PSA: How to Use a Local Account During Windows 11 22H2 Clean Install

[TheinsanegamerN]

rufus also lets you bypass it

Good Guy Rufus. Also allows you to skip the TPM and SB requirements for 11.

It’s looking more and more like my next OS will be Zorin or something

I'm still particular to Mint. One of these days I'll get around to trying a gaming VM with dGPU passthrough again. If I ever get it working it'll be bye bye windows (mostly).

 

[BArms]

Why are they so antsy about installing offline?

Your conspiracy theory is as good as mine. Greed? Illegal Spying on users by the government? Both?

 

[newtekie1]

This seems to only be a problem with Windows 11 Home edition, the option to install with a local account still works without issue in Windows 11 Pro.

Though, even with Home Edition, I just log in with the Microsoft account I created just for this purpose, then create a local account after and delete the profile that used the Microsoft account. Yeah, it's a little annoying, but the extra 60 seconds of work really doesn't bother me.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

This seems to only be a problem with Windows 11 Home edition, the option to install with a local account still works without issue in Windows 11 Pro.

Multiple people in this very thread have voiced that it did NOT work in 11 pro, and MS themselves have states that this requirement will be migrating to pro and higher versions eventually.

Though, even with Home Edition, I just log in with the Microsoft account I created just for this purpose, then create a local account after and delete the profile that used the Microsoft account. Yeah, it's a little annoying, but the extra 60 seconds of work really doesn't bother me.

Until MS removes the ability to create a local account, or to delete a MS account unless there is another MS account on the device. Or great restrictions are put into what local accounts can do unless tied to a MS account, ece.

MS once stated you wouldnt need a MS account to use windows, and that has been chipped to almost nothing today.

 

[xorbe]

Then this is the end of me installing Windows. We had a good run, but I need to be able to install my OS without an internet connection. That's simply not acceptable.

 

[Deleted member 177333]

Linux. There's so many good alternatives by now, its mature enough to run any windows based app on Linux if you need to.

How's gaming with Linux? I've never used it, but would definitely be interested if things keep going the route we seem to be on. I just wouldn't want to lose access to any of my games.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Alternatively, you can simply press shift+F10 to bring up the command prompt during OOBE and type in:

OOBE\BYPASSNRO

to completely bypass Microsoft account setup in a cleaner way.

 

[Cheeseball]

In this article from May 2022: https://nl.hardware.info/nieuws/81471/zo-omzeil-je-de-windows-11-microsoft-accountvereiste

They said disconnecting internet trick doesn't work anymore for a win 11 home or pro installation.

So I went with the Shift + F10 “oobe\bypassnro” in May 2022 when I installed my OS... Not sure if that still works though..

Yeah not sure why the ethernet method doesn't work for some anymore. This is the latest .ISO downloaded by Microsoft's own tool written to a formatted USB drive. I simply just unplugged my ethernet, restarted the PC (using SHIFT+F10 to bring up the command prompt and restarted using shutdown /s /f /t 5 (real shutdown, force shutdown, 5 second delay), when I turned it on it asked for the language, keyboard settings and then when it came to the part where it's supposed to check for WiFi or ethernet, it just asked "Who will use this PC?" which indicates it will create a local account.

EDIT: To be clear I did not have to use OOBE\BypassNRO.cmd, I guess Setup was not able to detect my WiFi drivers and that ethernet was disconnected, so it went straight to local account creation. I do use the BypassNRO.cmd method for any Windows 11 laptops I have to maintain/test though.

 

[TheUn4seen]

Linux. There's so many good alternatives by now, its mature enough to run any windows based app on Linux if you need to.

I know but try telling that to an average consumer, you'll only get blank stares. Millions and millions of blank stares.

 

[Tsukiyomi91]

gonna use the oobe method when I move to W11. Until then, gonna use (and abuse) W10 until it goes out like a candle.

 

[Dr. Dro]

gonna use the oobe method when I move to W11. Until then, gonna use (and abuse) W10 until it goes out like a candle.

It's not going anywhere any time soon, though I suspect Microsoft will eventually stop making things available for it. Vibranium code base is set to be maintained into the 2030s.

 

[stimpy88]

Why are they so antsy about installing offline?

They want ALL your data, not just some.

 

[DrCR]

Why isn’t everyone here simply running Win1x Ent? I thought that was the geeky community’s solution to Microsoft’s current era OS approach.

(I’m out of the loop, since in the work realm I haven’t been a desktop admin in quite some time, and it’s been exclusively Linux in my personal life for nearly decade.)

 

[mechtech]

Well if I had no internet I’d return it and say it’s unusable. If I had a crap ton of cash I’d file a lawsuit and take MS to court and make them either pay for my net or delete the internet requirement just to prove a point

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

This seems to only be a problem with Windows 11 Home edition, the option to install with a local account still works without issue in Windows 11 Pro.

