Dell Laptops with i7-8th Gen Processors - No TPM?

[britechguy]

I don't generally even delve into "ancient history," but this one does have me curious. One of the clients I work with has a Dell laptop with an i7-8th Gen processor running Windows 10 22H2. I would have thought that this machine could be upgraded to Windows 11. You could have knocked me over with a feather when running tpm.msc revealed that there is no TPM present at all. Was this common "back then?" I have dealt with a number of machines of approximately that vintage over the years and all had at least TPM 1.0 (or 1.X, I can't honestly remember if it as dot zero). This strikes me as odd, but I know that there are a number of regulars here who deal with Dell hardware a lot more frequently than I do, so I thought I'd ask.

 

[Porthos]

This might help. https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/...-the-trusted-platform-module-security-feature

Also https://www.thewindowsclub.com/alert-tpm-device-is-not-detected

 

[ThatPlace928]

I don't generally even delve into "ancient history," but this one does have me curious. One of the clients I work with has a Dell laptop with an i7-8th Gen processor running Windows 10 22H2. I would have thought that this machine could be upgraded to Windows 11. You could have knocked me over with a feather when running tpm.msc revealed that there is no TPM present at all. Was this common "back then?" I have dealt with a number of machines of approximately that vintage over the years and all had at least TPM 1.0 (or 1.X, I can't honestly remember if it as dot zero). This strikes me as odd, but I know that there are a number of regulars here who deal with Dell hardware a lot more frequently than I do, so I thought I'd ask.

I'm having TPM update issues, too. Here's an article I found for Dell. I haven't done anything yet but maybe it will help?

How to Successfully Update the TPM Firmware on your Dell Computer | Dell US

 

[britechguy]

@Porthos

Thanks, but that implies that the TPM Hardware is present, and from what I can find, the hardware itself is not even present. Could it possibly be there and "completely hidden"? I didn't think so.

 

[Porthos]

Could it possibly be there and "completely hidden"?

Has to be turned on in bios.

 

[britechguy]

Has to be turned on in bios.

Thanks. If I work with him again I'll take a look at this. But by 2025 I'd think an i7-8th will really be at EOL anyway, so it's not particularly pressing.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Has to be turned on in bios.

This. Also several laptops from different manufacturers of that era have more than one TPM chip. I have a Lenovo T460s. It has a TPM 1.2 chip on the motherboard and a 2.0 that is built into the CPU. You can switch between the two or off in the BIOS.

 

[fincoder]

Computers from that era on have TPM within the CPU. The BIOS needs to expose the option to switch it on, if it doesn't a BIOS update should fix that. So specific TPM-hardware isn't needed, just firmware to enable it in the CPU.

by 2025 I'd think an i7-8th will really be at EOL anyway

Why would you say that? They're faster than some cheap laptops sold today in consumer stores.

 

[britechguy]

Why would you say that? They're faster than some cheap laptops sold today in consumer stores.

Because I'm not comparing to "cheap laptops" but business-class ones. This machine is in use by someone who's currently in law school and who uses a screen reader. I suspect two more years will be EOL, but I won't go beyond "suspect." But I can't do the BIOS stuff anyway. This client is in the midwest and I'm in the east, and I don't know of any way to remote access BIOS. A local tech would be needed.

 

[fincoder]

Because I'm not comparing to "cheap laptops" but business-class ones. This machine is in use by someone who's currently in law school and who uses a screen reader. I suspect two more years will be EOL, but I won't go beyond "suspect."

So your answer to my question is because the user needs better performance than general office use? Fair enough then. I thought you were saying all laptops with 8th gen CPUs will be EOL in 2 years. My mistake.