I have a ThinkPad P50 whose life I would like to extend past the demise of Windows 10. 

According to BIOS, my P50 is currently using TPM 1.2, but 2.0 is available. 

The 2.0 selection cautions that all encryption keys will be lost from the security chip if I do the upgrade.

I use a PIN for login. That is easily reset, I think.

I use the built-in BitLocker drive encryption. I know my BitLocker Recovery Key. I have had to enter it on occasion with Windows Updates.

I use Norton 360 for antivirus.

What else might be affected?

Do I need to do anything other than reset the PIN and enter the recovery key (when prompted)?

Hello jlhiii!

Greetings!

Upgrading your TPM from 1.2 to 2.0 should not affect your system beyond the loss of encryption keys. However, it's important to note that any data encrypted with those keys will become inaccessible.

As you mentioned, you use BitLocker for drive encryption and you have your recovery key. This is good, as you will need it to unlock your drive after the upgrade.

Your PIN for login and Norton 360 antivirus should not be affected by the TPM upgrade.

Before proceeding with the upgrade, I would recommend backing up any important data just in case. Also, make sure to have your BitLocker recovery key on hand as you will need to enter it after the upgrade.

If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, feel free to reach out.

Best regards,

Jwes_Lenovo

Hello,

I believe that the Windows Hello PIN is backed by the TPM chip.  If a PIN is present, so you may wish to disable it prior to changing the TPM.  Once you have done so, you can set a new PIN.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

What will you achieve w tpm 2?

W11 does not support the CPU anyway, but you can still install W11.

Yes, the W11 compatibility checker complains about the processor and TPM 2.0.

The processor was going to be my next question. When I got the P50, I thought I was getting a good processor. It certainly seems to run well for me. What does W11 not like about this processor? Will W11 refuse to run? Will there be W11 update problems?

If/when W10 goes away, and the machine is still working well, I may want to install W11 from a thumb drive. (Supposedly that gets around the checks.) I wanted to get the machine as close to compatible as possible before I do that. Does the upgrade to TPM 2.0 with W10 have any downsides?

The Windows 11 compatibility checker is designed to ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements for the new operating system. The processor in your ThinkPad P50 may not be on the list of supported processors for Windows 11, hence the warning. However, this does not necessarily mean that Windows 11 will refuse to run or that there will be update problems. It simply means that Microsoft does not guarantee full functionality or support for systems with unsupported processors.

As for your question about the upgrade to TPM 2.0, there should be no downsides to upgrading while still on Windows 10. The TPM 2.0 provides enhanced security features that can be beneficial even on Windows 10. However, as mentioned earlier, it's important to back up any important data and have your BitLocker recovery key on hand before proceeding with the upgrade.

If you decide to install Windows 11 from a thumb drive, please be aware that while this method may bypass the compatibility checks during installation, it does not guarantee that all features of Windows 11 will work correctly on your system.

I hope this information helps. 

Best regards,

Jwes_Lenovo

Hello,

You may wish to read some of the stickied posts at the top of the Windows 11 section that discuss the pros and cons of upgrading to Windows 11 on unsupported hardware.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Thank you. I will check out the W11 discussions.

I will probably do the upgrade to TPM 2.0 as there appears to be no reason not to.

As for the unsupported upgrade... That would only be a consideration if W10 goes out of support and only if my P50 is still functioning. It's a great machine.

You're welcome! I'm glad to hear that you found the information helpful. If you decide to proceed with the TPM 2.0 upgrade and encounter any issues, or if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Enjoy your ThinkPad P50, it's indeed a great machine!

Best regards,

Jwes_Lenovo