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Sam_Bass ,

Ive had microsloth blocked for 3 years so they can jam all the jumpers they want

ForgottenFlux OP ,

Summary:

In the past, you could bypass the sign-in requirement by choosing ‘Offline Account’ or ‘Sign in with a local account instead.' However, Microsoft removed this option in recent years, meaning you would need an active internet connection to create a Microsoft account for a new Windows 11 install.

Some users discovered that they could bypass this requirement by using the following blocked email addresses: example@example.com, a@a.com, or no@thankyou.com, and then typing in a random password. While this would let you fall back to proceeding with an offline account until recently, it now results in an ‘Oops, something went wrong’ message, which will return you to the same email input screen.

Thankfully, there remains another way to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft account. When you’re at the log-in screen, you can hit Shift + F10 and type OOBE/BYPASSNRO, which will let you create a local account instead if you do not have an internet connection (so disconnect the internet for this). However, non-tech-savvy users will likely not know this, so many would likely end up creating another unwanted online account.

This is just one of the controversial steps Microsoft has recently been taking, like including ads in the Start Menu, nagging Windows 10 users to upgrade, or adding a watermark if your PC does not support AI features.

AceSLS ,

Imagine having no internet for real when setting up Windows. I guess the hardware you bought is useless then

SpaceNoodle ,

It actually bypasses this when there's no Internet access, which I had to force manually in order to work around this, as the console would not come up for me last time this happened.

dojan ,
@dojan@lemmy.world avatar

Really? I seem to recall being shit out of luck when it couldn’t figure out my WiFi drivers and wanted me to connect via Ethernet instead.

SpaceNoodle ,

That's what worked for me the other week.

TORFdot0 ,

I just set up new PC for my grandparents that I imaged myself using the latest windows 11 iso from MS. It wouldn’t let me bypass the account require when I was offline. It just stalled at the “no network” screen and wouldn’t continue unless I connected the PC to a network.

I had to use the OOBE/BYPASSNRO or whatever the command was

SpaceNoodle ,

This was a couple weeks ago for me. Interesting how the experience is different for each user.

CosmicTurtle0 ,

Same here. There has to be no network whatsoever. No wifi, no wired connection.

You can completely cut out any internet access to the device (via the router), and it will still cry like baby and say that you need to use a Microsoft account.

There is absolutely no reason why disabling this needs to require a special keystroke let alone command.

brbposting ,

There i$ ab$olutely no rea$on why di$abling thi$ need$ to require a $pecial key$troke let along command.

wreckedcarzz ,
@wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world avatar

I setup my dad's framework using this method a ~month ago - it took an extra 10 minutes but MS can blow me. I would have opted for no OS pre-installed/linux but he uses a critical application that is Windows-only, and 10 is no longer available...

Actually consume feces, Microsoft.

Wooki ,

Don’t worry it’s not automatically connected without consent the moment he logged into email

the16bitgamer ,
@the16bitgamer@lemmy.world avatar

You can do this with 10 but not 11. Tested on both a VM and hardware.

circuscritic ,

I always setup my own new installs offline, with no Internet connected and assumed that the was the workaround this was referring to. Guess that's my fault for not reading the article. I wasn't even aware of the fake email bypass.

But my reasons were primarily because I wanted to disable as much telemetry as possible and tweak other settings before putting it on a network.

bjoern_tantau ,
@bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de avatar

Just install Linux. You can download it... Oh

cmnybo ,

What, you don't already have multiple Linux ISOs on your Ventoy flash drive?

Imgonnatrythis ,

Just call anyone that has Linux they will gladly bring their favorite distro to your door on a flash drive. Be forewarned though, they will stick around and talk to you about it for at least two hours though.

ogeist ,

Nowadays you can use your phone to create a boota le USB.

Lemming6969 ,

Call Microsoft and tie up their support

RaoulDook ,

That's a crazy secret code requirement there

Zachariah ,
@Zachariah@lemmy.world avatar

If it doesn’t work, make sure to type his first:

⬆️⬆️⬇️⬇️⬅️➡️⬅️➡️ B A Select Start
TimLovesTech ,
@TimLovesTech@badatbeing.social avatar

This unlocks the secret 30 license copy.

