Windows 11 Upgrade Service

What IT Geeks Has Learned From Hundreds of Windows 11 Upgrades

Since Windows 11 launched in 2021, IT Geeks technicians have performed 1000+ Windows 11 upgrades across Melbourne homes and businesses. That volume teaches you things no support article covers. Here’s what we actually see in the field:

Businesses underestimate testing. Every business rollout IT Geeks has run found at least one line-of-business application needing attention. That’s why we test on a pilot machine before touching production PCs.

Roughly 6 in 10 “incompatible” PCs aren’t incompatible at all. They have TPM 2.0 sitting dormant in the BIOS. Enabling it takes an IT Geeks technician about fifteen minutes.

Drivers cause more failed upgrades than hardware does. The 0xC1900101 rollback almost always traces to an ageing graphics, storage or network driver — not a machine that can’t run Windows 11.

Mechanical hard drives are the real bottleneck. An eligible PC with a spinning disk will run Windows 11 slower than it ran Windows 10. IT Geeks won’t upgrade one without recommending an SSD first, because we’d rather lose the sale than hand back a PC you hate using.

The software that breaks is never the software people worry about. Office and browsers are fine. It’s the label printer, the accounting package from 2014, and the scanner driver that stop working.

Why Choose a Professional Windows 11 Upgrade Service?

You can click “Check for updates” in Windows Update and hope for the best. Plenty of people have. Here’s what IT Geeks gets called out to fix afterwards:

A professional windows 11 upgrade means someone qualified checks your PC’s compatibility first, backs up your data before touching anything, and stays until Windows 11 runs properly — with your printer, email, accounting software and VPN all working.

IT Geeks handles the upgrade. You keep working.

Windows 11 System Requirements — The Minimum System Requirements Explained

Microsoft’s minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11 are stricter than any previous Windows upgrade. Your computer meets the bar only if it ticks every box:

The two that catch everyone out – TPM 2.0 and the supported processor list

TPM 2.0 is a small security chip (or its firmware equivalent, called fTPM on AMD or PTT on Intel) that stores encryption keys in hardware. It’s what makes Windows 11 security features like BitLocker and Windows Hello genuinely strong rather than cosmetic.

Here’s the good news IT Geeks delivers constantly: most PCs from 2016 onwards already have a Trusted Platform Module – it’s just switched off in the BIOS. When a customer tells us “my PC isn’t compatible with Windows 11,” roughly half the time an IT Geeks technician enables fTPM and Secure Boot in the firmware, re-runs the compatibility check, and the machine passes. That’s a 15 fix, not a new PC.

The supported processor list is the harder wall. Microsoft draws its line at roughly 8th-generation Intel Core and AMD Ryzen 2000 series and newer. A 7th-gen i7 can outperform a modern i3 and still be excluded. It’s frustrating, and IT Geeks will tell you honestly when that’s the situation you’re in.

Is Your PC Compatible With Windows 11? The IT Geeks Compatibility Check

Microsoft’s PC Health Check app tells you yes or no. What it won’t tell you is why, or whether the “no” is fixable.

The IT Geeks compatibility check goes further. On site, in about 20 minutes, we:

1. Run the official PC Health Check and read the detailed report
2. Inspect the BIOS/UEFI for a disabled TPM or Secure Boot — the most common false failure
3. Confirm your CPU against Microsoft’s supported processor list
4. Check available storage, RAM headroom and drive health (a failing drive must be replaced before any upgrade)
5. Audit installed software for known Windows 11 compatibility issues — especially if you rely on older software, legacy accounting packages or specialist hardware drivers
6. Give you a straight answer and a fixed-price quote

If IT Geeks can’t upgrade your PC, we don’t charge you for finding out. That’s our free onsite quote, backed by our No Fix – No Fee promise.

The IT Geeks Windows 11 Upgrade Method

An in-place upgrade replaces the operating system underneath your files rather than wiping the machine. Done properly, you sit down afterwards to the same desktop, the same documents, the same programs — running on Microsoft’s latest operating system.

These are the exact steps to upgrade, refined by IT Geeks across hundreds of Melbourne callouts:

Step 1 — Confirm compatibility

No upgrade begins until we’ve verified your PC is compatible with Windows 11, or made it compatible by enabling TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.

Step 2 — Back up your data

IT Geeks backs up your data before we start, every single time, no exceptions. Documents, photos, browser bookmarks, email profiles, licence keys. The risk of data loss during a Windows 11 upgrade is small — but never zero, and never worth taking. This is the step DIY upgrades skip most often.

Step 3 — Prepare the PC

Clear space for the required available storage, update drivers and firmware, run integrity checks to catch corrupted system files, uninstall conflicting antivirus, and remove anything that will trip the installer.

Step 4 — Run the in-place upgrade

IT Geeks upgrades via Windows Update where possible, or the official Microsoft ISO and Installation Assistant where Windows Update is stuck. Typical time: 60–90 minutes on a healthy PC with an SSD. Your technician stays with the machine throughout.

