Image description: Elon Musk & X @elonmusk • 42m Just bought a new PC laptop and it won’t let me use it unless I create a Microsoft account, which also means giving their Al access to my computer! This is messed up. There used to be an option to skip signing into or creating a Microsoft account. Are you seeing this too? This is not cool of Microsoft.
(Originally published on mastodon.social: 2024-02-25)
Just buy the company and change it yourself Elon!
Whats the matter, are you too poor to buy a widdle software company?
Elon proceeds to buy Microsoft. One month later an account for a paying subscription with Microsoft is required to set up the laptop.
Microsoft is valued at 3 trillion dollars. Even if we go back to just under a single trillion during covid, elon couldnt afford it. I dont think theres anyone on this planet who could buy half of microsoft, none the less the whole company.
Best I can do is a fart in a jar and a copy of Linux.
You have got a deal!
I still want him to say he’ll do it, just for the fun legal chicanery that will inevitably follow
The best part is I think it replaced the user libraries folder with OneDrive without asking. If you disable OneDrive it could delete the files off your computer or dump it into the root home folder for that user. It did that when I used it last at least.
This sort of happened to me at work. We got a new laptop amidst a massive time crunch, and didn’t configure anything before installing our instrument’s software and getting to work. At the time, we didnt have a paid 365 account or anything, so we were just saving data in folders on the desktop at first. A couple months later, all the files, folders and launchers on the desktop disappeared, replaced by a single icon called “where are my files”. It was a web link that directed us to buy 365 or else lose all our files…that we thought we were saving LOCALLY.
We all have our limits, I bailed out as soon as Linux supported a good amount of games. I wanted to get out before I got burned.
The sad thing is… Microsoft is actually trying to do this.
deleted by creator
You used to be able to look at twitter with out an acount but who killed that?
EAT SHIT ELONGATED MC MUSK!
Someone didn’t buy the pro or above version.
Even on the Pro edition, on the most recent version it doesn’t have an option up front for a local account.
Apparently the workaround, for now at least, is to try signing in with [email protected] and a random password. It then tells you the account is locked due to incorrect sign in attempts, and gives you an option for a local account.
If you set it up wothout an internet connection you will not be forced to log in. That workaround has worked for like a decade.
About a year ago an update came out where even without an internet connection it wouldn’t even let me get past the sign in screen. It just told me to connect to the internet to proceeds or something. Not sure if that’s still a thing or not.
Last I checked, there was a command prompt method. I think this still works: tomshardware.com/…/install-windows-11-without-mic…
I used some command prompt to get around it, so I’m not saying it’s impossible. but unless you are decently techy, you will not know to do it.
The guides I found give you every single detail you’d need to know. If you know how to read, you can use the terminal bypass method.
Right, but my mom and dad would not even think that there is a way around it. They wouldn’t even know to look.
I did it the other day without issue. Went back to fedora when I realized that the middle click could only do either of its functions in windows on my ThinkPad, while it can do both in Linux.
Confirming, in December I didn’t have Wi-Fi drivers and thus couldn’t login to install the Wi-Fi drivers.
It is but here’s still a workaround. If you open the windows terminal on the login screen, disable the internet connection and run “oobeypassnro” you will not be forced to log in.
I think you are missing a \b. OOBE\ (Out of Box Experience) bypass NRO (eNROllment).
Nope, the command I shared is correct.
Microsoft: May we please fuck with you endlessly with these pointless settings?
Me making Trollface.jpg: Sorry bruv it’s the year 2024 and I still don’t have an internet connection.
Microsoft: Oh ok nevermind then!
it worked on windows ten. apparently not so on eleven.
True. There’s still a workaround though. If you open the windows terminal on that screen, disable the internet connection and run “oobeypassnro” you will not be forced to log in.
Good luck if it comes with S mode enabled though
I would assume it was for work and he would have it connected to a domain. With group policy you can set to use local accounts as default if I remember correctly.
Hit shift + f10 and then enter oobe\bypassnro
From here https://www.howtogeek.com/836157/how-to-use-windows-11-with-a-local-account/
Its hacky and annoying that its even nessecary but still easier than installing Linux.
When was the last time you installed Linux? I’m done with a fresh install on most popular distros in 30 minutes or less.
Last week, Linux mint (Green ubuntu) still can’t get the battery to detect and I dont know why. If I unplug the laptop, it turns off immediately. Battery icon shows up, shows “Charging” but stays at 0%
Battery was working in Windows the day prior.
HP laptop from ~2016
I work with mostly Dell laptops and see this all the time on Win10 so 2 grains of salt, but: Usually reseating the battery does the trick, if not the battery + ram + hd/SSD.
This dude is just a meme now a 44$ billion meme
I went to go tell him so, but Twitter is forcing me to make an account. Ugh.
