Windows 11 Installation Fails on ESXi 7.0U3 – "This PC Doesn't Currently Meet Windows 11 System Requirements"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When deploying a Windows 11 virtual machine (VM) from a template on ESXi 7.0U3q, the installation fails during boot with the following error:

"This PC doesn't currently meet Windows 11 system requirements."

Environment

ESXi 7.x

Cause

Windows 11 enforces strict hardware requirements that must be met by the virtual machine. If any of these prerequisites are missing or misconfigured, the installation will fail.

Resolution

Ensure the following minimum requirements are met when deploying a Windows 11 VM on ESXi 7.0U3:

1) VM Hardware Compatibility: Use hardware version 14 or later.

2) Firmware Type: Set to EFI (this is VMware’s term for UEFI).

3) Secure Boot: Must be enabled in VM settings.

4) vTPM (Virtual TPM): Required for Windows 11. This needs VM encryption, which in turn requires a Key Management Server (KMS).

5) RAM: Minimum 4 GB (8 GB+ recommended).

6) Storage: Minimum 64 GB virtual disk.

7) ISO: Use the official Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft.

Additional Information

If vTPM cannot be added due to missing encryption support, configure a Key Management Server (KMS) in vCenter to enable VM encryption.

Refer to VMware by Broadcom's official documentation for Windows 11 support on vSphere.