” Chambers. The Undisputed martial arts movie franchise first got rolling in 2002, but didn’t really get underway in its current form until the straight-to-video follow-up Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing, in which Michael Jai White took over the role of Chambers from Ving Rhames in the first film. Scott Adkins also debuted as the Yuri Boyka, the self-proclaimed “Most Complete Fighter in the World” who would go onto to become the star of the series with the subsequent entries, Undisputed 3: Redemption and Boyka: Undisputed.While Adkins’ Boyka has effectively become the main character of the Undisputed series, White’s Chambers is no less of a crucial pillar to the franchise. Beginning as the villain of Undisputed with Rhames’ portrayal, Chambers returned in Undisputed 2 with much the same attitude of bullying aggression and insufferable behavior. With Adkins’ Boyka as a driven and determined (if overzealous) fighter viewers got behind — despite him originally being a villain in the Undisputed series — as Chambers, White pulled off the rare feat of making viewers actively root for the protagonist’s downfall.RELATED: Which Scott Adkins Character Would Win In A Fight – Yuri Boyka Or Casey Bowman?Both Chambers and Boyka had let their victories in the ring go to their heads, and Chambers’ experience of wrongful imprisonment in order to set up his fight with Boyka brought him down to Earth in realizing how much he had to adapt to a much more versatile opponent. Boyka, in turn, learned the most painful way possible that despite his undeniable formidability, he was not the invincible ruler of the ring he thought he was. In a skewed way, even as they were at each other’s throats, Boyka and Chambers learned a lot from each other, but with only Boyka’s subsequent story having been shown (with Scott Adkins’ character essentially saving the Undisputed franchise), viewers are left wondering Chambers’ fate. The best way to rectify this would be for Chambers and Boyka to cross paths again in Undisputed 5.Admittedly, the logistics of their pairing would be a bit challenging, since Boyka is now back in prison at the end of Boyka: Undisputed. Whether by an unexpected early release or a second chance at escape, Boyka could emerge a very different man from the one Chambers knew. Chambers would also be a changed man himself, and probably after continuing his MMA training after Undisputed 2, could even be a radically different fighter than in his two matches with Boyka. Undisputed 5 would have the potential to show Chambers as an MMA fighter who could match Boyka’s every technique, along with an even more unexpected prospect — specifically, that through the new challenge they’d be confronted with, the two former enemies could actually be forced to join forces and fight side-by-side.Outside of simply continuing through Undisputed 5, there’s also been talk of the franchise transitioning to a Boyka-led Undisputed TV series. Chambers’ return in that format could even take the form of episodes alternating between where Boyka and Chambers currently are before building back up to their unexpected meeting years later. Whether the Undisputed franchise is to continue in an episodic approach or by just jumping into Undisputed 5, George “Iceman” Chambers is due for a return, and after his last match with Boyka, the possibilities are endless for the kind of fighter, enemy, or ally he could return as now.NEXT: Never Back Down: The Martial Arts Movie Franchise Ranked, Worst To Bestfrom ScreenRant – Feed https://ift.tt/2WzQFGq https://ift.tt/3l5ZHog
For Boyka’s return to the ring in Undisputed 5, Michael Jai White should also be brought back as George “Iceman” Chambers. The Undisputed martial arts movie franchise first got rolling in 2002, but didn’t really get underway in its current form until the straight-to-video follow-up Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing, in which Michael Jai White took over the role of Chambers from Ving Rhames in the first film. Scott Adkins also debuted as the Yuri Boyka, the self-proclaimed “Most Complete Fighter in the World” who would go onto to become the star of the series with the subsequent entries, Undisputed 3: Redemption and Boyka: Undisputed.