So we’re safe from his stupidity on the federverse whew wait a min…
Just tried to post to Xwitter. It won’t let me use it unless I create a Xwitter account. Which also means letting twitter cookes and algorithms track me across their site and push media at me.
Hypocrite. Doesn’t matter if it’s AI or algorithms, the end result is the same.
Forget posting, you cant even search or view the replies to a single post without logging in like you could before Musk’s takeover
While valid criticism of Twitter, this is not hypocritical. There is a difference between a website that doesn’t owe you anything not letting you in, and a device you own and paid money for, not letting you in. A comparable scenario would be Twitter deciding that paying users can no longer access the website (because it’s now mobile app-only or whatever).
What’s Xwitter
My made up name for twitter. It’s unimportant.
“eX” twitter. The X also looks like a fallen over “t”, the state of twitter, IMO. Falling apart.
There used to be a way to browse Twitter without signing in.
Yup. Then they killed it.
Then I switched to using the Nitter front-end. Then they killed that too.
Any suggestions on how to convince content creators to move to Mastodon?
Right? Jesus. Something something self aware wolves.
It doesn’t give AI access to your computer, I really hope Lemmy users aren’t taking Elon’s comments at face value now.
Excellent work
allegedly
There are people out there that still believe your phone isn’t listening to everything you say and targeting ads based on that, as well.
Phones aren’t listening, that uses too much data.
Reality is a lot more creepy. They don’t need to wiretap you.
If you talk to someone about a subject. Google knows you 2 have encountered each other, because Google knows both your locations, even if the GPS is disabled.
And if the other person do a quick search on the subject after you left. Then google can associate you with that user and gives you similar ad results. So it looks like you only thought about it.
But it goes further. Because Google has so much data on everyone, they can predict what you want before you even thought about it. Because like it or not, in a population of 8 billion, you aren’t really that unique. There will be at least 10 000 similar people that all react to things the same way. So if they all have this brilliant idea about a subject, then you are bound to have the same idea. So they serve you ads.
I get ads for random shit that I have no interest in all the time.
Maybe Google has learned that sending me ads makes me less likely to buy shit, so they only send me ads for unrelated junk.
My phone is always listening for an “okay Google” it’s not too unreasonable to believe that there are other keywords that it’ll hear to know what ads to send your way
Even this is silly, it’s what Google want advertisers to believe when they buy ads but their tracking is kinda shit in reality.
The reason you often see adverts that apply to you is that we’re all kinds basic and are probably only thinking of things because they’re running an advertising campaign.
I’m one of those. If it were true you’d get targeted ads for everything your phone hears from TV too.
Anecdotal: I had a friend go to New York. When he got back, I asked what he did while there, and (among other things) he told me that he saw a musical on Broadway.
I had heard of the musical before, but I’ve never searched for it or anything. The next day, I got an ad for it on YouTube.
Maybe it’s coincidental. I didn’t get ads for any of the other things he talked about. But I’ve never been to New York. I have no plans to go to New York. Why would I be getting ads for a musical only playing in New York?
They totally have data on who you are spending time with. they know your friend went there and know you saw that friend. That’s enough I think
Why would I be getting ads for a musical only playing in New York?
Hard to say without knowing more about your personal situation but it would be trivial to figure out.
Your buddy does a Google about the play. Google knows they’re interested in the play. Your buddy gives Google access to his contacts at any time. Google knows you’re on his contact list. Later when he visits you he accesses literally any website with Google ads (which is basically every website) from your WiFi. Google captures his IP address and sees that he’s on the same network as you. Bing bang boom.
You could do that a dozen different ways with GPS data, calendar farming, email farming, notifications over Google servers, WiFi data, Google Messages data, etc. etc.
And through that entire interaction Google needs zero information on your end. That’s the fun part of this dystopian nightmare: your friends are ignorant and unwitting spies for Google, Meta, Amazon and who knows who else.
Just wanted to say thanks for writing this up. I had a similar experience and figured wifi and location was enough for google to make the connection, but I like the extra part you added about being associated through contacts app too.
I mean, most voice assistants have a way to teach it your voice. I imagine it would be trivial for it to learn your voice vs a TV voice given you are the person around your phone most often and it can eventually isolate your voice in a sea of noise
What they don’t have is the bandwidth. Plus it would be super easy to detect.
Plus it would be super easy to detect.
Process it all locally and someone will notice the battery hit. Process it remotely and someone will notice the bandwidth hit.
If it came out that they were listening in to every conversation, Congress would have an absolute field day. The Democrats won’t like the invasion of privacy and the Republicans would be happy for any excuse to go after “Big Tech”.
Why be obvious when you can quietly get better data? Why would Apple also play along this whole time?
They don’t actually listen in on you. That would blow through your battery pretty quick and send a lot of data.
They have even better ways, though.
