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Microsoft Attempts To Close Local Account Windows 11 Setup Loophole (theverge.com) 191

Posted by EditorDavid from the closing-Windows dept.
Slashdot reader jrnvk writes: The Verge is reporting that Microsoft will soon make it harder to run the well-publicized bypassnro command in Windows 11 setup. This command allows skipping the Microsoft account and online connection requirements on install. While the command will be removed, it can still be enabled by a regedit change — for now.
"However, there's no guarantee Microsoft will allow this additional workaround for long," writes the Verge. (Though they add "There are other workarounds as well" involving the unattended.xml automation.) In its latest Windows 11 Insider Preview, the company says it will take out a well-known bypass script... Microsoft cites security as one reason it's making this change. ["This change ensures that all users exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account."] Since the bypassnro command is disabled in the latest beta build, it will likely be pushed to production versions within weeks.

Microsoft Attempts To Close Local Account Windows 11 Setup Loophole More | Reply

Microsoft Attempts To Close Local Account Windows 11 Setup Loophole

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  • Solved (Score:5, Informative)

    by systemd-anonymousd ( 6652324 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @05:22PM (#65270271)

    shift-f10
    start ms-cxh:localonly

    • Re:Solved (Score:5, Insightful)

      by davidwr ( 791652 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @05:32PM (#65270285) Homepage Journal

      For now.

      • Installing using an older image then using an offline updater will remain an option. Some users will require offline installs and those images will leak as always.

    • Another solution. (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Brain-Fu ( 1274756 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @05:32PM (#65270291) Homepage Journal

      Use Linux.

      Or Mac.

      • I do use Linux. Unfortunately, Windows 11 automatically changes the boot order to put Windows at the top. Every time I use windows, I need to go back into the bios and change the boot order back to the Linux grub. What are they thinking?

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by dohzer ( 867770 )

          Wow. I don't think I've ever had that happen. Did you install Linux after Windows? Same drive, or separate?

        • "What are they thinking?"

          They were thinking all your data is needed to train their AI and their advertising engine.

      • I don't trust an OS that can't run on open and/or commodity hardware.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by GrahamJ ( 241784 )

        Unfortunately neither support SteamVR which is the only reason I have a PC. Win 10 works fine for me and I don't need anything 11 adds (whatever that is). That plus MS' pushing makes me want to stick with what I've got.

        • Re:Another solution. (Score:4, Insightful)

          by karmawarrior ( 311177 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @07:15PM (#65270489) Journal

          GNU/Linux is officially supported for SteamVR as you'd expect given SteamOS is GNU/Linux based.

          https://help.steampowered.com/... [steampowered.com]

          In terms of how well it works, well, that's another question. Mixed opinions online, but nonetheless it's working.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by GrahamJ ( 241784 )

            You're right, I should have said SteamVR games. From what I understand Proton has come a log way but I'm pretty sure most VR games still effectively require Windows.

            I'll be happy to be wrong though! Will have to look into the current state of things.

        • This is the last year for security updates to Windows 10

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by GrahamJ ( 241784 )

            Yep. But it does nothing but run games and is heavily firewalled, VLANed and pi-holed. I'm not concerned.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by kmoser ( 1469707 )
            Hence "MS that Microsoft cites security as one reason it's making this change" is a lie: if they were truly interested in security, they would continue to provide security updates for Windows 10.
          • Bullshit. Several editions have years to go with the best edition of 10 getting free security updates until 2032.

            • LTSC editions, which specifically state they will got guarantee running on any hardware manufactured after the initial release.
              They're also only officially supported on the hardware they were preinstalled on.
              No new drivers.
              Microsoft didn't even release touch screen drivers to run Windows 10 LTSC on a Surface Pro.
              You don't get full software support either. Microsoft don't even support running the latest Office on current versions of LTSC Window 10.
              It also costs more than a regular Windows 10 licence.

              Want to

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by linuxguy ( 98493 )

        I used Linux on the Desktop in the early 2000s. I am considering going back. The forced reboots and other heavy handedness from Microsoft is really pissing me off. More and more software these days is web based. So, software compatibility is less of an issue. And for the occasional need, I do have a Windows server that I can RDP into. The only thing that gives me pause is the ability to RDP into my desktop from remote locations. Linux and Mac have RDP server and similar solutions, but the last time I

        • I use X2go to remotely access a GUI on my Linux boxes. Give it a shot. They have clients for Mac Windows and Linux. It runs over SSH, so if you can get a putty connection, you can get X2go to work.

