Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

theverge.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

221–230 of 1001 posts

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#221

Post by mwpmaybe »

jasoneckert wrote: post #151

Even though the article says that Microsoft removed the “bypassnro” workaround earlier this year, I just used it earlier this evening to set up a new Win11 PC for a neighbour successfully (she didn't have a Microsoft account on her previous Win10 laptop, and wanted it the same way). At the part of the initial setup where it asks to connect to a network, press Shift + F10 to open the Command Prompt. Then, type oobe\by…

I did the "start ms-cxh:localonly" trick yesterday on a fresh install of Windows 11 25H2 and it worked fine, so...?

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#223

Post by jwitthuhn »

altairprime wrote: post #85
torben-friis wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens Poor people. Surely Microsoft is fixing this by giving them a proper local skip that doesn’t bypass the other critical setup?

Presumably the business/enterprise editions still do?

Enterprise might but Professional sure doesn't.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#224

Post by eclipticplane »

wmf wrote: post #157
Fischgericht wrote: post #99

I do remember to have read a couple of years ago that the Windows Ui team got replaced and now only consists of Mac users, never having used Windows themselves. If that is true, it's now wonder that they do not understand all the value that Windows NT has brought, why having a standard on menu structure, a standard for all UI controls etc made sense. And to understand that while Apple's mission is to provide a walled…

I think this change (and everything in Windows 11) is being driven by the MS Account PM watching telemetry and making number go up.

Engagement numbers went up and to the right because it requires multiple infuriating clicks and keystrokes to do basic things. Start menu randomly resorted your apps? 2 more clicks to find the app you wanted!

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#225

Post by lenkite »

hattmall wrote: post #177
snovymgodym wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not convinced Microsoft cares about the Windows market share in consumer PCs or the small amount of money they make from selling Windows licenses to regular consumers. If they did, Windows wouldn't be so usable unactivated and the MassGravel activation stuff would have been patched already. They built up their almost-monopoly when it mattered in the 90s and the 2000s, and now their market position is basically se…

>those sales will exist pretty much indefinitely. To an extent sure, but when people that grew up as home consumers not using Windows become business leaders they won't have the brand loyalty to Microsoft that the current aging out generation does. If Google doesn't characteristically fumble the bag their dominance with ChromeOS in schools has potential pay major dividends in 10-15 years. Windows centric software dev…

> If Google doesn't characteristically fumble the bag their dominance with ChromeOS in schools has potential pay major dividends in 10-15 years.

There will be no ChromeOS anymore - just Android - and it will soon be locked down hard so that you need to pay Google or host ads/harvest data for every app.

You just need to make your choice of Tyrant landlord.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#226

Post by magicalhippo »

exabrial wrote: post #90

Why is _anyone_ still using Windows?

RDP. Simply nothing in the same league on Linux.

I prefer having a beefy workstation at home and connect to it remotely from a cheaper laptop, as I find laptops are noisy and weak unless you spend a sizable fortune.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#227

Post by kmoser »

AJ007 wrote: post #158
browningstreet wrote: post #64

Two weeks ago, after Microsoft reset my default apps twice in a week, I bought an external drive, backed up all my stuff and wiped Windows. I’ve got Linux all over the place, in many cloud envs, and on older hardware. But I finally committed to it on my big, meaty, main desktop. The one I use for coding and banking and accounting. I’m running a Linux distro full-time. I had to hack a few minor hardware things. Nothin…

I had a similar issue, after cleaning up a Windows machine for someone else, making sure Firefox with uBlock was running. I took a look at it a few weeks later and there was some bullshit Microsoft Bing search bar or AI thing on the toolbar. Wiped, installed Linux. Microsoft is setting fire to the bridges and those will be users which they will never be able to get back again. Linux works great for gaming except some…

Unfortunately Microsoft doesn't care about the occasional admin who manages to uninstall Windows in favor of Linux. Since Windows is the default OS on most machines, Microsoft is already making it up in volume.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#228

Post by EdwardDiego »

ferguess_k wrote: post #83

I wonder which teams are working on these features. I'd like to meet with them in person. There are a lot to discuss.

I'm assuming you can identify by the heavy drinking to drown feelings of self-loathing.

Re: Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without MS account

#230

Post by CamperBob2 »

eadmund wrote: post #200

If customers keep trying to do something … let them do it? Charge them to do it? It’s crazy to me: folks quite clearly want to run Windows 11 without an account. What is it worth to Microsoft let someone do that? $12? $144? $1,728?

The problem is, the more you're willing to pay, the more you're worth to them.

(Which is also why so many services don't let you pay to get rid of ads.)

Post reply on HN