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

⁨691⁩ ⁨likes⁩

Submitted ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨ardi60@reddthat.com⁩ to ⁨technology@lemmy.world⁩

https://www.theverge.com/news/793579/microsoft-windows-11-local-account-bypass-workaround-changes

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Comments

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  • ardi60@reddthat.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    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.

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    • Lfrith@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Also setting up iso through rufus which gives options to disable it.

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      • adarza@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        rufus doesn’t help with preloads that you don’t want to or can’t, for whatever reason, overwrite with a ‘clean’ install.

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    • Lyra_Lycan@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      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

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      • FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I’ve always done 1/1/1984 for obvious reasons but this is a good tip

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    • DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      If that actually becomes a thing people do, that could prompt MS to start to require either a face scan or showing some government ID just to install Windows, though, if the way Google’s handling KYC on YT if your account gets flagged as underage, and soon Android app dev, as well as KYC going out across other sites, is any indication.

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      • MagicShel@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Let them. The entire world is slowly migrating to Mac and Linux. I haven’t even had the option of windows at my last 3 jobs. (To be fair, I’ve never had the option of desktop Linux, but this last one said pick a computer—I’m not positive that they would’ve balked at Linux.) That said, idk what’s so great about Mac over Linux, but I guess it’s not corporate friendly.

        I’m trying to think of which MS products we even have in our ecosystem. Office, I guess. Corporate world will never wean themselves off of Excel.

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    • cley_faye@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Back in my day, we had to make ourselves looks older online to get things, not younger! hehe

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    • Bytemeister@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      My go to is to pop open the console and run “ipconfig /release” right before you create an account. Win 11 will have you set up a local account if you don’t have a network connection.

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      • StopSpazzing@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Doesnt work on these newest versions anymore.

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    • dmtalon@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      What if they just ask your age as step 1 of the setup?

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      • TachyonTele@piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Same thing, that doesn’t change anything.

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  • goatinspace@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Image

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    • AtariDump@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      From the other time this was posted:

      95 is the stick, and ME is the stick up someone’s butt.

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      • hddsx@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        NT?

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    • Kissaki@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Where is Windows ME?

      It repeatedly crashed for me. Good Awful times.

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      • goatinspace@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Don’t know. I use Win 9

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  • Feyd@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    “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.

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    • cley_faye@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      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.

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      • magikmw@piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        How will I survive without my doom dark ages ad in start menu and lock screen?

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    • Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      It’s not lying if what they mean by “not fully configured for use” is that the private data being captured and sent to their servers is not fully matched to a personal identity in their systems.

      After all, they didn’t say whose “use” that device would not be configured for.

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      • Ferk@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Still, if they were actually being honest, this would be easily solved if they showed those “critical setup screens” BEFORE asking to create the account, and based on what the user selected then they would allow (or not) the creation of a local account…

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  • Darkcoffee@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    “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?

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    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      collecting data, and training AI of course.

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  • NarrativeBear@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Don’t plug to many otherwise people might start jumping ship!

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    • Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      just making it easier to act like they don’t even exist. I’ll never, EVER get an account for MY computer.

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      • cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        There’s no online accounts needed for Linux.

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      • NarrativeBear@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Same, I refuse to have my OS linked to anything other then a local account.

        Especially since most email accounts now need cell phone numbers, and home addresses.

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  • JoMiran@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Image

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  • HugeNerd@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I am horrified by what computers have become, from expensive magical tools to solve real problems, to ubiquitous shit-shoveling malware appliances controlled by some of the worst elements of society.

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    • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Those kinds of computers still exist, it’s called Linux.

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      • tiramichu@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I’ve never been more appreciative than I am now of the decades of effort that have gone into building this free and open-source operating system.

        Imagine if we were here in 2025, with all the incumbent operating systems going to shit, but in a world where Linux didn’t exist and there was no alternative that wasn’t owned by a tech giant.

        I don’t even want to imagine.

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    • PrimeMinisterKeyes@leminal.space ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Image

      The future was here, once upon a time.