Step 5 — Verify and optimise

“Windows 11 installation complete” is not the same as finished. IT Geeks reconnects printers and scanners, confirms email and business software launch, installs outstanding driver and feature updates, verifies antivirus is active and Windows 11 security features are enabled, then optimises startup and settings for faster performance.

Step 6 — Show you around

Your IT Geeks technician explains the changes in plain English — the new Start menu, the relocated taskbar, Snap Layouts, where Copilot lives and how to switch it off if you’d rather not use it. No tech jargon. Our Geeks are trained to speak like humans.

What the IT Geeks Windows 11 Upgrade Service Includes

Every IT Geeks windows 11 upgrade service booking includes:

• ✅ Full compatibility check against Windows 11 system requirements
• ✅ TPM 2.0 / Secure Boot enablement in BIOS/UEFI where needed
• ✅ Complete data backup before we begin — your data safe, guaranteed
• ✅ Drive health and hardware requirements assessment
• ✅ The in-place upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11, start to finish
• ✅ All drivers, feature updates and security updates applied
• ✅ Printer, scanner, email and business software reconnection and testing
• ✅ Antivirus verified and Windows 11 security features enabled
• ✅ Post-upgrade performance optimisation
• ✅ A plain-English walkthrough of what’s changed
• ✅ 60-day money-back guarantee on the service
• ✅ Follow-up IT Geeks technical support if anything surfaces afterwards

Optional add-ons: SSD and RAM computer upgrades to get older-but-eligible PCs performing properly on Windows 11 (IT Geeks hardware services carry a 1-year guarantee), data migration to a new device, and multi-PC business rollouts.

Can You Run Windows 11 Without TPM 2.0 & unsupported CPU?

Yes, the geeks from IT Geeks can do the upgrade for you. You may lose some security features but the PC will continue to work perfectly on Windows 11.

Troubleshooting a Failed Windows 11 Upgrade

Already tried it yourself and hit a wall? That’s a large slice of IT Geeks’ windows upgrade callouts, and it’s fixable. Common scenarios we resolve:

• Windows Update won’t offer Windows 11 despite the PC being eligible
• Installation rolls back at 61%, 71% or 99% with error 0xC1900101 — almost always a driver
• “This PC doesn’t currently meet Windows 11 system requirements” on a machine that clearly does — usually TPM or Secure Boot disabled
• Corrupted system files blocking the upgrade (DISM and SFC repair)
• Insufficient available storage on a PC running a small SSD
• Post-upgrade problems — missing printers, broken audio, Wi-Fi dropouts, system crashes, or a PC running noticeably slower than before
• Software that won’t launch after the upgrade, particularly older business applications

IT Geeks troubleshoots the actual cause rather than reinstalling and hoping. If we can’t fix it, you don’t pay.

Upgrade Your PC, or Buy a New PC? Honest IT Geeks Advice

IT Geeks is a repair business, so you might expect us to always recommend the upgrade. We don’t.

Upgrading makes sense when: your PC meets the requirements (or can, with a BIOS change), the drive is healthy, and the machine still does what you need. An SSD and RAM top-up on desktop or laptop can deliver faster performance than the Windows 11 upgrade alone – for a fraction of a new device.

A new PC makes sense when: the machine is 10+ years old, the drive is failing, or you’re already frustrated with its speed on Windows 10. Spending money to move a struggling PC onto a newer operating system doesn’t fix the struggling part.

ESU makes sense when: you rely on older software that genuinely won’t run on Windows 11, or you need to spread a business hardware refresh across two budget years. Consumer ESU now runs to 12 October 2027 – IT Geeks can help you enrol and plan the migration properly, rather than leaving it to the last week.

We’ll tell you which of these you’re in during the free quote, and we’ll tell you if the answer is “don’t spend money with us.”

Windows 11 Upgrade Service for Melbourne Homes and Businesses

Home users

One PC or the whole family’s machines. IT Geeks comes to you so nobody has to unplug a desktop and drive it anywhere. Most home upgrades are done in a single visit.

Small and medium businesses

Rolling 10, 50 or 200 hundred PCs from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is a project, not a task. IT Geeks audits the fleet, identifies which PCs support Windows 11 and which need replacement, tests your line-of-business software on Windows 11 before touching production machines, and stages the rollout after hours so nobody loses a working day. Domain-joined devices need commercial ESU rather than consumer ESU – IT Geeks manages that distinction for you.

Outside our service area?

Many Windows 11 upgrades can be completed by IT Geeks remote assistance. Same Geeks, same guarantee, no travel.

IT Geeks services Melbourne metro and surrounds — CBD, Inner North, Inner East, Bayside, South East, Western suburbs and beyond.

Why Melbourne Trusts IT Geeks With Their Windows 11 Upgrade

IT Geeks isn’t a call centre that dispatches contractors. IT Geeks is a locally-owned Melbourne business, and the person who arrives at your door is a qualified Computer Engineer.

