Microsoft accounts being pushed on users

[Jason]

This is so annoying. I'm installing Windows 10 for a friend. The installer previously wanted you to create a Microsoft account, going so far as to tell you all the great benefits even after you selected to opt-out. But at least you could opt out and create a local account back then. Now you can't even do that without jumping through some hoops. It's not in the installer. It's not a really new change (the article linked suggests 2020) but it's still annoying as all hell.

Just more proof that with Microsoft, it's not your OS, it's theirs.

[buster]

When my old computer died (Adventures with a 10 Year Old Desktop) I kept the ssd and put it into another old computer. The whole thing sorted itself out nicely.

But in this case you need a new install because it's someone else's computer. Good luck with that - long and tedious. I did a few a couple years ago and I think avoiding the Microsoft account is still possible. I did. Mind numbing though.

Kind of you to put yourself though this torture for a friend.

[Jason]

I didn't time it but it didn't seem like that long of an install, surprisingly, maybe I was just so busy with something else it didn't seem that long. Thankfully, Microsoft updates their ISO files so you don't have years of updates to download after it's updated. But note that I installed it using a USB 3.0 flash drive and an SSD drive. That might make all the difference. Or maybe it's a really fast SSD.

I can't really tell that as it's this weird vanilla laptop, like a PC clone. No given manufacturer, Windows license on the outside or anything else indicating where it came from. I've never seen so many options in the BIOS. I'm talking at least a 100, very few of which I've even heard of. I'm assuming that's because the BIOS hasn't been customized as it would be with known manufacturers. There are likely options in there that won't be relevant to the hardware. It probably came from Ali Express. They have a lot of weird stuff like that. Anybody ever have one of these laptops?

It was my laptop with Linux on it - a gift from her, and after a falling out, she wants it back so I felt I should put Windows 10 back on it. Little kindness was involved, although I guess it's kind of me not to infect it with dozens of viruses to go with that OS. That's not me, though, not that it didn't cross my mind.

[Jason]

I did a few a couple years ago and I think avoiding the Microsoft account is still possible. I did. Mind numbing though.

It's only possible (since 2020, I guess) by not enabling the network connection like it wants you to do before proceeding, turning off the router or unplugging the network device if you've already configured it. Most users won't know the trick. Shame on Microsoft for pushing these accounts on everyone. The only possible use of them is if you use Onedrive or if you want to use the Microsoft store. Otherwise, it's entirely unnecessary, at least for us. I'm sure Microsoft gets some good information out of knowing what programs we have installed on our computer (if we use their store).