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      • monotremata@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        🎶 The dream of the 90’s is alive in Linux🎶

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    • bless@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      and still expensive

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  • richardmtanguay@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I will be switching to Linux once my laptop is obsolete!!! I will only be getting Linux stuff from there on in!!! :-)

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    • Pat_Riot@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Why wait? Linux Mint will run the shit out of your laptop right now.

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      • Jaysyn@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Not OP, but I have to keep one Windows PC around. My favorite mod for my favorite 20 year old 4x game will not run on Linux, even though the game itself will.

        The rest of my PCs are running either Mint or Xubuntu.

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    • Pelicanen@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      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.

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      • captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I’ve got machines that are obsolete for even Windows 10 that run Linux just fine. The best time to start is now.

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    • floofloof@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      If you have a drive where you can back up your stuff before installing a new OS, there’s no need to wait.

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    • atmorous@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      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

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      • 1984@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Im running cosmic desktop on arch, its actually very good! I have enabled automatic tiling of windows and its just super convenient. Like a tiling window manager but with all the stuff most people want built-in (top bar, notifications, screenshots, screen sharing etc).

        You cant customize it as much as a real tiling window manager but if all you want is for your windows to tile, its awesome.

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    • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      You’re going to immediately wonder why you waited so long.

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    • HugeNerd@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I’m waiting for actual fire to start in my laptop before switching. I’ve had to do so many tricks to keep Win 7 going that I’m invested in keeping this thing going as long as possible. Plus all my porn is on it.

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  • ImgurRefugee114@reddthat.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    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.

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    • aurelar@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      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 😆

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      • oppy1984@lemdro.id ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        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…🤬

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  • LadyAutumn@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    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.

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    • floofloof@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      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 has the totally accidental side effect that everything you do on your computer can be monitored and legally tied to your identity.

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      • 1984@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        The only thing you should give Microsoft is the finger.

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    • Tollana1234567@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      its on our work computers, i believe windows 11 with all the BLOAT too.

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  • salacious_coaster@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    If I was still a solo sysadmin, today I would be reevaluating the feasibility of dumping Windows altogether.

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    • anon5621@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Technically it possible with using windows server edition ,clean no bloatware ,minimum processes Legally cost a lot not available for usual users only in crack way

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      • ramble81@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Honestly I’m using Windows Enterprise. Local accounts, GPOs to get rid of all the telemetry and other bullshit. Never seen an ad in the start menu or any other place. Just nice clean windows. Basically it’s what companies use so that Microsoft doesn’t piss them off.

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      • omgboom@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        While yes, licensing them is a bitch, but a terminal server is a viable option

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  • melsaskca@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    This “subscription” mentality is ruining value for a lot of society but, holy shit, do you ever rake in those huge amounts of monthly cash, for very little work.

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    • vacuumflower@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      It’s not our mentality, it’s their strategy.

      Wars breed new strategies.

      Sometimes it’s free trade as a carrot and embargo as a stick, like with, well, one can try to nail it to Napoleonic wars, but as old as life. Sometimes it’s mass production and standardization and ergonomics and scientific industrial design, one can try to nail these to WWII, but also as old as life. And sometimes it’s controlled escalation as a way to reach your goals without triggering nuclear response, which one can nail to the Cold War.

      American strategy of the Cold War is being used against world markets, ladies and gentlemen. Together with the previous two strategies mentioned.

      The Soviet one was the opposite, to try to make even the smallest transgression cause firmly the same response, so that controlled escalation wouldn’t work, but unfortunately one is founded in human psychology (plus game theory) and the other in rational knowledge (just game theory), the latter always loses. It was called scientific-technical revolution and meant literally its name - instead of gradual escalation, which favors the stronger side, you should create technical means to punch a fatal wound, nothing gradual.

      So - the subscriptions themselves matter very little, they are just slowly transitioning everything big to dependence upon remote components available over the Internet.

      It’s funny, actually, so much gradual work, and in the end it’ll be just wasted time - even making computers is not magic. State of the art processes could as well be that for most of humanity, but for many purposes Pentium MMX is a good enough computer, and such are not magic.

      And especially making computer software of the kind that’s being “metropolized” like this is not magic. Most of it is complex simply because of legacy, backwards compatibility and as a barrier for competitors making alternative implementations.