While Adkins’ Boyka has effectively become the main character of the Undisputed series, White’s Chambers is no less of a crucial pillar to the franchise. Beginning as the villain of Undisputed with Rhames’ portrayal, Chambers returned in Undisputed 2 with much the same attitude of bullying aggression and insufferable behavior. With Adkins’ Boyka as a driven and determined (if overzealous) fighter viewers got behind — despite him originally being a villain in the Undisputed series — as Chambers, White pulled off the rare feat of making viewers actively root for the protagonist’s downfall.
Both Chambers and Boyka had let their victories in the ring go to their heads, and Chambers’ experience of wrongful imprisonment in order to set up his fight with Boyka brought him down to Earth in realizing how much he had to adapt to a much more versatile opponent. Boyka, in turn, learned the most painful way possible that despite his undeniable formidability, he was not the invincible ruler of the ring he thought he was. In a skewed way, even as they were at each other’s throats, Boyka and Chambers learned a lot from each other, but with only Boyka’s subsequent story having been shown (with Scott Adkins’ character essentially saving the Undisputed franchise), viewers are left wondering Chambers’ fate. The best way to rectify this would be for Chambers and Boyka to cross paths again in Undisputed 5.
Admittedly, the logistics of their pairing would be a bit challenging, since Boyka is now back in prison at the end of Boyka: Undisputed. Whether by an unexpected early release or a second chance at escape, Boyka could emerge a very different man from the one Chambers knew. Chambers would also be a changed man himself, and probably after continuing his MMA training after Undisputed 2, could even be a radically different fighter than in his two matches with Boyka. Undisputed 5 would have the potential to show Chambers as an MMA fighter who could match Boyka’s every technique, along with an even more unexpected prospect — specifically, that through the new challenge they’d be confronted with, the two former enemies could actually be forced to join forces and fight side-by-side.
Outside of simply continuing through Undisputed 5, there’s also been talk of the franchise transitioning to a Boyka-led Undisputed TV series. Chambers’ return in that format could even take the form of episodes alternating between where Boyka and Chambers currently are before building back up to their unexpected meeting years later. Whether the Undisputed franchise is to continue in an episodic approach or by just jumping into Undisputed 5, George “Iceman” Chambers is due for a return, and after his last match with Boyka, the possibilities are endless for the kind of fighter, enemy, or ally he could return as now.
With Microsoft’s very own PC Health Check tool back, you can ascertain if your machine is viable to run Windows 11 to be released shortly. This is accompanied with no shortage of third-party options available to those who’d like a report on a PCs’ compliance with minimum system requirements for Windows 11.Compute World walks through the system requirements as they stand now, as well as how to use the PC Health Check app and two alternative tools to check a PC’s Windows 11 upgrade readiness.Windows 11 system requirementsAccording to Microsoft’s Windows 11 overview page, the following items delineate the basic requirements a PC must meet for Windows 11 to install properly on that machine. At present, Microsoft has relaxed those restrictions, so that out-of-compliance PCs can run Windows 11 within the Insider Program. But when the official release goes out later this year, those machines will no longer be able to upgrade to newer Windows 11 versions.Processor: 64-bit architecture at 1 GHz or faster; Intel: eight-generation or newer; AMD Ryzen 3 or better; Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c or higherRAM: 4 GB or higherStorage: 64 GB or larger storage deviceSystem firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capableTPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0Graphics card: Direct X12 or later capable; WDDM 2.0 driver or newerDisplay: High-def (720p) display, larger than 9” diagonal in size, 8 bits per color channel (or better)Internet connection/MSA: Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account (MSA) to complete device setup on first use. Switching out of Windows 11 Home in S mode likewise requires internet connectivity. For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is needed for updates, and to download and use certain features. An MSA is required for some features as well.Just recently the company also relaxed its CPU restrictions to include certain high-end seventh-generation Intel processors found in some