Cannot Find PCH-FW In Advance list in BIOS

axel · 15 Dec 2023 at 15:22

I am trying to enable TPM so that I can upgrade to Windows 11 and cannot find PCH-FW on the list of options in advanced settings in the BIOS. Does this mean my mother board does not have a TPM module installed?

Asus H170 Plus D3 Intel H170 (Socket 1151) DDR3 ATX. With UEFI BIOS Utility.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Mcnumpty2323 · 15 Dec 2023 at 15:35

Most motherboards don't have a tpm module installed
Many motherboards do have a tpm socket
To install one of your own
Most people are using the cpus tpm capability instead
Called ftpm on my amd cpu
Not sure for intel what they call it

axel · 15 Dec 2023 at 16:21

So if I upgrade to an 8th Generation CPU with TPM 2 capability then does that solves both the issues preventing the Windows 11 upgrade?

Mcnumpty2323 · 15 Dec 2023 at 16:46

You would have to check the exact cpu
Microsoft has left a lot of capable cpus
Off its compatibility list
So it's not just the tpm
Even with tpm enabled the cpu can still be
On the not compatible list

The other option would be
Clean install windows 11 using rufus
To make the usb
You can then tick all of rufus options
Which bypass the checks

axel · 15 Dec 2023 at 17:23

I do not want to use Rufus with possible problems in the future. So I need a new CPU which is on the MS list, has TPM built in, is compatible with my motherboard and is at least as powerful if not better than the one I have?

Mcnumpty2323 · 15 Dec 2023 at 17:50

Don't think you said
What your current cpu is?

But looks like best your motherboard can take
Would be a 7700k
That meets what Microsoft says
But last time I looked anyway
Microsoft still said Windows 11 will not accept a 7700k

axel · 15 Dec 2023 at 18:06

My processor is Intel Core i5-6600. Microsoft state at least 8th generation processor for Win 11, so if my MB is not compatible with 8th generation then it a new system.

Mcnumpty2323 · 15 Dec 2023 at 18:10

axel said:
My processor is Intel Core i5-6600. Microsoft state at least 8th generation processor for Win 11, so if my MB is not compatible with 8th generation then it a new system.

Looks like it sadly
Even though a 7700k could meet
Tpm and secure boot requirement
Microsoft in its wisdom aren't allowing it

Tetras · 16 Dec 2023 at 12:38

axel said:
I am trying to enable TPM so that I can upgrade to Windows 11 and cannot find PCH-FW on the list of options in advanced settings in the BIOS. Does this mean my mother board does not have a TPM module installed?

Asus H170 Plus D3 Intel H170 (Socket 1151) DDR3 ATX. With UEFI BIOS Utility.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Asus provided BIOS updates for 6th gen boards, which I believe automatically enables, or exposes the BIOS options that are necessary for Windows 11 compatibility, but unfortunately your board is not on the list.

Windows 11 requires a compatible CPU, secure boot and TPM 2.0.

If you have secure boot and TPM 2.0 available (which can be hardware instead of firmware, though your board doesn't appear to have a TPM header), then it can still be installed from USB, without a compatible CPU.

If you're not willing to use Rufus (or other workarounds), then I don't think you can install it 'legitimately'.

For the record: Intel do provide drivers for the motherboard and the integrated graphics, for Windows 11, so it does have a kind of support.

axel said:
So if I upgrade to an 8th Generation CPU with TPM 2 capability then does that solves both the issues preventing the Windows 11 upgrade?

Your motherboard is socket 1151v1, 8th gen CPUs are socket 1151v2. 1151v1 can technically be modded to support 8th/9th gen CPUs, but since you're uncomfortable with using Rufus, I assume you'll not want to explore BIOS modding either.

axel · 16 Dec 2023 at 18:24

The only reason I do not want to use Rufus is that it bypasses the security requirements and may prevent security updates in the future, which is the only reason to update from 10 to 11.
I have no issues with modifying the motherboard to support 8th/9th generation CPUs. Happy to explore?

Tetras · 16 Dec 2023 at 20:35

axel said:
I have no issues with modifying the motherboard to support 8th/9th generation CPUs. Happy to explore?

If you go with one of the quad cores that is a B0 revision, I believe you don't even need to mod the pins, but you'd need to check that the modded BIOS exposes the CPU's TPM option, because if it doesn't (e.g. if it just adds the microcode for the CPUs to run) then the whole exercise would be pointless in your case.