        • You should take a look to see if X over ssh does what you would like. Although if you really want the the entire remote desktop running on your local multi-monitor system then maybe not. if I am sitting at a local workstation with multiple monitors and a nice setup I usually want my environment on that box (an easy thing to do with Linux) and then I run most of my applications locally. If I need a specific application (or set of applications) from another machine I use X Windows to display those applicat

      • Get Linux running Mastercam and Solidworks (with their licensing systems) and I'm in. I expect I'll be waiting for a while.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by brunes69 ( 86786 )

        Using a Mac without an Apple account is almost as challenging (tons of functionality breaks and is missing) so Mac is a bad example.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by antdude ( 79039 )

      And then, MS will remove that trick too!

  • Antitrust law enforcement. What Microsoft is doing by forcing you to get a account with them to run their operating system is called bundling and it is highly illegal for someone in Microsoft's position to do it.

    But over and over and over again Americans choose moral panics and other nonsense over solid economic policy. And so you take it in the shorts in your daily life.

    I think we know what we're supposed to do and I think we just don't wanna do it. That would be okay if we were 12 but we're not.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by brxndxn ( 461473 )

      Seriously.. Microsoft can make billions of dollars without bundling or ruining the computing experience by spying on everyone and driving everyone into this fucked up paranoid world. Why do they have a need to do this? Is anything you do private at all? well not if you use Windows. Who the hell is making these decisions?

      This seriously sucks.. It's like we can see we're all climbing onboard a train slowly driving us to hell.. And yet I type this on a computer running Windows 11.

      • Is worth trillions. Your data set and the data set of every Windows user will be used to create an AI to replace 90% of white collar workers. The savings from that are ludicrous

        You know how people like the point out that the 1% have to pay us because who would buy their products if we didn't have any money?

        Yeah here's the thing They know that too and they've been thinking about it. A lot. And they are taking steps to make sure they are no longer dependent on you and you're buying power.

      • Re:You know it would be kind of nice? (Score:4, Insightful)

        by ukoda ( 537183 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @11:53PM (#65270857) Homepage
        If you buy a PC the Windows tax is only paid once at the time of purchase. In this SaaS world it is all about the monthly recurring revenue stream. To get that M$ has to first get you to have an account with them. Without that they can't try and up sell you on subscriptions. Once they have everyone used to the idea they need an account just to turn on their own devices the next step is to require a valid credit card linked to that account.
  • When setting up a PC. Such as being in a rural area with no internet at home, or being in a country that does government mandated shutdowns. Microsoft are bricking computers with this update. Microsoft ignores user outrage though, and it knows Linux users keep crawling back to Windows.

    • I'm a Linux user. I won't crawl back to Windows. All I need is available in Linux. And, no, I'm not a network administrator or software developer.

      • I'm a Linux user. I won't crawl back to Windows. All I need is available in Linux. And, no, I'm not a network administrator or software developer.

        Same same. Never going back to Windows.

    • it knows Linux users keep crawling back to Windows.

      Why would I want to crawl back to something inferior ?

      There do seem to be a lot of MS shills out tonight, is it full moon or something ?

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by HiThere ( 15173 )

        I'm sorry, but a lot of people do find Linux inferior. The only reason I can see for that is some missing applications (mainly games), but I'm not one of the people doing that, and I've been told that they find Linux too confusing. (All I can guess is that it's not exactly what they're used to.)

    • But if you have no internet... how would you get the update? :-)

      No bricking then.

    • https://www.microsoft.com/en-g... [microsoft.com]

      If you ever expect to need or support W11 grab a current iso and activate with offline activators.

    • "Linux users keep crawling back to Windows."

      This one didn't. The gamers are the ones who keep crawling back, and a handful of people who must have something Adobe makes.

    • and it knows Linux users keep crawling back to Windows.

      I haven't, and I'm going on 5+ years happily running Mint.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ukoda ( 537183 )
      Microsoft ignores outrage because the number of users who move to Linux is too small for them to care. Users who switched to Linux and takes the time needed get comfortable in their new environment are very unlikely to ever go back. I have never meet such a user personally, even though it is reasonable to assume they exist.
  • Sorry MS if I can't run a local account i'll switch to an OS that lets me do that. I don't need your cloud ai garbage and snooping

    • Lol, it's gotten so bad that I spend as much time in Linux as possible. I only run Windows if I want to play a game that's only on Windows.

      • I only run Windows if I want to play a game that's only on Windows.

        I figure if it's only on windows and I can't get it to work under WINE then they don't want me using their steaming pile of excrement.
        And I'm happy not to.

  • They're trying really hard... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Hamsterdan ( 815291 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @05:32PM (#65270295)

    To push people to other platforms.

