This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
I will be switching to Linux once my laptop is obsolete!!! I will only be getting Linux stuff from there on in!!! :-)
Try Pop OS Cosmic (Like MacOS) and Linux Mint Cinnamon (Like Windows) they are both amazing. They are both customizable to look however you want too
I can add that in my experience, switching to Linux tends to have a positive impact on performance and keep the laptop usable for longer, I highly recommend you try it with your current laptop.
I've got machines that are obsolete for even Windows 10 that run Linux just fine. The best time to start is now.
If you have a drive where you can back up your stuff before installing a new OS, there's no need to wait.
I installed windows 11 a dozen time at work (never at home) and I just click on "domain login", it just creates a local account and then after the install I have to manually join the domain. No Microsoft account enforcement at all.
It's regular Windows 11, not Enterprise, we are a small company.
But I'm wondering, this bypass is too easy, is it because it sees that the DNS server is also an active directory server, so it allows that, or the trick is that you tell him you want to join a domain?
Or maybe it's a domain enrollment bug because we're using samba 4 under Debian as active directory server and not Windows server/entra id/whatever they call it this month?
I don't think they ever said they plan to require it for Windows Pro or above skus. It's only home (you know the one business shouldn't be using anyway) that they said they wanted to enforce it on.
I despise that I have to use this OS at work. I would never run windows on my own computer again. Its just insanity. Next they'll require a credit card to make a Microsoft account.
I could see them requiring government-issued ID. The age verification laws coming into effect in various states and countries make this a logical step for Microsoft. They might even start their own age verification service where you give them your ID and they vouch for your age with the sites you visit in Edge. Of course it would have the totally accidental side effect that everything you do on your computer could be monitored and legally tied to your identity.
its on our work computers, i believe windows 11 with all the BLOAT too.
Use Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC, problem solved.
Or, you know, that other thing.
Is this about Windows Home edition? I don't need to do anything hacky to get a local account but I also don't use Home edition.
Switched to Linux full time at the start of 2025 and haven't looked back. I fully intend to go the rest of my life without using windows again.
I've been using Linux exclusively for more than ten years. You've made the right choice. As if you needed anyone to tell you 😆
Same, I made the switch about 9 years ago when I was self-employed. Then I took a job with a small company running windows and it sucked. Now I'm 6 years in with my current, a mega corp, and they are all in on Microsoft. I've been so aggravated with the limitations of Microsoft products when I could get things done with a FOSS product in no time. Of course IT blocks FOSS installs because of corporate policy....🤬
"It would bypass critical steps..."
Which step is that, data collection? Shoving OneDrive down my throat by putting my Desktop in it with no way to easily remove it?
collecting data, and training AI of course.
From the other time this was posted:
95 is the stick, and ME is the stick up someone’s butt.
Here's your bypass:
In OOBE, go through MS account creation. Tell it you were born today. It'll let you set a password for the MS account before rejecting you due to COPA requirements. At this point, you can make an offline account without having even created an MS account, let alone having to use one.
This will not go away - it's a legal thing. MS doesn't want to deal with COPA stuff for very young kids, so this flow exists. Enjoy.
Back in my day, we had to make ourselves looks older online to get things, not younger! hehe
This is the rule for any account or mobile game, too - if it asks your age before asking for consent to farm, put any age below 13. It'll either not farm you because it's illegal or it'll kick you out. If the latter, good riddance really
I’ve always done 1/1/1984 for obvious reasons but this is a good tip
I've used 1/1/70 since it's the unix epoc, what's 1/1/84?
Thank you both for telling me the answers to your security questions.
Rufus can be used to disable account creation along with other settings.
“While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use.”
Lol sure. If that was the real reason they'd simply let you create a local account. The audacious lying is just insulting.
potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use
Oh no, onedrive not working or the office nagging screen missing in the start menu, how will we cope.
How will I survive without my doom dark ages ad in start menu and lock screen?
Don't plug to many, otherwise people might start jumping ship!
just making it easier to act like they don't even exist. I'll never, EVER get an account for MY computer.
If I was still a solo sysadmin, today I would be reevaluating the feasibility of dumping Windows altogether.
Dump windows. These megacorps need to fail.