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  • boogiebored@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Lol it’s been great getting off of Windows over the last few months.

    I thought I would miss it, but Proton in Steam has been amazing on Ubuntu, with some exceptions (Stupid EA crap from skate. 2025).

    Dual booting for now is OK, but gaming is pretty garbage anyway, so I will probably abandon Windows entirely soon. Definitely my last version of it. Feel so liberated having hobbies off computer anyway, and now using my computers with Ubuntu is actually enjoyable again instead of driving an expensive spy machine.

    :)

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    • timhayes1991@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I had no clue skate didn’t work for Linux until I went to play it :'( it was installed and everything. Bummer.

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      • boogiebored@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        It shows as installable on Ubuntu in Steam, so I hilariously found out after installing Ubuntu and skate on my gf’s computer only to not be able to play it 😆

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  • abbiistabbii@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I am never abandoning you, Linux

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  • Reality_Suit@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Dump windows. These megacorps need to fail.

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    • gh0stcassette@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Tbh I’m hoping the AI crash permanently kills most of the larger tech corps.

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  • FreeMindFreeAss@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Linux, your time has finally come

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    • skisnow@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      All Microsoft had to do to remain the most popular home and office OS in the world for decades to come, was to just not fucking suck.

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      • FreeMindFreeAss@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Woahwoahwoah, let’s not be unrealistic here.

        But honestly I’m happy for the final push to Linux. I’ve been telling myself to make the change for a few years now but what’s happening with AI training and side-loading / complete loss of privacy / general horrible vibes in the closed-source tech-sector… Linux it is. I’m even ready for the learning curve. I grew up on dos, I’m sure I can find my way around it.

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      • Dragonstaff@leminal.space ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        The problem is that they realized that they could do both.

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  • db2@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    One option is to install an older version and update after.

    A better one is not use it because it’s trash.

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  • Kolanaki@pawb.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The hole they will never plug: Not using Windows.

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    • DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      In theory Pluton enforcement platform-wide, which also includes forced SecureBoot without the ability to install user-signed keys, could block alt OSes on PC though.

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      • Kolanaki@pawb.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I’m gonna need an explanation how anything could prevent me from just formatting the drive and doing what I want, barring the use of proprietary hardware.

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      • WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Fortunately, Pluton never caught on and that hasn’t happened so far.

        I’m confused. don’t all recent AMD and intel CPUs have pluton included? I remember such an AMD announcement from ryzen 6000 and onwards, and for intel too

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    • adarza@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      just give 'em time. it’s still a bit early in the game for that play

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  • Wispy2891@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    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?

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  • twinklefruit@lemmings.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Lol.

    I remember having to disable internet when installing windows 10 so I’m not forced to make a micro$hit account.

    They really don’t care at all about users. It’s all about abuse at this point.

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  • DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The Enterprise/IoT SKUs, which of course include LTSC, still let you use a local account-for now…

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  • Kissaki@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Where’s the regulation that prevents this? Appalling.

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  • FireWire400@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Use Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC, problem solved

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  • ArchmageAzor@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    At this point they’ll restrict access to the registry.

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  • betanumerus@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Well I paid for what I have, and no one is aloud to rob me of what I pay for so I’m good. Sorry Microsoft you don’t get to rob people any more than the rest of us. All it would do is send people elsewhere.

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  • Max_P@lemmy.max-p.me ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    At this point I just net user add it, which just creates the user manually and then you can reboot and just log into it.

    It’s not like you need anything from the OOBE at all, so might as well just skip it entirely.

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  • Boozilla@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Do custom installation (ISO) creation utilities like NTLite still allow you to remove the requirement?

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  • VITecNet@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I’m going to give Google money by buying a Pixel to free myself from Google…

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  • Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Doesn’t stop em from using Windows 11 as much as I want.

    Which is none.

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  • m3t00@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    upgraded to 11 for free from win2k? dual boot linux and just running updates and rebooting the win11 every few months. paid $100 for win2k a long time ago. stupid giant passkey license, no thanks. got a free account and switched to digital at some point.

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