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Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

pcworld.com

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Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#181

Post by jasomill »

whywhywhywhy wrote: post #75

I'm definitely not one of those people who thinks Windows should stay frozen forever as Windows XP, I appreciate we're finally getting 15-20 year old features like search filtering in the task manager. But whoever's bonus metric is tricking people to sign in with MS accounts is really making it a gross experience. I managed to finally get my new machines install on a local account using "OOBE\BYPASSNRO" although none…

According to the Windows 11 system requirements[1],

Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account to complete device setup on first use.

So can't you just tell Windows 11 Pro you don't have an Internet connection, given that it's officially optional?

[1] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-syste...

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#182

Post by pcdoodle »

figassis wrote: post #56
bee_rider wrote: post #15

I have a theory, which I have no way of backing up or testing at all, that the entire slump in the laptop segment is driven by the fact that Windows is just utterly user-hostile garbage, and there aren’t any alternatives really, other than MacOS, which is too tied to Apple. Like any reasonable tech savvy person I use Linux of course, but I’d have trouble suggesting it… lots of people just don’t want to use the termin…

I fully agree. There is no choice. People need to be on a certain income bracket to own macs. On a certain tech literacy level to own Linux laptops. So They've all been born and grew up on Windows. Recently I setup a recently purchased windows laptop. Cleared all the crap, did not have the energy to work around online accounts, so setup one. All working. Great! 6 months later, Genuine Windows warning shows up on desk…

With open core legacy patcher, there are quite a few of us enjoying 2012 and newer MacBooks that cost as little as $150.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#183

Post by jinushaun »

worewood wrote: post #10

I recently had to install windows on 2 computers after some years without doing it. Had to spend an entire day debloating the thing. Had to use a handful of tools and powershell scripts to do it. I still can't imagine how they managed to make a context menu open in almost a full second. In Windows 9x on a 200Mhz it was instant. A useless one too, because all the options that matter are in the old one. The only thing…

> I still can't imagine how they managed to make a context menu open in almost a full second.

It’s probably One Drive and Dropbox. The cloud storage providers have to run a check on every context menu execution.

It’s slow because MS closed the loophole that was previously used to implement that and provided an official API that does the same thing but worse and slower

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#184

Post by Nullabillity »

whywhywhywhy wrote: post #75

I'm definitely not one of those people who thinks Windows should stay frozen forever as Windows XP, I appreciate we're finally getting 15-20 year old features like search filtering in the task manager. But whoever's bonus metric is tricking people to sign in with MS accounts is really making it a gross experience. I managed to finally get my new machines install on a local account using "OOBE\BYPASSNRO" although none…

> You have a "Home" and a "Pro" version, really just wish for a world where they do this silly scammy behavior in the Home version and let the Pro version just be an actual tool to use hardware.

This "it's fine if they scam other people as long as they leave me alone" attitude is really bizarre to me. If they keep showing you that they can't be trusted… maybe believe them?

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#185

Post by npteljes »

bee_rider wrote: post #15

I have a theory, which I have no way of backing up or testing at all, that the entire slump in the laptop segment is driven by the fact that Windows is just utterly user-hostile garbage, and there aren’t any alternatives really, other than MacOS, which is too tied to Apple. Like any reasonable tech savvy person I use Linux of course, but I’d have trouble suggesting it… lots of people just don’t want to use the termin…

Since there are smartphones, they are the most convenient everyday computing devices. They are a great and useful package of functionality, a real swiss army knife of digital capabilities, and their portability is on another level, compared to a laptop. So what actually happened is that people don't buy laptops, because they already have smartphones, and the smartphone can basically do everything they need to do.

With suggesting Linux, I too have trouble, but honestly, that's mainly because people don't need it. I believe it to be superior to Windows, morally and technologically, but the fact is that people prefer convenience, and Windows is more convenient. Windows also has a lot of moat built by business machinations, so now the de-facto PC platform is Windows, and the de-facto office formats are MS Office formats, and while Linux has some compatibility, this is not something that people want to fiddle with, when they just need it "work".

What actually works is when manufacturers build an entire OOTB experience on top of Linux - like how the Steam Deck is.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#186

Post by pcdoodle »

alkonaut wrote: post #122
cjk2 wrote: post #4

More user hostility. Less user choice. I remember a few years ago on here everyone crowing about the new Microsoft and how it wasn't like the old one. It's notably worse a this point.

Microsoft is famously a handful of very different and very large companies who don't seem to speak. The DevDiv part is a lot different now than 20 years (or even 10) ago. The other sides of Microsoft are mostly the same as they always were. Microsofts OS division have bet everything on the strategy that "enthusiasts" aren't going to run Windows anyway. It's a segment they never cared about, and nothing indicates they…

This is a very good point. A lot of purchases in tech are recommended from a friend or family member.

From 95 - Windows 7, I could talk grandma through her problems without even being near a computer. Now the start menu can't even search properly.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#187

Post by nunez »

flacebo wrote: post #145

Little bit off topic, sorry. Windows 10 support ending in 2025 is really scary. Literally billions of computers are not eligible to install Windows 11 because of artificial limitations, all of these are supposed to be trashed? That would be an enormous amount of e-waste. Realistically one or a combination of the following will happen: - Microsoft extends the deadline - There will be a paid long term support update ch…

We've been here before with Windows XP. It'll be fine.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#188

Post by stanski »

worewood wrote: post #10

I recently had to install windows on 2 computers after some years without doing it. Had to spend an entire day debloating the thing. Had to use a handful of tools and powershell scripts to do it. I still can't imagine how they managed to make a context menu open in almost a full second. In Windows 9x on a 200Mhz it was instant. A useless one too, because all the options that matter are in the old one. The only thing…

So just use Windows for gaming only. That's what I do which means I'm in Linux 99.9% of the time.

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#189

Post by short_sells_poo »

Kim_Bruning wrote: post #163
short_sells_poo wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely. It's just maximizing some sort of metric that ultimately translates into P&L for the PMs. Everything else is largely irrelevant. If the users bitch and moan, but the PM is getting paid more, they'll be incentivised to keep doing what they are doing. The product may end up dead in 10 years time as the userbase is driven away, but by then everyone responsible is long gone. We can all pontificate about actin…

Basically you're saying the incentives are misaligned with what's best for the user. This -however- may yet be a fixable problem wrt corporate governance. (And here some people thought misaligned GAI was the biggest threat to human society. But more mundane misalignment problems can crop up anywhere I guess)

Yeah. I guess you could say that the focus shifted from Windows the OS being the product to the user also becoming the product. Of course, the users never signed up for this.

I'm not sure how to prevent these kind of shenanigans, but it simply comes back to sweet adtech dollars I think. The industry is so huge and pervasive now, that regulating it back into submission is going to be very difficult. 10 years ago, regulation could've been passed that simply prevented adtech from ever becoming as normalized and intrusive as it is these days. Doing it now will cause a massive hit to the valuation of the industry, and these kind of moves tend to be unpopular. Who is going to pull off a campaign that erases hundreds of billions of dollars from the US stock market (and thus people's pensions)?

Re: Microsoft blocks Windows 11 workaround that enabled local accounts

#190

Post by arprocter »

whywhywhywhy wrote: post #75

I'm definitely not one of those people who thinks Windows should stay frozen forever as Windows XP, I appreciate we're finally getting 15-20 year old features like search filtering in the task manager. But whoever's bonus metric is tricking people to sign in with MS accounts is really making it a gross experience. I managed to finally get my new machines install on a local account using "OOBE\BYPASSNRO" although none…

This is a pretty good step by step:

https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/install-windows-11-witho...

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