News Door slammed on last remaining easy Windows 11 local account setup workaround

[USAFRet]

So far, this seems to be having to use an online account during the setup and activation.
NOT for continued daily use.

All my Win 10/11 systems are set up like that.
MS account for the initial setup and licensing, Local STD and Admin accounts after that.

On this Win 11 Pro system, I've not logged in to the "MS account" since sometime last year.

 

[CmdrShepard]

First off, I am NOT a professional.

That was kind of obvious from your initial post.

Second, prior to this account requirement you didn't NEED to know anything about that in order to provide a finished and working product on the desktop to the prospective individual who might rehome it. Still wouldn't need to know if MS didn't opt for this rubbish.

If you were happy with your customers (or friends or whatever they are to you) using all the default Windows settings (which are particularily bad when it comes to privacy) and having all that consumer trash preinstalled cluttering their desktop and start, not to mention all the obnoxious advertising and relentless shoveling of other Microsoft products, then you didn't need to know.

For me it has become necessary ever since 2015 and the advent of Windows 10 to rein it all in using DISM offline image modifications and Audit mode.

Another point I would make is that the installer takes care of most "common" drivers and unless you were building a clone of same hardware every time it would basically make adding those unknowns to your installer a bit more difficult, like impossible.

It is true that Windows 11 comes with more common drivers preloaded in the image. However, you can still add drivers for many common hardware devices (think Realtek LAN, Wi-Fi, Audio, Marvel LAN, Intel, etc). It will make the install image a bit bigger but you will have the drivers out of the box for most of the stuff you are selling.

I do appreciate your telling me about this, if not the tone I interpreted so much. Have a great day!

Being Commander Shepard I am a renegade jackass so don't mind the tone, listen to the advice.

 

[punkncat]

Never said anything about default settings. You are assuming now.

Thanks for the dialogue.

 

[vijosef]

I honestly dont understand why they are pushing for these online accounts so hard.

To spy on you

 

[dalauder]

The best way to make noise and send a message is to not use their product. I have several PC's and laptops. Both my gaming desktops are running Windows 10 in local account mode. One laptop is on Windows 11 running my productivity stuff and it's only because I am way too lazy to switch it out with something else.

All my other PC's are running some form of Linux and I have a few Macs.

The weird thing is that Microsoft DOES have the data on this. Windows 10 has overtaken Windows 11 as the most popular OS, so people are CLEARLY unhappy with this direction. But they plow ahead anyways, trying their best to seem evil. It's odd to do that when Linux is finally becoming a viable option.

Nowadays, Windows PCs exist for two purposes:
1) Business
2) Gaming

Gamers can now use Steam on Linux for most games. And people on their work computers aren't even in charge of their logins. But it's weird to wholly abandon the whole concept of "Personal" from the "Personal Computers" acronym.

 

[USAFRet]

The weird thing is that Microsoft DOES have the data on this. Windows 10 has overtaken Windows 11 as the most popular OS, so people are CLEARLY unhappy with this direction

No.

The vast majority of people don't really care what OS. They use whatever the system came with.
They do not upgrade as much as us geeks like to think.

There is no performance diff between 10 and 11. Next year this time, maybe people will start to click the "Upgrade to 11" button.

Or just buy a new PC.

 

[Aladinsaneintheus23]

To me, this is all about MS wanting to know as much as they can about their customers and they're not taking no for an answer. I still use Windows 10 on a desktop because I dislike how pushy MS has become with Windows 11 and what THEY want to do with it. I've already migrated my laptops to a couple of different versions of Linux and I'm not looking back unless I absolutely need some piece of software that can absolutely only be run on Windows. Frankly, it seems we're in a world where we don't actually own the software we pay for anymore and this is a shame. I stayed away from Apple precisely for this reason. If I pay for something, I want to be able to dictate how I use it and not be treated like a child in a play pen or be told that I have to do X so I can do Y.