Bonesince1997 ,

Yeah but they're all for Netscape

hemmes ,
@hemmes@lemmy.world avatar

That's all you ever need

gravitas_deficiency ,

And winrar

homesweethomeMrL ,

Do not quote the ancient magicks to me . . .

Odo ,

Select

Ah, a co-op install.

purplemonkeymad ,

Shift F10 just opens the command prompt. After that it's the name of a batch file in the oobe folder. (Out of box experience.) You can tab complete the name so you just have to remember the oobe part. The biggest annoyance is if you buy a laptop that is in S mode, you can't start command prompt to do this.

All it does is add a registry key, and reboot, but you would have to know how to do custom windows deployments to to create an image to skip it always.

SpaceNoodle ,

I wasn't able to open the console last time Windows updated itself and attempted to force me to link an email address. The solution was to disconnect from the network.

FiniteBanjo ,

Can you still skip connecting to internet?

BunnyKnuckles ,
@BunnyKnuckles@startrek.website avatar

Don't connect to internet, Shift f10 to bring up command prompt, oobe/bypassnro, wait for restart, click I don't have internet, make local account. Did it today.

tomkatt ,

The fact this is even necessary makes me want to shit a brick.

"Do you want to make an online account?" No.
"Okay, please set up your local account."

That should be it. And honestly, even that's egregious to me. Signing into online bullshit should be opt-in, not opt-out. Thank goodness I don't use Windows anymore, finally wiped the last Windows machine in my house this past week.

blind3rdeye ,

Microsoft's insidious insistence on online accounts is the main reason I stopped using Windows. Even with a local Windows account, one time I accidentally opened Edge, and it started automatically importing browser info from Firefox and then syncing it to the Microsoft account that I was using for MS Office. From my point of view, that was some extreme bullshit. Too much to tolerate. I didn't want Edge to import anything from anywhere - no matter how 'convenient and easy' it is. and I certainly didn't want it to upload anything - no matter what assurances of 'privacy and security' are claimed. And until that point, I thought accounts for individual apps could be keep isolated to just that app.

dual_sport_dork ,
@dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world avatar

They have to go through all these gymnastics because otherwise, there is no compelling reason for any given user to create a Microsoft account just to use their damn computer. So they resort to trickery, nagging, and now tacitly trying to force the issue. Most users don't know any better so they'll just click "ok" on whatever pops up in their faces when they first power on their new PC and take the first thing that's offered, which in this case is to sign up for a Microsoft account and tie your entire identity to it. Non-nerds don't know the difference between that and a local account, and that's dangerous.

It's become normalized that in order to use any given device or software you're expected to set up Yet Another Online Account, and that normalization is dangerous, too. I actively try to avoid such things but it's becoming harder and harder as time goes on.

TheGrandNagus ,

Damn windows seems really complicated.

Zeoic ,

You can also just select the "for work or school" option, then it lets you make a local account because it assumes you will domain join it later, which you dont need to do.

dual_sport_dork ,
@dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world avatar

Last time I tried this it immediately demanded I enter my domain credentials (which I don't have, because I don't run an Active Directory domain at home) and wouldn't proceed without any. So I had to fall back on the disconnect-from-the-internet song and dance.

Zeoic ,

Just a couple weeks ago I installed it for a friend and there was a domain join later button

rozodru ,

yes. when you get the the part of the installation that requires an internet connection just hit shift+f10 to open a command prompt and type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and then you can finish setting up without an internet connection.

I've always done this instead of the bypass email thing. THEN once you install win11 do yourself a favor and install Revi. totally makes the OS 10x better. removes all the bloatware, edge, copilot, ads, etc.

FiniteBanjo ,

TBH I'm not going to install Windows 11, but back in Windows 10 you didn't even have to open the command prompt.

cyberpunk007 ,

Windows users should be outraged.

We're at a point where a company makes an operating system used by a majority of the population while they force you to use your personal online account to log in, and they record everything you do on screen and collect an obscene amount of other information about you.

