8 ms·

Windows does seem to have strategy-shifted a lot since the 2000-2010ish era. I recently installed Windows 10 the official way on a fresh PC, it allowed installi

Windows does seem to have strategy-shifted a lot since the 2000-2010ish era. I recently installed Windows 10 the official way on a fresh PC, it allowed installing with no license key. It allowed installing with a local-only account. The installation appears fully functional. It's not prompting for any key or licensing. They finally just seem glad that someone is using their software...

beart 4y ago
What edition of Windows 10 were you installing? The home/consumer versions currently have several dark patterns that push you to create a Microsoft account and link it to your PC login when installing Windows.
- shaky-carrousel 4y ago
  The trick is not having internet enabled. When there is no internet, it switches to local account creation.
  - nicce 4y ago
    Current Insider version of 11 has removed this option totally. Long live the clould. > Similar to Windows 11 Home edition, Windows 11 Pro edition now requires internet connectivity during the initial device setup (OOBE) only. If you choose to setup device for personal use, MSA will be required for setup as well. You can expect Microsoft Account to be required in subsequent WIP flights. https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/02/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22557/ https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/02/16/announc... https://webmediums.com/amp/p/tlvo1qetw4z2 https://webmediums.com/amp/p/tlvo1qetw4z2
    - zamadatix 4y ago
      The new dark pattern avoidance trick is entering "no@thankyou.com" or some other banned account email using anything as the password.
      - nicce 4y ago
        It still requires internet connection for identifying the ban?
    - qwezxcrty 4y ago
      Damnit. Then I will have to always pirate Enterprise SKU to avoid the MS Account BS.
olyjohn 4y ago
You didn't get a key prompt, because it's probably baked into the BIOS, or your system signature was verified against the activation servers. They have been doing this since Windows 8 came out. It's always allowed a local account, since the day it came out. It's just that they clearly prioritize a Microsoft account, and try to push you into it.
- pie_flavor 4y ago
  No, Windows just straight up doesn't require a key. All you really get locked out of without one is setting the wallpaper.
  - nicce 4y ago
    The most of the other settings are disabled as well. System is quite limited after that grace period.
    - zamadatix 4y ago
      In old versions of Windows this used to be true but in current versions system settings are fully functional outside of personalization (as in the "Personalization" section of Settings which covers wallpaper/theme/icons. Not "personalization" of every other section in the Settings app). No auto restarts anymore either.
      - nicce 4y ago
        Something good has happened.
      - userbinator 4y ago
        That's ironic, because it means MS still knows how much people value customising their environment that they're using it as way to encourage activation and thus $$$, but at the same time they're also slowly removing such settings.
        4y ago

beart 4y ago

What edition of Windows 10 were you installing? The home/consumer versions currently have several dark patterns that push you to create a Microsoft account and link it to your PC login when installing Windows.

shaky-carrousel 4y ago
The trick is not having internet enabled. When there is no internet, it switches to local account creation.
- nicce 4y ago
  Current Insider version of 11 has removed this option totally. Long live the clould. > Similar to Windows 11 Home edition, Windows 11 Pro edition now requires internet connectivity during the initial device setup (OOBE) only. If you choose to setup device for personal use, MSA will be required for setup as well. You can expect Microsoft Account to be required in subsequent WIP flights. https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/02/16/announcing-windows-11-insider-preview-build-22557/ https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2022/02/16/announc... https://webmediums.com/amp/p/tlvo1qetw4z2 https://webmediums.com/amp/p/tlvo1qetw4z2
  - zamadatix 4y ago
    The new dark pattern avoidance trick is entering "no@thankyou.com" or some other banned account email using anything as the password.
    - nicce 4y ago
      It still requires internet connection for identifying the ban?
  - qwezxcrty 4y ago
    Damnit. Then I will have to always pirate Enterprise SKU to avoid the MS Account BS.

olyjohn 4y ago

You didn't get a key prompt, because it's probably baked into the BIOS, or your system signature was verified against the activation servers. They have been doing this since Windows 8 came out. It's always allowed a local account, since the day it came out. It's just that they clearly prioritize a Microsoft account, and try to push you into it.

pie_flavor 4y ago
No, Windows just straight up doesn't require a key. All you really get locked out of without one is setting the wallpaper.
- nicce 4y ago
  The most of the other settings are disabled as well. System is quite limited after that grace period.
  - zamadatix 4y ago
    In old versions of Windows this used to be true but in current versions system settings are fully functional outside of personalization (as in the "Personalization" section of Settings which covers wallpaper/theme/icons. Not "personalization" of every other section in the Settings app). No auto restarts anymore either.
    - nicce 4y ago
      Something good has happened.
    - userbinator 4y ago
      That's ironic, because it means MS still knows how much people value customising their environment that they're using it as way to encourage activation and thus $$$, but at the same time they're also slowly removing such settings.
      - 4y ago