 

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

I wonder how many people complaining about Microsoft requiring a Microsoft account to use Windows happily have given their info to Google, Samsung, and/or Apple to use their devices, Amazon and countless other IoT device manufacturers to use their products, and countless other restaurants and services to use theirs...Heck, even Elon Musk complains about it yet Tesla requires an account to own your car!

Seriously, outside of PC repair shops and other situations where a temporary account is needed, it's no bigger deal than it is to use an account for a streaming service, or even having to have an account to post on these forums!

 

[YouFilthyHippo]

So what happens if I want to sell my PC to someone? Now I have to sell my personal email account with it?

@microsoft: Ya know, sometimes it's okay to think every once in a while. That's the nice thing about the human brain. There's no limit to how often you can use it, and you dont even have to pay for it. ITS FREE!!!! Using it is just a matter of choice.

 

[USAFRet]

So what happens if I want to sell my PC to someone? Now I have to sell my personal email account with it?

@microsoft: Ya know, sometimes it's okay to think every once in a while. That's the nice thing about the human brain. There's no limit to how often you can use it, and you dont even have to pay for it. ITS FREE!!!! Using it is just a matter of choice.

As has been since Day 1 of Win 10, you unassociate the hardware from your account.

 

[YouFilthyHippo]

I wonder how many people complaining about Microsoft requiring a Microsoft account to use Windows happily have given their info to Google, Samsung, and/or Apple to use their devices, Amazon and countless other IoT device manufacturers to use their products, and countless other restaurants and services to use theirs...Heck, even Elon Musk complains about it yet Tesla requires an account to own your car!

Seriously, outside of PC repair shops and other situations where a temporary account is needed, it's no bigger deal than it is to use an account for a streaming service, or even having to have an account to post on these forums!

The smartphone ecosystem is different. Various apps and games rely on a login account to be able to save progress or work, to be able to use seemlessly when you upgrade device or use a tablet. Its for interconnectivity and seemless integration of all your data, which is fine. MS Windows doesn't need that, and it works differently. ..... And no... I will never own a tesla for the same reason I will never have a microsoft account on windows. Windows can function just fine without a microsoft account. A car can run just fine without a Tesla account. An android phone without a google account doesn't really work because many people own many different tablets and devices, and upgrade often and want their data seemlessly transfered. This isn't the case with Windows and cars.

 

[YouFilthyHippo]

As has been since Day 1 of Win 10, you unassociate the hardware from your account.

I've never had a Microsoft account on windows and I never will. If you can just unassociate your hardware with the account then a bypass isn't necessary. Just use your microsoft account, and as soon as your in windows, unassociate it. Problem solved

 

[USAFRet]

I've never had a Microsoft account on windows and I never will. If you can just unassociate your hardware with the account then a bypass isn't necessary. Just use your microsoft account, and as soon as your in windows, unassociate it. Problem solved

You do realize that the requested "online account" does not have to be 'you@microsoft.com', right?

Mine has been a little used gmail address, forever.

As I mentioned earlier, daily use is Local STD and Admin accounts.
The "microsoft account" (gmail) exists simply for the activation.

 

[USAFRet]

I've never had a Microsoft account on windows and I never will. If you can just unassociate your hardware with the account then a bypass isn't necessary. Just use your microsoft account, and as soon as your in windows, unassociate it. Problem solved

And "unassociate" means that the PC no longer has an active license.

 

[umeng2002_2]

Make an install USB drive with RUFUS, it has an option to bypass a lot of things.

 

[YouFilthyHippo]

And "unassociate" means that the PC no longer has an active license.