of its Microsoft Surface Studio 2 PCs, as well as certain Xeon processors.Using Microsoft’s PC Health CheckTo download PC Health Check, you must be a registered Windows Insider and logged into the associated Microsoft account.The download is easily accessible as a Microsoft Installer file named WindowsPCHealthCheckSetup.msi. Run this file and the program installs itself.To run the program, type PC Heal into the search box, then run the app from the Start menu. To run its built-in Windows 11 compatibility check, click the Check now button inside the “Introducing Windows 11” pane at the top of the app window, as shown in Figure 1:Click Check now in the PC Health Check app to run its compatibility checker. The program returns one of three possible windows after the compatibility check runs. Those that pass the check get a “meets requirements” message (Figure 2, left); those that fail get a “doesn’t currently meet” message (center); and those from PCs running Windows Education or Enterprise or another Windows version managed by an IT department get a message that reads “Your organization manages updates on this PC” (right) but no compatibility check. I’m running Enterprise on my production PC and have flagged this as an error or problem with Microsoft via its Feedback Hub.From left to right, passing grade, failing grade, and no grade, respectively.Click the See all results button to see more details for both passing and failing PCs. The failing PC is a 2014 vintage Surface Pro 3 that fails because its fourth-generation Intel CPU is not supported. The passing grade goes to a 2018 Lenovo ThinkPad X380 Yoga, which has an eighth-generation Intel CPU and other necessary components. Some of the details for both machines appear in Figure 3.2018 Lenovo X380 Yoga (left) passes, but the 2014 Surface Pro 3 (right) fails.Microsoft’s PC Health Check will work for most Windows PCs. Those running Windows 10 Education or Enterprise may be out of luck. Ditto for Windows PCs centrally managed via Group Policy in an organization’s IT environment. YMMV, as they say. And, of course, you might not wish to join the Windows Insider program. That’s why I also recommend the two third-party compatibility check tools in the next section.Two good alternative Windows 11 compatibility checkersThough more options are available, I have found two third-party tools to be eminently useful to check a PC for Windows 11 compatibility in enough detail to make them worthwhile:WhyNotWin11: a GitHub-based project that runs as a standalone Windows application and reports on a series of checks it performs when run.Windows 11 Compatibility Check: a Windows batch file that runs inside an administrative PowerShell session or Command Prompt window to report its findings on PC attributes and capabilities.Either of these tools can provide you ample intelligence to determine if your PC is ready for Windows 11, with one caveat. Older PCs whose CPUs qualify under the processor requirement may include hardware-based TPM chips of version 1.3 or older (lower in number). These CPUs can emulate TPM 2.0, so what looks like a failure to meet Windows 11 requirements at the hardware level can be offset in software. I will explain further in the section on the Windows 11 Compatibility Check script below.WhyNotWin11WhyNotWin11 is a GitHub project whose source code is publicly available. The latest release as I write this story is version 2.4.0 (but you can always click the “Latest” button on the home page to jump to the most current vesion). Click the link labeled Download the latest stable release and you’ll end up with a file named WhyNotWin11.exe. By default it resides in the Downloads folder (C:Users<username>Downloads), where you can execute the program directly.It takes a little while to download the WMIC (Windows Management Instrumentation command-line utility) on which it’s based. When it completes its various checks, it displays their results as shown in Figures 4 (from an incompatible system) and 5 (from a compatible one).WhyNotWin11 results for a PC running on a sixth-gen (i7-6700) Intel chip with no TPM support. This PC will not support Windows 11.WhyNotWin11 results for a PC running on an eleventh-gen (i7-1180G7) Intel chip with TPM 2.0 support. This PC is running Windows 11 and meets all requirements.Understanding WhyNot11’s output is simple: green meets it meets a requirement, red means it doesn’t, and amber means it may or may not meet the final requirements but doesn’t meet current requirements. There’s been a lot of flap about where Microsoft should draw the line on CPU generations, so amber is a sop to those with high hopes for inclusion of older generations. As of the end of August, a few select seventh-generation Intel Core and Xeon processors were allowed into the “meets