    -I don't need nor want an online account
    -I don't need my files and desktop residing anywhere else than my hard drive. (that is, keep my desktop *local*)

    Games are mostly what's keeping me on Windows. I don't need nor want to upgrade, the games I play and stuff I do run fine on a i7-3770k (oc'ed to 4.2 boost), 24GB ram and a 4060. No TPM wanted. How many computers will be recycled in October '25?

    My PC runs 11 24H2 pretty fine even if it's a 12ish-years old CPU. Why would I want a new one?

    • Ah. I see where you've gone wrong. You're thinking that MS is doing this thinking YOU need it. That is not the case. MS wants you to do this because they want to have a way to shut off the OS and know what you're doing. It is the logical progressing into forcing you into a forever landlord financial relationship with MS. Those quarterly profits need to be touched up, it's hard to do if they don't have the ability to make you pay again.

      • They don't want to shut off the OS
        They want to slowly move Windows to a subscription model.
        Maybe it'll be Windows 12 that's $9.99 a month

    • To push people to other platforms.

      No they are only pushing a few nerds to other platforms. "People" as in the general group of humans who use computers are the kinds of persons who sign up to accounts for absolutely anything literally at any time even for single use things like buying once from an online store.

      The number of people who are against making online accounts is a tiny rounding error, MS knows they won't lose any customers over this.

      -I don't need my files and desktop residing anywhere else than my hard drive. (that is, keep my desktop *local*)

      You can. No one is forcing this on you.

  • when does 11 is never touching any of my hardware ever.

  • Whose security, exactly? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jenningsthecat ( 1525947 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @05:43PM (#65270321)

    Microsoft cites security as one reason it's making this change.

    I rather think the "security" they're talking about refers to Microsoft securing its access to data from, and its control over, the folks who rent Windows under the mistaken belief that they bought a licence. Silly wabbits!

    • Re:Whose security, exactly? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by quonset ( 4839537 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @06:14PM (#65270397)

      Because nothing says "security" like forcing people to create an account on someone else's computer somewhere in the world rather than on your machine which only you know about.

      • Because nothing says "security" like forcing people to create an account on someone else's computer somewhere in the world rather than on your machine which only you know about.

        Indeed. You jest but that's only because you think security ends at the machine. Personally I like the idea of being able to remote wipe / deactivate a device if it is lost or stolen (a security enhancing feature).

    • Re:Whose security, exactly? (Score:5, Insightful)

      by viperidaenz ( 2515578 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @07:38PM (#65270543)

      It would be more security if you could use it offline, but apparently it's now more secure because you're forced to connect it to the internet.

  • Little did I know when I fired up my TRS-80s back in the day and saw on the screen, "Under license from Microsoft", that future evil was staring me in the face.

    • Re:Little did I know (Score:4, Insightful)

      by johnnys ( 592333 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @10:04PM (#65270721)

      What is funny is that there was a time when MS were the "good guys": When they were selling multiple OSes like Xenix and DOS, and they were making a real effort to provide choice to users. In the days of "minicomputers" and IBM big iron, this was very freeing. The people who ran minis and mainframes were usually martinets and pretty much intolerable.

      Finally they came up with NT, and they finally had a solid platform. That's when they started to build the "lock them all in" practices that are both profitable and reprehensible.

      In no particular order, we owe Bell labs, Berkeley U., Stallman, the FSF, the Debian project, and Torvalds a GREAT debt for their efforts to create real and powerful FOSS solutions. Even if you don't use BSD or Linux directly, much of the world's infrastructure runs on those OSes.

  • Now they'll have to create a Windows 11 version for the EU because we don't like that kind of forced invasive stuff over here.

    Not that I'd touch any Windows machine ever again apart from the isolated Windows 7 laptop I use for older games. Anything after 7 makes my skin crawl even worse. 2000 was to me the best version they made.

  • Microsoft cites security as one reason it's making this change.
    ["This change ensures that all users exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account."]

    Only Microsoft would espouse that Internet connectivity and an additional, completely unnecessary, online presence *increases* your security.

  • Download an older image and install using that with an offline activator, then use an offline updater to pick and choose updates.

    After finishing your clean install the smart play is image it for quick future replacement.

  • They're not getting an account out of me. All local all the time, thank you.

    Some day, it will be so integrated with online services that it just won't be a thing, and hopefully I'll have enough options with *nix to switch, but it's unlikely. Most commercial software is simply not available for linux, and there aren't practical alternatives for a lot of what I use.

