Install Windows 21H1 without Internet - set up local user only?

[timeshifter]

This may have been discussed elsewhere, I seem to recall some talk about it. But, it looks like the trick of not connecting to a network during install doesn't work anymore. I want to set up a plain old user account. Am I out of luck now?

(note: when I posted this the title said 21H2 in error, it's actually 21H1, I've corrected the title now)

 

[fabs]

What about that offline trick and pressing alt+f4 while it's asking for a Microsoft account ?
Edit: My bad. I saw 21H2 and thought about W11.

 

[Diggs]

Arruuu? I always use an offline account and have no problem. Done 3-4 in the last few days. Now after the updates you get an account creation screen that seems to have no alternative, but I just give it a 3-fingered solute and restart the machine. All is good.

 

[River Valley Computer]

We have done probably 6 this week and not had a problem. You have to tell it you don't have an internet connection and then the next screen 'continue with limited setup"

 

[Diggs]

What about that offline trick and pressing alt+f4 while it's asking for a Microsoft account ?
Edit: My bad. I saw 21H2 and thought about W11.

Hmmm - Not sure I ever knew about alt+f4. Interesting. I've always relied and ctl-alt-del. Hmmm.....

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

No problem at all. During setup you get to a screen to connect to a wireless network (assuming no LAN cable plugged in). You don't have to join a network, just choose some choice on the lower left....like a "Limited setup"...you type in a name and that's your new local user account. It's right there in the screen to click, no need for F4 or whatever.

I just did a laptop this morning off of a brand new 21H1 W10Pro download I pulled down to USB drive this morning.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Yep. Limited setup is just a regular setup without the Microsoft account. They are just trying to scare you by implying that you are going to have issues without one. Don't take the blue pill! Take the red one and hit limited setup.

 

[britechguy]

Not sure I ever knew about alt+f4

Just as an aside, ALT + F4 is the keyboard equivalent of "clicking the red X" to exit a program (or window or dialog). But it typically has the effect of actually shutting down the program as well. CTRL + W simply exits the dialog/window without exiting the parent program.

These are used constantly by those who cannot use a mouse or mouse pad.

 

[timeshifter]

You have to tell it you don't have an internet connection and then the next screen 'continue with limited setup"

You don't have to join a network, just choose some choice on the lower left....like a "Limited setup"

I've done that 100 times in the past. That option isn't there this time.

If it makes any difference, I just created this installer USB with the Media Creation Tool.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I've started making a "personal" Microsoft account for each of my business customers because M365 isn't reliably extracting the bitlocker recovery keys... And MS makes the machine "owned" by whomever signs up with it first.

So I'm now setting up machines with this new account I've made, so that I have "ownership" of each device and can get at those keys.

I have 1 more Dell here from the latest batch, but I'm still installing 21H1, I'll update my USB key and do a fresh install on the last one to see because I'm curious as well. But I'm also testing with Pro... Home edition has been walking this road for awhile now. If Home requires an account, then we have no choice but to use our own, then remove the device from it when we're done that way the client can add it to theirs.

*Edit* 21H2 isn't released yet... so I'm not testing jack.

 

[timeshifter]

*Edit* 21H2 isn't released yet... so I'm not testing jack.

Oops. I guess I meant 21H1. Whatever the current release is, just downloaded with Media Creation Tool yesterday Sept 15, 2021.

Also, this machine came out of the box with Windows 10 Home S Mode preinstalled. I used the trick to give me the choice of which version to install by placing and ei.cfg file in the sources folder.

Also, also, tried the Alt+F4 and it's losing its mind. First it said connecting to Microsoft, this may take some time. Now it's saying Looks like something happened. Let's try reconnecting. Been like that for 30 minutes.

 

[sapphirescales]

My bad. I saw 21H2 and thought about W11.

This has been patched as of the latest developer preview. You can no longer do ALT+F4 to choose a local account. I've found a way to bypass it, but it's rather obtuse and I'm reluctant to share it because it's the ONLY way I know of how to bypass this and I don't want Microsoft to patch it.

 

[sapphirescales]

I've started making a "personal" Microsoft account for each of my business customers because M365 isn't reliably extracting the bitlocker recovery keys... And MS makes the machine "owned" by whomever signs up with it first.

Interesting solution. How does this work with existing machines you just did a nuke n' pave on? I assume it would transfer ownership of the PC to the new Microsoft account, then if they change it to a different Microsoft account it will keep those same recovery keys tied to the original account you set it up with after the nuke n' pave?

 

[timeshifter]

This has been patched as of the latest developer preview.

You're talking about Windows 11?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I've done that 100 times in the past. That option isn't there this time.

If it makes any difference, I just created this installer USB with the Media Creation Tool.

And no network cable connected?
I"ll go re-run it again...and take a screenshot. I made my USB installer from the online media creation tool just a few hours ago...downloaded and made fresh today.

 

[timeshifter]

And no network cable connected?

Correct.

I beginning to suspect that the Channel set to Retail in ei.cfg is the culprit. I won’t be back to test further until tonight.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Interesting solution. How does this work with existing machines you just did a nuke n' pave on? I assume it would transfer ownership of the PC to the new Microsoft account, then if they change it to a different Microsoft account it will keep those same recovery keys tied to the original account you set it up with after the nuke n' pave?

Nuke and pave resets the GUID on the machine and the new account simply owns it. I haven't had any trouble resetting things on this front, I just had to do it to a Microsoft Surface because its user was fired, and ran off with the Microsoft account that had the recovery keys.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Oops. I guess I meant 21H1. Whatever the current release is, just downloaded with Media Creation Tool yesterday Sept 15, 2021.

Also, this machine came out of the box with Windows 10 Home S Mode preinstalled. I used the trick to give me the choice of which version to install by placing and ei.cfg file in the sources folder.

Also, also, tried the Alt+F4 and it's losing its mind. First it said connecting to Microsoft, this may take some time. Now it's saying Looks like something happened. Let's try reconnecting. Been like that for 30 minutes.

I've done a ton of 21H1 installs on Home and Pro, and aside from the Home edition requiring completely no Internet connectivity to get past that wizard it's been normal.

But I do deal in mostly pro so I can just say join domain, admin, no password, done.

Note... S mode is NOT HOME! And as far as I know you have to setup the machine, to run the app to take it out of S Mode to get the home edition to activate to that platform BEFORE you nuke it or the licensing gets FUBAR'd.

 

[timeshifter]

you have to setup the machine, to run the app to take it out of S Mode to get the home edition to activate to that platform BEFORE you nuke it or the licensing gets FUBAR'd.

Wait, what? I can't just wipe the machine and install a different Windows OS on it? I get it if I want to convert the factory shipped install to regular Windows.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Wait, what? I can't just wipe the machine and install a different Windows OS on it? I get it if I want to convert the factory shipped install to regular Windows.

Sure you can... if you provide a license for it. But Home Edition with S Mode isn't always licensed for "home". So how are you activating it?

If you demote out of S Mode to home, the activation servers get the hash for the machine and you simply reinstall normally. The key in the BIOS will ID as Home, and install... no S Mode. You need special installation media to enable S Mode.

My point is there are some cases where Windows 10 Home in S Mode on a shipped platform WILL NOT ACTIVATE after reinstall of just home, if you didn't take it out of S Mode first. So now what? Buy a new copy of Home? Call Microsoft? That's expensive... now that cheap box isn't worth it.