windoze 11

[John Rumm]

If you go through the "domain" path during setup[1], then you can skip much of the "we are determined to make you tie this to a MS account" nonsense that the "Out Of the Box Experience" tries to walk you though. (you don't actually have to join a domain - you can just create a local admin account at that point).

[1] Win 11 pro - home can't join a domain - so skipping the MS account bit takes a bit more effort!

(for home the workaround I used last time (so it might not work now!), was when it wants to join a network, plug in the ethernet. Let it romp through to the point it wants to setup a MS account. Force open a command prompt during install (Shift+F10), and type "ipconfig / release"

- that will knacker its ability to actually talk to the net. However since it knows it is still connected, it then relents and lets you create a local account (If you just pull out the ethernet, then it jumps back to the connect to the internet stage))

[jim.gm4dhj]

why should you have to? it was like changing all the road signs and the controls in a car

[jim.gm4dhj]

hhaaaaaaa...........

[jim.gm4dhj]

doubt it they are just an appliance to me....no interest in them at all got loads of them though and I won't let them beat me.......

[jim.gm4dhj]

I NEVER pay for ANYTHING in connection with computers...20 years ago my virgin dial up was free as well

[jim.gm4dhj]

typical of MS

[jim.gm4dhj]

regardless of that stupid thing on the left that keeps popping up asking you to sign in....I REFUSE TO HAVE A MS ACCOUNT,,,THEY ARE BASTARDS

[jim.gm4dhj]

what a thing to have to do

[jim.gm4dhj]

I have a memory stick with 10 on it with the key....I don't have skill sets in my toolbox just real tools...but I have installed 10 on a similar machine I bought with no OS on it....

[Paul]

Turns out, it was easy to do.

From the download page, you "create media for another PC". The en-gb version might be a slightly different size than this one.

Name: MediaCreationTool22H2.exe Size: 19,463,448 bytes (18 MiB)

Run that. When it asks what to do, say "ISO file", and change the save filename to something descriptive. Your Downloads folder is a good spot.

You don't need a USB stick or a DVD blank at this point. The ISO9660 file is sufficient to install Windows 10.

Name: Windows10-x64-22H2.iso Size: 4,783,996,928 bytes (4562 MiB) SHA1: 34498E58A4B3807899877A9331AF9015F9469FC1

Right click "Windows10-x64-22H2.iso" and select Mount.

The file will open as if it is a DVD drive.

You will see "Setup.exe" file in the window.

Use "Run As Administrator" on "Setup.exe" and away it goes.

*******

It will tell you it is going to "Save Nothing".

This means it will clean out C: and put Windows 10 on it. Hopefully, it will have sufficient common sense to put Windows 10 x64 Pro on it, to match what is on the machine already as Windows 11 x64 Pro.

Using the method, I needed no media at all. Just right click the .iso file and select Mount. Makes a DVD-like file explorer window.

[Picture]

Using my simulation method, I can't check that it licenses itself properly. It started unlicensed. It ended up unlicensed. That does not verify what will happen to yours.

Notice that it removed my copy of HDTune, you can see the icon on one of the desktops, but gone from the other. As proof it cleaned out my programs.

Paul

[SteveW]

They were trying, sensibly, but unsuccessfully, to make using a PC and a tablet or phone a seamless experience. The public made it clear that they preferred the PC experience to be a different one Microsoft had to revert with Windows 10.

[SteveW]

To be fair, that is the only such problem that I have had.

[SteveW]

I know I can reinstall quickly and that all my data is intact on the server and its backup. I am therefore willing to take the small risk that a Microsoft upgrade makes Windows 11 incompatible with my unsupported machine in the near future. It is no worse than having an SSD fail.

[SteveW]

You don't have to have an MS account. You can set it up without one and a purely local login.

[Paul]

That might be "Widgets".

[Picture]

Paul

[jim.gm4dhj]

that's it

[jim.gm4dhj]

that's easy?...I glazed over

[Joe]

You hold a phone/tablet in your hand and touch the screen with digits of the other hand (or do both with both hands if you're a professional), something not entirely practical with a 22" non-touch-screen monitor. It seemed to take MS a while to realise this.

The original Windows 8.0 look was complete idiocy on a PC. God knows how anyone was expected to operate CAD or photo editing software with a touch screen, or usefully operate multiple applications without a windowing environment. Even doing any serious typing on an iPad needs a proper keyboard.

[wasbit]

Classic Shell for Windows 8 (like what I use) -

Open Shell for Windows 10/7/8. Don't know if it runs on Windows 11 -

[John Rumm]

Even a washing machine needs a small amount of effort to learn how to use it.