220-1102 Question 285
Single answerCentral processing unit (CPU) requirementsA technician is preparing to install a 64-bit edition of Windows 11 Pro on an older office desktop that will be repurposed for a manager. The installation media boots successfully, but the setup program reports that the PC does not meet processor requirements. The system already has adequate RAM, enough storage space, and TPM 2.0 enabled in firmware. Which CPU-related issue is the MOST likely cause of the failure?
- A
The processor does not support a 1 GHz or faster clock speed
- B
The processor is missing support for NX, SSE2, or a compatible 64-bit instruction set
- C
The processor has fewer than four physical cores
- D
The processor does not include integrated graphics
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
For A+ Core 2, technicians should be able to evaluate whether a system can support an OS installation based on processor requirements, not just RAM and storage. In real deployments, older systems often fail eligibility checks because the CPU lacks required architecture support, hardware-enforced protections, or appears on the supported processor list for the OS. Microsoft documents that Windows 11 requires a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (SoC), 1 GHz or faster, with two or more cores. In addition, modern Windows versions depend on processor features such as NX/DEP, and older unsupported CPUs may be blocked even if they seem otherwise powerful enough. This makes option 2 the best answer because it reflects the most realistic CPU-related cause after RAM, storage, and TPM have already been confirmed.
- A. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Windows 11 requires a compatible 64-bit processor with at least two cores and a clock speed of 1 GHz or faster. In this scenario, the machine is an older office desktop that boots the installer and already meets other baseline requirements, so a sub-1 GHz CPU is less likely than missing required instruction-set or compatibility support. Also, many older desktop CPUs exceeded 1 GHz long before Windows 11.
- B. Correct.
Correct. A common reason Windows setup rejects an older CPU is that it lacks required processor features or compatibility characteristics for the target OS. For modern Windows installations, 64-bit capability and support for certain processor instructions and protections are important. CPUs that lack required support such as NX/DEP, SSE2, or appropriate 64-bit support can fail OS requirement checks. In practice, unsupported or too-old processors are a frequent cause of setup blocks even when RAM, storage, and TPM settings are adequate.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Windows 11 requires a minimum of two cores, not four. A technician might choose this option because newer business systems commonly use quad-core processors, but that is not the minimum CPU requirement enforced by setup.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Integrated graphics is not a CPU requirement for installing Windows 11. Graphics capability matters for display output and user experience, but the processor itself does not need to include integrated graphics. A system with a supported discrete GPU can still meet OS requirements.