create a local account during setup

Question

I volunteer at a local shelter and at a seniors center. My job is to take older donated laptops, securely wipe them clean, and load a copy of Windows.

These laptops might be used for kids, for volunteers to teach computing skills, or in a common room for job searches, web searching, email access and a multitude of other purposes. For that reason we cannot set them up for just one person, using a Microsoft account - and none of us are prepared to use our own Microsoft accounts during setup! We have no idea who will need to use them, or how many will be sharing them.

Sysprep is not the answer. There needs to be a useable copy of Windows ready for use if someone comes to the shelter and needs immediate access to email to reach out for help for example.

This setup used to be easy; simply choose "Local Account" as the option during Windows install and give it a generic user name.

Now it seems that Microsoft is making it so much harder to create a simple offline local user account during install!

Not every computer user has or wants a Microsoft Account (children for example)

In our own situation we need simple laptops that anyone can use to access info online, or access their own emails through a webmail setup.

Can you tell me why Microsoft makes this so much harder now, and if there is a better work around than having to remember not to connect to the internet when asked during setup? Some of our volunteers don't know that option.

Surely ours is not the only situation where a local account is a neccessary option!

I might give my 12 year old grandson a used laptop to help with homework, or even play games, but I wouldn't expect him to need to have a Microsoft Account!

Can anyone comment on this?

Answer 1

Jane,

On the first run of the system, when it asks for the language or keyboard layout, do the following:

• Use the keyboard shortcut Shift + F10. A Command Prompt window should show up.
• Type and enter "oobe\bypassnro".

The computer will restart and the option should be present.

If it is not, please let me know.

Answer 2

Hello, this is Emily.

Are these computers all running Home edition? If it is home, it is definitely getting tougher in using the local account, and it looks like you already know the go around solution. I get it, it is not ideal.

If you are using Pro edition, you can choose the option that's for work during initial set up, then choose the domain join option. Not that you need to go through actual joining domain, but it will give you the local user option.

Back to the home edition scenario, this might be an option - create a Microsoft account just for the organization. Use this account to set up computers. Once the computer is set up, you can enable the guest user access for your organizer's users - especially for those who don't need to have their data locally kept. Or use "netplwiz" to create another local user. Leave this Microsoft user on the computer for admin purpose ONLY. I help manage a local nonprofit as well and ran into the same scenario. This is how I get by. Having the MS account as admin user does have some benefits as it allows me to manage them in some way remotely as well.

Answer 3

NOTE for anyone interested. The foolishly removed ""*** Email address is removed for privacy ***" was an obviously bogus address. If you want to use this technique enter any non-existed nonsense address and continue following the instructions.

Couldn't agree more when you say "Surely ours is not the only situation where a local account is a necessary option!" (e.g. The last thing we want for small business is using shared computers with personalized MS logons.)

There have been various solutions for this, which keep changing, but a simple one that works consistently and easily is this -

• Enter *** Email address is removed for privacy *** in the Sign in field and then select the Next button.
• In the Enter password field, enter any bogus password and select the Sign in button. The message “Oops, something went wrong” will appear.
• Select the Next button and the at the “Who’s going to use this device?” prompt enter the desired local
  user name.

Answer 4

Hello,

The command prompt and task manager no longer load. Microsoft has did something to block it. You can see it flash and then nothing shows up.

This is unexpectable. There is no reason to block this option.

Device: Lenova laptop new in box as of today. Customer ordered home instead of Pro.

Answer 5

In the event that you receive the message "[this is not a command]" by the Command Prompt, I may be able to provide an alternative step-by-step solution for you.