So if the PC no longer has a license, windows should automatically stop working until you give it a license with an email. Disassociating the email with the hardware is a fruitless endeavor if that's the case. If windows continues to work after disassociation, then obviously the license doesn't actaully mean anything. If I go to a store, but a copy of Windows 11, pay real money, then take it to a PC to install, I've paid for that copy and I own it and should be able to use it. Either I can use it with an email associated or I can't. It's one or the other. If disassociation is the forfeiture of a valid license, that I paid for, then I want my money back. If I want to sell my PC, and want to disassociate my email with the hardware. What happens when the prospective buyer wants to try it out? What if I want to sell my PC with the Windows license, but don't want my personal email going with it? I dont want my email logged in. See. there's a problem with this whole email thing, and it should never have been there. Do you see all the issues we run into when we make stupid decisions like requiring email sign in? Thank god for that OOBE command

 

[USAFRet]

So if the PC no longer has a license, windows should automatically stop working until you give it a license with an email. Disassociating the email with the hardware is a fruitless endeavor if that's the case. If windows continues to work after disassociation, then obviously the license doesn't actaully mean anything. If I go to a store, but a copy of Windows 11, pay real money, then take it to a PC to install, I've paid for that copy and I own it and should be able to use it. Either I can use it with an email associated or I can't. It's one or the other. If disassociation is the forfeiture of a valid license, that I paid for, then I want my money back. If I want to sell my PC, and want to disassociate my email with the hardware. What happens when the prospective buyer wants to try it out? I dont want my email logged in. See. there's a problem with this whole email thing, and it should never have been there. Do you see all the issues we run into when we make stupid decisions like requiring email sign in? Thank god for that OOBE command

I never said this was a GOOD idea from MS.

 

[YouFilthyHippo]

I never said this was a GOOD idea from MS.

Ok well, at least they were smart enough to keep the OOBE command. If they remove that, I'll trust on various windows hackers around the world to fix the problem. But rest assured, I will not be signing into an account of any kind during installation or use of windows

 

[USAFRet]

But rest assured, I will not be signing into an account of any kind during installation or use of windows

Yet you use an "online account" for all sorts of things.
Like making your post.

Got it.

 

[kep55]

Ah, one more reason to have not moved from win10. And before the mictosoft sycophants start whining about how must better 11 is over 10, let me say security is secure. I'm not needing to run patches, back-door locker, and other bloats every week as is needed with 11. I'm not bothered by copilot or edge. and, IT JUST WORKS.
BTW - The only reason I moved from 7 was because too many of the apps I used were intentionally bricked by software companies (think Apple as well) in order to force users to either upgrade to new kit or switch to an entirely unknown ecosystem.

 

[kerberos_20]

So if the PC no longer has a license, windows should automatically stop working until you give it a license with an email. Disassociating the email with the hardware is a fruitless endeavor if that's the case.

once activated, license is tied to your hardware, stored on ms servers
unless you change hardware drasticaly, it wont deactivate on its own, email login has nothing to do with license, email login is just bitlocker keys and ms store related, OEM licenses will also reactivate with email sign in if device is already registered, but with retail key it shouldnt as OEM is digital license while you have retail key (two different things)

retail key:
enter key - activated
remove key - deactivated
see? no email involved as it doesnt use digital licensing
but if you upgraded from win7/8 that might be different story as that would involve digital license which uses email for reactivating

If I want to sell my PC, and want to disassociate my email with the hardware. What happens when the prospective buyer wants to try it out? What if I want to sell my PC with the Windows license, but don't want my personal email going with it? I dont want my email logged in.

if you plan to sell your PC, you should remove that PC from your devices in MS account (web page)
than in windows either format drive + install windows without license or manualy uninstall key with slmgr.vbs -upk command and dont forget to cleanup your accounts there as new owner dosnt need your account

See. there's a problem with this whole email thing, and it should never have been there. Do you see all the issues we run into when we make stupid decisions like requiring email sign in? Thank god for that OOBE command

no problem here, email sign in is just for when you install windows, not for daily use
install windows -> sing in with any email you want-> once done, create local account and remove email account (windows settings)
daily use like in old days with local account

dunno but this email thing was there since windows 8, was there whole windows 10 and didnt went away with 11
just because you never used it (kinda weird), doesnt mean its broken
its just for ms store and bitlocker
since win11 gets bitlocked now on almost any PC...consider it as a way to restore key if you need it later once inwdows breaks and you need to unlock your drive to reinstall windows

 

[CmdrShepard]

Yet you use an "online account" for all sorts of things.
Like making your post.