Picture MS getting breached in a couple years. What would that look like for you, the individual? Do you really trust all these screenshots are also locally stored? I doubt it. If they are today, do you trust they always will be?

kippinitreal , (edited )

Absolutely, however I think there is indifference or complacency in lay tech users. It might help open a few eyes if shown effects in peoples personal lives. For example, asking have you been getting obscene number of spam/robo-calls? That's because your info was either stolen or sold by the company's you shared it with. That would make the effect hit home better I think.

I remember when there was news that Facebook was listening to your conversations and suggesting ads when you logged in. Even if untrue it creeped people out, some even quitting Facebook entirely. Maybe something like that can happen with MS and they back off. Or better yet we legislate the shit out of tech companies, follow the EU way.

Tryptaminev ,

I can't help but feel the individual direct consequences to be like pretty small to the institutional risks.

Imagine China all of a sudden getting access to all the trade secrets of US companies that still ran MS. Imagine Russia gaining full access to all the government, health, educational data of every single US citizen. Or imagine something like the recent fuckup of google deleting the entire cloud of one financial institutions. Imagine MS to fuck up royally and all consumer facing computers in all banks to be broken for three weeks...

All of these are not immediately targeting the individual directly, but they can be extremely destructive to a nation or even globally as a whole.

umbrella ,
@umbrella@lemmy.ml avatar

ai can now parse and sort through that data. cambridge analytica has the potential of looking like kid's play. who knows what they will be able to do with us.

voluble ,

Before this is all over, MS will be charging users to extract their snapshots from a proprietary cloud-only one drive account. The recovery process will take about 3 hours, and involve scrolling through ai-authored help articles that don't lay out clearly and methodically how to access the old snapshots. The comments on the help articles will begin with "Hello sir, can you confirm that you have followed the steps at this link?". The link, before delivering you to an irrelevant solution, will shunt you to a landing page that forces you to log into your microsoft account before you can see the answer.

jose1324 ,

I almost want to kill myself reading this

w2tpmf ,

We're at a point where a company makes an operating system used by a majority of the population while they force you to use your personal online account to log in

I find it hilarious to see how many people rage at this from their iPhone or Android phone where they are logged in with a personal online account in order for the device to function.

cyberpunk007 ,

Yeah this is a fair point. Not a fan of that either.

Appoxo ,

Nothing new.

How is seemingly everybody blind to the actual workaround but "knows" about a supposed "bypass" email??

Actual solution/workaround: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/all/set-up-windows-11-without-internet-oobebypassnro/4fc44554-b416-4ecb-8961-6f79fd55ae0f

Voroxpete ,

It won't be long before they block that too. I really wouldn't put it past them to just say "Fuck it, no internet, no computer."

JackbyDev ,

I did this on Windows 10 not because I didn't want my Microsoft account linked but because I wanted my username to by my first name and not like part of my first and part of my last name.

Natanael ,

I feel like recreating my account as a local one for this reason. I hate not having control over the filesystem and hate not having a normal looking username

JackbyDev ,

For real, I've been less annoyed with some of the usernames work has given me than the shit Windows 10 thought was a good idea.

LordWiggle ,
@LordWiggle@lemmy.world avatar

Time for Linux. I don't like to change, I've used windows from 3.1. But I see no other option. They will pull the plug on 10 while at the same time are trying their best to make their shitty 11 even worse.

Glass0448 ,
@Glass0448@lemmy.today avatar

stuck on decrappified windows for the immediate future.

obinice ,
@obinice@lemmy.world avatar

Huh? What if you're installing windows on a machine with no internet connection? Which is an entirely normal legitimate thing to do. It's not a requirement after all.

I have a number of machines that use a local account, they don't need a Microsoft account and will never be linked to one, it's unnecessary.

JustARegularNerd ,

I had to do exactly this for a family friend in his 70s, it was a fucking nightmare. I think ultimately I caved and hotspotted it to my phone just long enough for it to be happy, and disconnected it while it was still loading the sign up page so it fell back to local account creation (at the time I didn't know about a@a or bypassnro)

sachabe ,

There's this workaround that works well :
https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/install-windows-11-without-microsoft-account

It's definitely not for lambda users and a real pity that we have to resort to this, but it does the job (for now).

k_rol ,

They have an official workaround(which is just a stupid complicated way but that's still working). The one from OP is just a custom workaround some random found. Others pointed to the actual workaround in the comments.