requirements” group, but no further additions are on the table, according to Microsoft.Windows 11 Compatibility Check scriptThis tool, named Windows 11 Compatibility Check, comes from the community website Windows ElevenForum. Its author, JB Carreon, offers his work as freeware. It comes in the form of a batch file named W11CompChk.bat. Downloads for this tool reside on its History page. As I write this story, the most current version is numbered 1.4.1, for which dates and download links are readily visible.Once it’s loaded onto your PC, you can simply right-click its entry in File Explorer while holding down the left-hand Shift key on the keyboard. From the resulting pop-up menu, select Copy as path. This copies the full file path into your paste buffer. Next, open an administrative Command Prompt window, paste in the string, and remove the leading and trailing quotation marks (“”).The batch file will then execute. It will show progress, and then a report when it finishes its various checks. Figure 6 shows results from an incompatible PC (the same one as in Figure 4 preceding); Figure 7 shows results from a compatible PC (the same one as in Figure 5).Script output for a sixth-generation Intel i7-6700 CPU PC with no TPM. Again, this PC does not meet Windows 11 requirements.Script output for an eleventh-generation Intel system with TPM 2.0 emulation, which Windows 11 Compatibility Check incorrectly identifies as version 1.3. Despite the script’s assessment, this PC is compatible with Windows 11.Note in Figure 7 how the Windows 11 Compatibility Check script has been tripped up. While the tool does show that TPM is enabled, it erroneously reports an outdated 1.3 version based on the physical TPM chip present. That chip is emulating TPM 2.0 and therefore does meet the Windows 11 requirements.Any of these tools will do, but…Microsoft’s PC Health Check gets the job done, except for those running Enterprise or Education versions, those whose PCs are under central IT management, or those who are not Windows Insiders. Both it and WhyNotWin11 are smart enough to check which version of TPM is active in the Windows runtime environment. Thus, they correctly identify the TPM as meeting the “version 2.0 or higher” requirement.If you run the TPM.msc snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console on that PC (you must be logged in with administrative privileges), in fact, it shows you that its “Specification version” is indeed 2.0 (see Figure 8, lower right). That meets the stated requirement and means that the Lenovo X12 ThinkPad in question (built in 2021) will happily and successfully run Windows 11.The important field is “Specification Version,” which reads 2.0 and meets requirements.Any tool covered here will help you figure out if (and why) a PC meets or fails the Windows 11 system requirements.
With Microsoft’s very own PC Health Check tool back, you can ascertain if your machine is viable to run Windows 11 to be released shortly. This is accompanied with no shortage of third-party options available to those who’d like a report on a PCs’ compliance with minimum system requirements for Windows 11.
According to Microsoft’s Windows 11 overview page, the following items delineate the basic requirements a PC must meet for Windows 11 to install properly on that machine. At present, Microsoft has relaxed those restrictions, so that out-of-compliance PCs can run Windows 11 within the Insider Program. But when the official release goes out later this year, those machines will no longer be able to upgrade to newer Windows 11 versions.
Processor: 64-bit architecture at 1 GHz or faster; Intel: eight-generation or newer; AMD Ryzen 3 or better; Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c or higher
RAM: 4 GB or higher
Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device
System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
Graphics card: Direct X12 or later capable; WDDM 2.0 driver or newer
Display: High-def (720p) display, larger than 9” diagonal in size, 8 bits per color channel (or better)
Internet connection/MSA: Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account (MSA) to complete device setup on first use. Switching out of Windows 11 Home in S mode likewise requires internet connectivity. For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is needed for updates, and to download and use certain features. An MSA is required for some features as well.
Just recently the company also relaxed its CPU restrictions to include certain high-end seventh-generation Intel processors found in some of its Microsoft Surface Studio 2 PCs, as well as certain Xeon processors.
Using Microsoft’s PC Health Check
To download PC Health Check, you must be a registered Windows Insider and logged into the associated Microsoft account.