• Qualified, not just handy. IT Geeks technicians are Computer Engineers by profession, with degrees behind the work. PCs, laptops, Macs, phones, routers, modems, tablets — we’ve worked on all of it.
• 20+ years each, 70+ years combined. IT Geeks upgraded people through Windows XP to 7, 7 to 10, and now Windows 10 to Windows 11. We know which upgrades break what, because we’ve seen every version of it.
• Continuously trained. Windows 11 changes with every feature update. So do the Geeks.
• No tech jargon. Ever.
• No Fix – No Fee. If IT Geeks doesn’t solve it, you don’t pay.
• 60-day money-back guarantee on all services; 1-year guarantee on hardware.
• Free onsite quotes. IT Geeks only proceeds once you’ve approved the price.
• Your schedule, your location. Home or office, at a time that suits you.

At IT Geeks, we don’t just fix computers — we build long-term relationships with our clients, keeping your technology robust, secure and efficient. Think of IT Geeks as your go-to technology partners.

Related IT Geeks services: PC repairs · Laptop repairs · Mac repairs · Virus removal · Internet & WiFi setup · Remote desktop support

What Melbourne Customers Say About IT Geeks

How IT Geeks Keeps This Page Accurate

Windows lifecycle dates change, sometimes quietly. Microsoft moved the consumer ESU end date without an announcement, and most Australian repair sites still publish the old one.

IT Geeks reviews this page every quarter against Microsoft’s official Windows 11 specifications and Windows lifecycle documentation. Every date, requirement and error code on this page is checked against primary Microsoft sources — never against other repair companies’ blogs. Where our field experience differs from the official guidance, we say so and explain why.

If you spot something out of date on this page, tell us and we’ll correct it.

Primary sources:

• Microsoft — Windows 11 specifications and system requirements
• Microsoft — Windows 10 Consumer Extended Security Updates

Windows 11 Upgrade Service — Book IT Geeks Today

Stop putting it off. An IT Geeks compatibility check costs you nothing, takes twenty minutes, and ends the uncertainty.

Call 1300 945 468 · IT Geeks is available 7 days across Melbourne

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Windows 11 upgrade free?

Yes. If you have a genuine, activated Windows 10 licence and your PC meets the Windows 11 system requirements, the upgrade itself is free from Microsoft. You’re paying IT Geeks for the compatibility check, data backup, labour, troubleshooting and guarantee – not for the operating system.

Will I lose my files when I upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11?

An in-place upgrade is designed to keep your files, applications and settings intact, and in the overwhelming majority of cases it does exactly that. But the risk of data loss is never zero, which is why IT Geeks backs up your data before beginning every upgrade. Keeping your data safe is a precondition of the job, not an optional extra.

How long does a Windows 11 upgrade take?

On a healthy PC with an SSD, typically 60–90 minutes for the upgrade itself, plus setup and testing. Older machines with mechanical hard drives can take 2–3 hours. IT Geeks gives you a realistic estimate during the quote.

My PC isn’t compatible with Windows 11. What are my options?

IT Geeks will walk you through all your options.

What is TPM 2.0 and why does Windows 11 require it?

TPM 2.0 — Trusted Platform Module 2.0 — is a hardware security chip that stores encryption keys where malware can’t reach them. Microsoft made it mandatory so Windows 11 security features like BitLocker and Windows Hello are hardware-backed rather than software-only. Most PCs built since around 2016 have one; it’s often just disabled in firmware by default.

Can I still use Windows 10 after support ended?

Your PC keeps running, but without security updates it becomes progressively more exposed to malware and exploits. Enrolling in Microsoft’s consumer ESU program restores critical and important security updates for eligible Windows 10 version 22H2 devices through 12 October 2027. ESU provides security patches only – no feature updates, no bug fixes, no Microsoft technical support.

Do I need to buy a new PC to get Windows 11?

Often, no. Many PCs IT Geeks is asked to assess turn out to be perfectly capable once TPM and Secure Boot are enabled. We always check whether your existing PC supports Windows 11 before suggesting you spend money on a new one.

Will my old software still work on Windows 11?

Most Windows 10 software runs on Windows 11 without issue. The exceptions are usually 32-bit legacy applications, specialist industry software, and anything relying on older hardware drivers – scanners, label printers and point-of-sale terminals are the usual suspects. IT Geeks audits your installed software during the compatibility check so there are no surprises.

Can IT Geeks do the upgrade remotely?

Yes, in many cases. If your PC is already compatible and your internet is stable, IT Geeks can complete the entire Windows 11 upgrade via remote support. If the BIOS needs changing or hardware needs replacing, we’ll need to come to you.

What if the upgrade goes wrong?

IT Geeks fixes it. And under our No Fix – No Fee policy, if we can’t get you to a working outcome, you don’t pay. Every IT Geeks service is also covered by our 60-day money-back guarantee.

What does the IT Geeks windows 11 upgrade service cost?

Pricing depends on your PC’s condition and whether hardware work is needed. The IT Geeks onsite quote is free, and we only proceed once you’ve approved the price. No surprises on the invoice.