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Article Number: 000130972

Microsoft Windows Operating System Support for Intel Kaby Lake, and Later Processors

Summary: Windows Operating System support for Intel Kaby Lake, and later processors are limited to Windows 10.

This article may have been automatically translated. If you have any feedback regarding its quality, please let us know using the form at the bottom of this page.

Article Content

Symptoms

Starting with Intel's seventh-generation Core processors, the Kaby Lake series (I7-7xxx, I5-7xxx CPU description = Kaby Lake), processors only have Windows 10 and Windows 11 Operating System support.

Dell is in alignment with both Intel and Microsoft support policies for Kaby Lake and later processors, limiting Kaby Lake operating system support to Windows 10 and Windows 11 Operating Systems alone.

There is no legacy Operating System support (Windows 7, Windows 8.0 or Windows 8.1) for Kaby Lake, Coffee Lake, Whiskey Lake, or Ice Lake equipped computers.
 

Legacy operating system support using Skylake generation of processors

For computers with a demonstrated need for legacy Windows, Dell Precision, Latitude, and OptiPlex platforms would have had to have been purchased with a Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 downgrade and equipped with a Skylake central processing unit (CPU) (I7-6xxx, I5-6xxx CPU description = Skylake).

NOTE: Kaby Lake motherboards also support Skylake CPUs.

Microsoft support policies with updated Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 guidelines

 
Processor Generation Processor Model Operating System Support
Kaby Lake
Coffee Lake
Whiskey Lake
Ice Lake		 7th Generation Core processors and later (i9, i7, i5) Windows 10 and Windows 11 ONLY
NOTE: Windows 11 has limited support for 7th generation Kaby Lake processors. See additional information below.
6th Generation Xeon processors and later
SkyLake 6th Generation Core processors (i7, i5) Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1
5th Generation Xeon processors

Dell Precision, Latitude, and OptiPlex models that are launched in 2017 had Skylake processor options that allow for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 support through the end of Intel Skylake support (Skylake support has ended).

NOTE: You can check the processor information of your computer in the BIOS (Press the F2 Key at boot) or in either computer properties in the control panel or by launching the computer information application with the command: MSINFO32 in the run or search box next to the start button.

An alternative to installing Windows 7 on a Kaby Lake computer is to Deploy a Windows Virtual Machine in Hyper-V on Windows 10 This hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies. where you can install Windows 7 on the Virtual Machine. (This requires a Windows 7 product license that Dell does not provide.)

Cause

 Hardware requirements for operating system versions limit installable options.

Resolution

Only install supported Operating System versions that adhere to the restrictions outlined above. Dell does not offer assistance with installing non-compliant Operating System versions or support for non-compliant versions once installed.

Note: To determine if your computer is Windows 11 compatible, enter your computer model at the Dell Support Website at https://www.dell.com/support/home. If the following banner is displayed, your computer does not support Windows 11:
Windows 11 support banner
 
Note: Windows 11 has limited support for 7th Generation Kaby Lake Intel Processors. You can check the processor compatibility using their PC Health Check app. For more information about how to use and download the app, go to: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/how-to-use-the-pc-health-check-app-9c8abd9b-03ba-4e67-81ef-36f37caa7844 This hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies.

Additional Information

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Out of Warranty support Out of warranty? No problem. Browse to the Dell.com/support website and enter your Dell Service Tag and view our offers.

Note: Offers are only available for US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, China, and Japan personal computer customers. Server and Storage not applicable.

Article Properties

Last Published Date

03 Aug 2023

Version

13

Article Type

Solution

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