Though, even with Home Edition, I just log in with the Microsoft account I created just for this purpose, then create a local account after and delete the profile that used the Microsoft account. Yeah, it's a little annoying, but the extra 60 seconds of work really doesn't bother me.

keep Admin on the m$ acct log in, do everything else local?

 

[evernessince]

MS just ensuring that they meet their requirement to make alternating windows OS releases crap.

 

[Lycanwolfen]

The more MS tries to do this the more the lawsuits will be easier. The more control they take away from the user the less people want to use their products.

WIndows 11 should have never came out even Microsoft said windows 10 was the last. But nope came out anyways. The complaints I hear about windows 11 and these are common every dame day. No drop and drag to taskbar. Seriously MS removing that feature that was in pretty much every dame windows since windows 95 was a big mistake. People said they wanted to be more like Apple but heres the thing for the last 22 years Apple has not changed their interface on their OS one dame bit still has appple logo and finder in the same place on every OS. The Right click every dame time show more now show more show more show more. It;s like Doctor Who No More No More No More!

 

[dayne878]

I don't understand what the issue is. So what, they track you. I like the option of signing in with my Microsoft account and having almost everything synced with OneDrive. Heck, I fresh installed Windows 11 recently and I didn't even have to enter a license # because I already had an unused license # on my account (from when I upgraded to Windows 11 over a year ago and then reverted back to Windows 10) and it just detected that # and applied it.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

I don't understand what the issue is.

Because you didnt bother reading any of the responses.

So what, they track you.

So, will you post your address so we can track you, as well as your phone IMEI and carrier info? It's fine, right? Or is it only okay when a multi trillion dollar corporation wants to watch every aspect of your life?

People dont like being tracked, especially when it offers 0 benefit.

I like the option of signing in with my Microsoft account and having almost everything synced with OneDrive. Heck, I fresh installed Windows 11 recently and I didn't even have to enter a license # because I already had an unused license # on my account (from when I upgraded to Windows 11 over a year ago and then reverted back to Windows 10) and it just detected that # and applied it.

See, you say the word "option". I dont think you know what that word means, if it's mandatory, its NOT AN OPTION.

Having the "option" there is fine, but MS is taking that option away from those of us who dont want to open our every move up to daddy MS. Given how censorship and ban happy MS has become there are some very real reasons to not want your entire PC to be locked up to a cloud maintained account. And that license thing? Yeah, it can easily be done without a MS account, my machines have been remembering their license ever since MS assigned them to motherboards. Its really not that hard to do. You dont need a cloud managed account for that.

Your conspiracy theory is as good as mine. Greed? Illegal Spying on users by the government? Both?

Yes. It's always about money and control. MS has had a hardon for removing end user agency ever since the public very audibly denied windows 8's UWP apps and Metro UI. It apparently really hurt the corporation's feelings, and thats terrible. MS has stated, numerous times, that they want everything under your MS account and want to be able to ban MS accounts for wrongthink, being rude, or just bothering them on a day that ends in Y. Having everything linked to your account, which is linked to your name, which can serve you notifications and ads and track everything you do across devices, MS collectively salivates at the idea.

 

[Zareek]

Damn it Micro$oft, more BS to push me towards going 100% Linux. I guess I should just buy a Steam Deck and support Valve in their quest to port Windows gaming over to Linux.

How long before the M$ ends up with their butts in court again over crap like this?

 

[ThrashZone]

Damn it Micro$oft, more BS to push me towards going 100% Linux. I guess I should just buy a Steam Deck and support Valve in their quest to port Windows gaming over to Linux.

How long before the M$ ends up with their butts in court again over crap like this?

Hi,
In the EU probably not long EU loves free money from big companies

I don't understand what the issue is. So what, they track you. I like the option of signing in with my Microsoft account and having almost everything synced with OneDrive. Heck, I fresh installed Windows 11 recently and I didn't even have to enter a license # because I already had an unused license # on my account (from when I upgraded to Windows 11 over a year ago and then reverted back to Windows 10) and it just detected that # and applied it.

Auto activation works fine using a local account to and has little to do with using a ms email account as sign in on any computer

I sure don't want anything auto syncing on a ms server that to me is theft.

 

[newtekie1]

keep Admin on the m$ acct log in, do everything else local?

Why? Just delete the account on the computer that is using the M$ account entirely. There is no requirement that it be on the computer.

Multiple people in this very thread have voiced that it did NOT work in 11 pro, and MS themselves have states that this requirement will be migrating to pro and higher versions eventually.

I'll believe it when I see it. I just fresh installed 22H2 Pro and the domain join option was still there with no requirement to use a M$ account. And I highly doubt they'll get rid of that option unless they really want to piss off their enterprise customers.