Got it.

How is that even comparable? Participating on a forum is voluntary.

Also, on a mobile device such as Apple and Android your software licenses are connected to your online account because doing it any other way would be cumbersome. For desktop device serial numbers or license files have been a tradition for 30+ years and an online account shouldn't be required for anything.

Requiring one is just a foot in the door.

First they ask you to use Microsoft account.
Then they ask you to sync settings, you do it and see the convenience.
Then they ask you to sync data, you accept since you are used to convenience and you trade your privacy for it.
Then they upsell online services that require an online account, you accept because your data is already there.

It is slow boiling of the proverbial frog (even if that story isn't true).

 

[snemarch]

Between Linux (my servers / dev targets), macOS (my daily driver for work) and Windows (home workstation), I sorta like Windows the most – for a bunch of reasons. But we're getting pretty close to the point where enough is enough... sure, it's been the boiling frog / salami slicing method of getting users accustomed to losing ever so more privacy and control of their own system – and most people don't care.

But if we get to the point where it's not possible to use a Windows machine without an online account, I'm out. The risk of one day being unable to login to your system, or lose access to your local files, or WHATEVER, because it has been determined that your account is associated with <whatever>, yeah, no thanks.

There's a few Windows things I don't have replacements for, so I might have to do a hardware-passthrough VM, but... I could probably move to Linux for the home workstation. I'd miss all the little muscle-memory shortcuts and whatnot, but... for *most* of what I use the system for, there's Linux-native support.

 

[Silas Sanchez]

We have reckless anarchists who love controlling the masses, and in turn an endless supply of reckless masses who support them. The perfect feedback loop that supports the growth of authority and dogmatism. MS will win, 100% guaranteed. For every one person complaining about how wrong this all is and what an abomination windows has become, there must be fifty thousand people blindly buying machines with win11. The truly tragic part of this whole story and which is a testimate to how well capatalism works, is after all these years we haven't gotten a proper open source alternative. Sorry, but linux sucks, its far to limited and archaic, it cant do like half of the basic stuff I require in a destop.

So far for me, every toxic useless thing put into windows has been removed or gotten around by someone. But if it gets to the point you need an account, or i cant get rid of defender, nope, not going to tolerate that. A line must be drawn because i demand a free offgrid reliable private system with no strings attached. Since the days of vista i have never been a victim of the malicious pseudoscience and scare tactics that is defender, updates, security, accounts, etc. All really designed to strengthen corporations and treat people like sheep.
With win10/11, windows is so so so close to being permanently crossed off my list, windows is so amazingly buggy and broken, at least if your a power user like me with heavy mutitasking. Those awful people have deliberately not fixed so many bugs and issues in windows, so for me its pretty much not that big of a deal to move away from windows. It cant be saved.
And the rest of the world is getting worse, I will not under any circumstances pay for subscription based software, never. They will not get a single cent, ever. You either make a full product that after being paid for in full is free and yours for life, or I wont touch it ever.
The only alternative/treatment to the windows problem is to not give these kinds of people the chance to undermine ones life in the first place. So getting off gaming as an example is a good start. No gaming means no being shafted by planned obsolescence and capitalism.

 

[t3t4]

OR,,,, just use Rufus to format your USB drive and write the bootable ISO file, which allows you to skip the MS account B.S. entirely. Rufus is your friend, but Microsoft has been the enemy for quite some time now, so nothing is new here!

The other choice/option is naturally Linux. Rufus works there too for all bootable install media. And Rufus is free of charge.