Bahnd ,

For W10 you can still do offline installs with the media creation tool and telling it you dont have an internet connection, for W11 even enterprise users are all tied into autopilot, Intune MDM, and/or a microsoft account. I do not believe there is a method to install W11 without an internet connection and account. If there some some way to get the install tools to do that, I dont know what it is, and I do IT for a job...

Honestly, making the switch to linux full time is not that bad. Every tool, utility and program other than the most niche propriatary applications have a FOSS variant, and it is starting to sound like a bad relationship when people wait for MS to make a policy, change or product that isnt comedicly evil...

Just break up... If you need to talk at the hivemind of the internet for advice, we got ya.

gears ,

You can use shift+f10 and type OOBE\\BYPASSNRO

BigDanishGuy ,

W11 even enterprise users are all tied into autopilot, Intune MDM, and/or a microsoft account

The "win 11 business editions 23h2" iso that I got from visualstudio.com yesterday, did no more than the usual amount of crap to make it difficult to find the "join a domain instead", allowing me to make a local user.

Strepto ,
@Strepto@sh.itjust.works avatar
  • Install Windows 11
  • "Sign in with your MS account"
  • Click Sign-in options
  • Domain join
  • It allows you to continue to the local account setup
  • Doesn't force completion of domain join
JohnOliver ,
@JohnOliver@feddit.dk avatar

They work fast dont they? How long has this loophole existed in windows 10?

Imgonnatrythis ,

The enshitification intensifies; the rate appears to have become exponential. This one is a deal breaker for me. I want to buy or use an OS that is my OS. I do not want any login beyond what I deem necessary for security purposes. Everything you and the software that runs on your computer does is loggable at the OS level. I don't want an email address bound to all that. Fuck Microsoft.

Corkyskog ,

They are really trying to push people to Linux aren't they?

ripcord ,
@ripcord@lemmy.world avatar

At this rate the user base will go from 4% to 5%!

Edgarallenpwn ,
@Edgarallenpwn@midwest.social avatar

After 5% can I ring my "Year of the Linux desktop" bell?

DaddleDew ,

Brazenly forcing anti-consumer features like this is an obvious sign of monopoly and abuse of their dominating position on the market. They should have been broken up a long time ago along with all the other big tech companies who have been pulling this sort of crap.

homesweethomeMrL ,

They were convicted of being a monopoly over 20 years ago.

DaddleDew ,

I remember when it happened. Back then we were concerned about how Microsoft was pushing Internet Explorer as a browser on its platform. And then we just gave up on enforcing Antitrust laws let them do whatever they want along with the rest of big tech. Since then they've been doing so much worse than that.

You can blame lobbying for that.

ripcord ,
@ripcord@lemmy.world avatar

No we didn't.

ocassionallyaduck ,

Congrats in building stalking software right into the OS.

A bunch of abusive relationships about to get a whole lot worse when the other party can track literally everything they do.

NoSuchAgency ,

Linux Linux Linux

Bo7a ,

https://lemmy.ca/pictrs/image/9b0e1986-82c5-42f5-b728-e8b9f1fe13e9.png

pineapplelover ,

Airplane mode. Don't connect to internet

sukhmel ,

Then you can't proceed at all, and the error message doesn't even explain it

SpaceNoodle ,

For me, that bypassed the email account linking altogether.

sukhmel ,

I can assume that the region may make a difference

SpaceNoodle ,

This was in Seattle.

sukhmel ,

Mine was in the EU, and with a language restricted version, too

Cyth ,

I believe this does not work for Home. You can bypass it in Pro like this though. Unless something has changed I am not aware of.

dogslayeggs ,

Fuck you, MS, for making people create an account to use something they paid for.

blindbunny ,

So stick it to them, stop giving them money and data.

brbposting ,

Louder for the people at the back!

And also at the front, and also in the middle.

Friggin’ 73.91% desktop market share. 1.6 billion…

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