They can triangulate your location using WiFi. Even if the SSIDs are brand new, they can figure out you’re close to someone by comparing the networks and their RSSIs. If you or the person you’re talking with searched for something or went to a website/app very recently before or after the chat, Google is likely to send you relevant ads.
I just have my phone as my designated privacy nightmare because I’m cheap and whatsapp lets me make free phonecalls. My computer and browser on the other hand are so loaded up with privacy measures that if I don’t log into youtube it literally breaks and shows no videos because the algorithm has no data to workt with.
This is not how YouTube works…
Its how youtube says youtube works. It says it can’t find any video history and just shows nothing. The page is still entierly functional and I can directly search things (or login to get suggestions) but it won’t show me anything on its own.
More disturbingly, there are people who believe a thing isn’t happening, until they see proof that it is.
It isn’t.
I would hope so. People believing more conspiracy theories based on anecdotes is the last thing we need.
Your right, it collects data on files/usage habits and organizes it under a profile tied to you while adding nothing of worth. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a keylogger built into windows at this point.
No it doesn’t, cut the crap fear mongering. show your source.
Whatever makes you feel better. I’m not judging people who use windows, I still use OEM android on my pixel.
I was JUST about to ask. I wouldnt put it past Micro$oft at this point to force access to peoples desktops
If using one drive, it backs up your desktop and docs
Crazy fact: when someone bought a car from you second-hand, they didn’t have to register with the car maker and have an account…
Yet.
It’s sad that I can’t tell if fake or not fake
I couldn’t believe it either, but this shit is real from less than 8 hours ago 😬
I’m sure musk has some unpaid intern to do this stuff for him. No way he sets his own IT up.
Maybe, if he wants a person computer for his CP or whatever.
You’d think a tech “genius” would know how to install Linux. I don’t even use Linux and I know there’s plenty of resources to help you do it.
He’s too busy for that! He’s got to shit post on exTwitter for twelve hours each day.
I really wish Xitter would catch on. Posts would be zits.
Xitler, but with a Chinese X, so Sh. Posts would be shits.
Why would he do that? He’s had a hate boner for Linux since at least the PayPal days
Bet there is a load of Linux in Telsa. In cars and servers and chargers.
local man who wants to own the internet experiences what that would be like for users, doesn’t like it, learns nothing. more at 11
You definitely can still do it without a Microsoft account, it’s just not as obvious as before.
shift+F10to open a command prompt during the out-of-box-experience setup bit.
TypeOOBE\BYPASSNROand press enter.
Think it stands for something like Out Of Box Experience / Bypass Network Requirement O-something.Your computer will restart, and you will have the “I dont have Internet option” allowing you to create a local account
This needs to be at the top or stickied.
If you turn off wifi or don’t connect the computer to the internet, it will let you create a local account.
And a quick search would explain this to Elon.
Also let’s you name it something other than your first initial followed by part of your last name. Which is so disgusting.
Wait really?
“Setup for an organization” and “domain-join instead”, but you aren’t forced to domain-join later. At least that’s how it’s done on Windows Pro. No idea about Home/Standard/whatever it’s called now.
Yes really. People have just been conditioned to not pay attention to everything on the screen
I can confirm the only way setting up Home edition is to unplug the internet for it to prompt to make a local account
Wasn’t an option on the screen.
Yup… still need to create an account to use but if you’re not online…no bueno for Microsoft bueno for local account. Just beware, you won’t be able to take advantage of all of Microsoft…cloud services or the telemetry you can’t opt out of…
Also if you try and log in with a random email and gibberish password, it will fail to log in and show you the “Use local account instead” button
lol, this fella could fart and someone would post it up on the Internet
That would be more interesting than whatever shit he regularly pours from his fingers.
And yet, if Lemmy didn’t fall all over themselves to post every single negative thing even vaguely related to him, I’d never have to hear about Musk. Maybe I should finally start using keyword filters for Lemmy.
how do i do this?
The mobile apps I use have a post filter setting that lets me block keywords present in a post title. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is a feature of Lemmy, but the apps themselves. I would love to be wrong about that, but as far as I can tell the Lemmy web UIs don’t seem to offer the feature.
edit: I use Eternity and Boost. Neither is perfect, so I switch back and forth.
I just want to thank you for sharing twitter as an image, instead of linking to it. It’s amusing how much more usable an image is.
Does he not know how to do a quick search online?
To be fair he’s not very tech inclined
He has peons for that
Then he/him should pay them better.
That goes without saying. You can’t become a billionaire without oppression.
Billionaires should not exist. Bernie Sanders should be president.
If you read the thread he tried the solution, but it didn’t work. The culprit turned out to be that the laptop automatically connected to nearby unsecured Wi-fi, thus forcing online mode. Turning off Wi-fi made the usual solution work.
Still could’ve done a quick search to solve the problem.
Definitely! But the post didn’t ask for help, it was a complaint aimed at Microsoft. I assume he did search and this was airing a frustration after the fact.