  • My daughter switched to Linux (Score:4, Interesting)

    by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @06:59PM (#65270461)

    A couple weeks ago, my daughter asked for my help installing Linux on her gaming notebook. Apparently some windows update had broken certain games, and no one was in a hurry to fix the issue. She'd been getting increasingly irritated with Windows 11 in general, so she finally decided "what's the point?"

    So far she seems very happy with Mint. She's even got most of her games working without my help!

  • What about air-gapped systems and systems in secure enclaves? How do they get activated, then?

    • If they are in secure enclaves then they are probably running Linux.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by taustin ( 171655 )

        Or BSD. Which does have a pretty decent record on security.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by HiThere ( 15173 )

          Yes, Unix has an even better track record than Linux for security. OTOH, last I checked a lot of things wouldn't run under UNIX, probably because nobody had bothered to make them do so.

  • Has anyone tried deleting or un-linking their Microsoft account after setting up a Windows 11 system?

    There seem to be sites that say this works:
      https://gadgetsranked.com/how-... [gadgetsranked.com]

    • I wouldn't be amazed if Microsoft closed that "hole" sooner or later.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ukoda ( 537183 )
      I doubt M$ are actually going to actually delete your account, they will probably simply pretend they did.

      Regardless, forcing account use at install is just the first step. Expect future updates to need you to log into a M$ account every boot.

  • They should be putting a big fat button on their installer instead that says "create a local account instead of a ball-and-chain Microsoft account"

    Why would ANYONE want to put logging in to their own computer under the control of some remote internet system? That's just STUPID.

    But here we are, Microsoft has made it clear this bullshit is mandatory, so they can better watch and monetize everything you do.

  • Normals rarely reinstall operating systems and techies can easily work around it by installing using an earlier (current as of today) install image and an offline activator. I'll venture many never bother using official activation methods there being no need.

  • ahhh arrogance and stupidity... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by tiqui ( 1024021 ) on Sunday March 30, 2025 @11:25PM (#65270815)

    all in the same package [youtube.com]. There's something really wrong with the current generation of coders at some of the biggest software projects and firms. They are in big cities with fast computers, fast internet connections, unlimited data storage, etc which blind them to the constraints many ordinary folks have, and this is combined with market dominance which convinces them they can ignore the consumer and force their preferences onto people. There's ZERO concern among these people for anybody who lacks a constant, inexpensive, highspeed internet connection or for anybody who has security reasons for allowing no such connections. How is a person at a remote site with no internet connection to install and use Windows 11? How is anybody operating a PC in an environment where no internet connection is permitted supposed to run Windows 11? [crickets].

    I'd like to say that this is a great opportunity for Linux and BSD, but there are far too many people involved in these projects who are constantly pushing in the same direction, making it harder to install and maintain these operating systems without a constant highspeed internet connection. When I first installed Slackware many years ago I started with a stack of floppies and the entire process was self-contained. The scheme would have worked perfectly on a Mars colony. Later, installs of Linux were from CDs or DVDs that contained EVERYTHING; any package you needed that was not part of the default install was on an optical disk and you could install it. At the end of the install all was well and no internet connection was needed. Now, one often downloads a less-then-complete install that does its magic and then goes to the internet to finish up, or to "check for updates" (which are inevitably found and downloaded and installed) before a system is complete... sort of. The odds are then fairly high that some packages you expected were not included in the particular distro and will need to be fetched using some partially-functional software installer/updater...

    As long as Linux and BSD are plagued by some of the same thinking afflicting the modern version of Microsoft, they wont be able to be the obvious alternative to the Microsoft obnoxiousness.

  • If youâ(TM)re installing Windows Professional (not Home) edition, select the option to join a Windows domain instead. It will prompt for a local account name. Then, donâ(TM)t join a domain if you donâ(TM)t want to.
  • I switched to Linux mint when windows 10 started doing this. It's the ultimate "workaround" :)

  • Government Business should be at risk (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Canberra1 ( 3475749 ) on Monday March 31, 2025 @01:32AM (#65270921)
    Lots of Government workers take Laptops to dodgy countries. The do not want the laptop to 'ping' revealing identification info that could reveal 'spy' or other. Lawyers do not want AI assist to trumpet secret takeover or merger info, or tip off unsuspecting criminals early. You would be wrong to trust 'It's OK' from MS HQ. I suspect OpenBSD auditors would fail Win11 quick smart. The sheer size of Win11 and LOC should echo danger Will Robinson. Popular, secure and cheap, pick two.
  • All phone users accept that they must have a Google or Apple account that connects all their ecosystems and data to an ID. Microsoft is just playing catch-up.

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