The download is easily accessible as a Microsoft Installer file named WindowsPCHealthCheckSetup.msi. Run this file and the program installs itself.
To run the program, type PC Healinto the search box, then run the app from the Start menu. To run its built-in Windows 11 compatibility check, click the Check now button inside the “Introducing Windows 11” pane at the top of the app window, as shown in Figure 1:
Click Check now in the PC Health Check app to run its compatibility checker.
The program returns one of three possible windows after the compatibility check runs. Those that pass the check get a “meets requirements” message (Figure 2, left); those that fail get a “doesn’t currently meet” message (center); and those from PCs running Windows Education or Enterprise or another Windows version managed by an IT department get a message that reads “Your organization manages updates on this PC” (right) but no compatibility check. I’m running Enterprise on my production PC and have flagged this as an error or problem with Microsoft via its Feedback Hub.
From left to right, passing grade, failing grade, and no grade, respectively.
Click the See all results button to see more details for both passing and failing PCs. The failing PC is a 2014 vintage Surface Pro 3 that fails because its fourth-generation Intel CPU is not supported. The passing grade goes to a 2018 Lenovo ThinkPad X380 Yoga, which has an eighth-generation Intel CPU and other necessary components. Some of the details for both machines appear in Figure 3.
2018 Lenovo X380 Yoga (left) passes, but the 2014 Surface Pro 3 (right) fails.
Microsoft’s PC Health Check will work for most Windows PCs. Those running Windows 10 Education or Enterprise may be out of luck. Ditto for Windows PCs centrally managed via Group Policy in an organization’s IT environment. YMMV, as they say. And, of course, you might not wish to join the Windows Insider program. That’s why I also recommend the two third-party compatibility check tools in the next section.
Two good alternative Windows 11 compatibility checkers
Though more options are available, I have found two third-party tools to be eminently useful to check a PC for Windows 11 compatibility in enough detail to make them worthwhile:
WhyNotWin11: a GitHub-based project that runs as a standalone Windows application and reports on a series of checks it performs when run.
Windows 11 Compatibility Check: a Windows batch file that runs inside an administrative PowerShell session or Command Prompt window to report its findings on PC attributes and capabilities.
Either of these tools can provide you ample intelligence to determine if your PC is ready for Windows 11, with one caveat. Older PCs whose CPUs qualify under the processor requirement may include hardware-based TPM chips of version 1.3 or older (lower in number). These CPUs can emulate TPM 2.0, so what looks like a failure to meet Windows 11 requirements at the hardware level can be offset in software. I will explain further in the section on the Windows 11 Compatibility Check script below.
WhyNotWin11
WhyNotWin11 is a GitHub project whose source code is publicly available. The latest release as I write this story is version 2.4.0 (but you can always click the “Latest” button on the home page to jump to the most current vesion). Click the link labeled Download the latest stable release and you’ll end up with a file named WhyNotWin11.exe. By default it resides in the Downloads folder (C:Users<username>Downloads), where you can execute the program directly.
It takes a little while to download the WMIC (Windows Management Instrumentation command-line utility) on which it’s based. When it completes its various checks, it displays their results as shown in Figures 4 (from an incompatible system) and 5 (from a compatible one).
WhyNotWin11 results for a PC running on a sixth-gen (i7-6700) Intel chip with no TPM support. This PC will not support Windows 11.WhyNotWin11 results for a PC running on an eleventh-gen (i7-1180G7) Intel chip with TPM 2.0 support. This PC is running Windows 11 and meets all requirements.
Understanding WhyNot11’s output is simple: green meets it meets a requirement, red means it doesn’t, and amber means it may or may not meet the final requirements but doesn’t meet current requirements. There’s been a lot of flap about where Microsoft should draw the line on CPU generations, so amber is a sop to those with high hopes for inclusion of older generations. As of the end of August, a few select seventh-generation Intel Core and Xeon processors were allowed into the “meets requirements” group, but no further additions are on the table, according to Microsoft.
Windows 11 Compatibility Check script
This tool, named Windows 11 Compatibility Check, comes from the community website Windows ElevenForum. Its author, JB Carreon, offers his work as freeware. It comes in the form of a batch file named W11CompChk.bat. Downloads for this tool reside on its History page. As I write this story, the most current version is numbered 1.4.1, for which dates and download links are readily visible.
Once it’s loaded onto your PC, you can simply right-click its entry in File Explorer while holding down the left-hand Shift key on the keyboard. From the resulting pop-up menu, select Copy as path. This copies the full file path into your paste buffer. Next, open an administrative Command Prompt window, paste in the string, and remove the leading and trailing quotation marks (“”).
The batch file will then execute. It will show progress, and then a report when it finishes its various checks. Figure 6 shows results from an incompatible PC (the same one as in Figure 4 preceding); Figure 7 shows results from a compatible PC (the same one as in Figure 5).
Script output for a sixth-generation Intel i7-6700 CPU PC with no TPM. Again, this PC does not meet Windows 11 requirements.Script output for an eleventh-generation Intel system with TPM 2.0 emulation, which Windows 11 Compatibility Check incorrectly identifies as version 1.3. Despite the script’s assessment, this PC is compatible with Windows 11.
Note in Figure 7 how the Windows 11 Compatibility Check script has been tripped up. While the tool does show that TPM is enabled, it erroneously reports an outdated 1.3 version based on the physical TPM chip present. That chip is emulating TPM 2.0 and therefore does meet the Windows 11 requirements.
Any of these tools will do, but…
Microsoft’s PC Health Check gets the job done, except for those running Enterprise or Education versions, those whose PCs are under central IT management, or those who are not Windows Insiders. Both it and WhyNotWin11 are smart enough to check which version of TPM is active in the Windows runtime environment. Thus, they correctly identify the TPM as meeting the “version 2.0 or higher” requirement.
If you run the TPM.msc snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console on that PC (you must be logged in with administrative privileges), in fact, it shows you that its “Specification version” is indeed 2.0 (see Figure 8, lower right). That meets the stated requirement and means that the Lenovo X12 ThinkPad in question (built in 2021) will happily and successfully run Windows 11.
The important field is “Specification Version,” which reads 2.0 and meets requirements.
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from News Medical Medical Research News Feed https://ift.tt/3uDsq74 https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Despite the prevalence of the painful condition, women are fearful and frustrated with limited management options, according to Cedars-Sinai research published in the Journal of Urology.from News Medical Medical Research News Feed https://ift.tt/3zZrGu1 https://ift.tt/eA8V8JDespite the prevalence of the painful condition, women are fearful and frustrated with limited management options, according to Cedars-Sinai research published in the Journal of Urology.
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COVID-19 may bring high risks of severe disease and death in many patients by disrupting key metabolic signals and thereby triggering hyperglycemia, according to a new study from researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian.from News Medical Medical Research News Feed https://ift.tt/3l3URYD https://ift.tt/eA8V8JCOVID-19 may bring high risks of severe disease and death in many patients by disrupting key metabolic signals and thereby triggering hyperglycemia, according to a new study from researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian.
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Osimertinib was the first drug to be approved for adjuvant treatment after complete tumour resection in adults with stage IB to IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).from News Medical Medical Research News Feed https://ift.tt/3uxHUJI https://ift.tt/eA8V8JOsimertinib was the first drug to be approved for adjuvant treatment after complete tumour resection in adults with stage IB to IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
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Researchers from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), and Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine identified a previously unknown condition affecting children, which they discovered could be prevented by administering a drug during pregnancy.from News Medical Medical Research News Feed https://ift.tt/3mnWPT5 https://ift.tt/eA8V8JResearchers from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), and Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine identified a previously unknown condition affecting children, which they discovered could be prevented by administering a drug during pregnancy.
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