Best way to open a local account only after a regular Windows 11 install has completed

Smalltown · Sep 8, 2025

I'm working on a computer for a local non-profit that has no internet. I'm doing the upgrade using my home internet.
Windows 11 was offered. Things took a while to install and completed fine, but I never got to the screen to unplug my internet and do the OOBE message. I would like to have a local account only.

I'm thinking I should just do "Reset this PC" (there are currently no programs installed) so there is no need to back anything up, but won't I end up in the same point again.

Thanks for any information.

Brink · Sep 8, 2025

Hello mate,

If you do another clean install or reset, you should be able to set up a local account at step 15 below during Windows Setup. It uses the new method.

Clean Install Windows 11

This tutorial will show you step by step on how to clean install Windows 11 at boot on your PC with or without an Internet connection and setup with a local account or Microsoft account. Windows 11 has all the power and security of Windows 10 with a redesigned and refreshed look. It also comes...

www.elevenforum.com

Smalltown · Sep 8, 2025

Thanks, Bring I'll try again

Brink · Sep 8, 2025

Helmut · Sep 8, 2025

Just go to Settings > Accounts > Your info > Account settings and change it to Sign in with a Local Account.

There will be some dire warnings from MS, just ignore those.

glasskuter · Sep 8, 2025

Rather than have to deal with other stuff afterwards (ie device encryption(if Home) and onedrive crap), the absolute best way is as @Brink said, create the local account from the get-go during oobe or clean install. This is especially so since you are doing this for someone else who will have no clue how to deal with that stuff when it pops up later...and it will in one way or another. You still have to deal with that if you switch from a Microsoft to a local account.

Smalltown · Sep 8, 2025

Tried the reset but it failed. Used the media creation tool and downloaded an ISO and that part is ready to go.
I have disabled secure boot, verified TPM is optioned on. Hard drive is optioned as GPT.

What I don't get is that I see the SATA operation is set to RAID. If I option it to AHCI the system will not boot. I thought the drive should be set to AHCI?
When Win 11 was offered I downloaded and installed it ok. Just trying to go back and make it a strictly local account.

Any thoughts?

Sounds like I need to go into safe made and reconfigure the drive?

Dell OptiPlex 3080

Smalltown · Sep 8, 2025

If nobody thinks otherwise, I'll try this
Since RST is active, here’s your tailored path forward:

1.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

cmd
bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal
This forces Windows to boot into Safe Mode next time.

2.

Restart your PC and press F2 to enter BIOS.
Go to System Configuration → SATA Operation.
Change from RAID On to AHCI.
Save and Exit.

3.

Windows will boot into Safe Mode using AHCI drivers.

4.

Open Command Prompt again and run:

cmd
bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot
Restart your PC normally.

Megahertz · Sep 8, 2025

Smalltown said:
I'm working on a computer for a local non-profit that has no internet. I'm doing the upgrade using my home internet.
Windows 11 was offered. Things took a while to install and completed fine, but I never got to the screen to unplug my internet and do the OOBE message. I would like to have a local account only.

For what I understood, the computer upgraded from Win 10 to Win 11.
If so, if it had a local account under Win 10 it should remained as a local account under win 11.
If it had a MS account under Win 10 , it should have same account under Win 11 after the upgrade. You can always create a new local account and then delete the MS account

Smalltown said:
I'm thinking I should just do "Reset this PC" (there are currently no programs installed) so there is no need to back anything up, but won't I end up in the same point again.

Thanks for any information.

Any reason you want to do a reset?

Dell normally set BIOS drives as RAID, even if you don't have an Array. You don't need to change to AHCI.
It is only recommended to set as AHCI if you're doing a clean install as (with AHCI) you don't need to load IRST drivers during installation and with BIOS set as RAID you do.

In other words:
- If Windows 11 is running with BIOS set as RAID don't change. Leave it as it is.
- If you're doing a clean install then I suggest you set BIOS as AHCI so you don't have to load IRST drivers during installation.

Smalltown · Sep 8, 2025

Megahertz I wanted just the local Account to stop any confusion with the users. I was hoping to get rid of the one drive sign in etc. I look at the Accounts and I have a local account that I created and below it asks for a sign in to the Microsoft account.

Since the non-profit does not have internet access, I thought that from time to time I could take the system home and get any updates using my internet service.

jimminy · Sep 8, 2025

Smalltown said:
If nobody thinks otherwise, I'll try this
Since RST is active, here’s your tailored path forward:

1.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

cmd
bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal 

This forces Windows to boot into Safe Mode next time.

2.

Restart your PC and press F2 to enter BIOS.

Go to System Configuration → SATA Operation.

Change from RAID On to AHCI.

Save and Exit.

3.

Windows will boot into Safe Mode using AHCI drivers.

4.

Open Command Prompt again and run:

cmd
bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot 

Restart

It's been a couple years since I did it, but that looks about right to me. I used msconfig instead of bcd edit, but the same idea ... Basically configure things to always boot in safe mode, then do a boot to let windows grab the drivers. Then, finally, undo the safe booting.

antspants · Sep 8, 2025

Best way to open a local account only after a regular Windows 11 install has completed

Alternatively:

Switch to Local Account from Microsoft Account in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to switch to a local account from a Microsoft account to sign in to Windows 11 with instead. You can sign in to Windows 11 with a local account or a Microsoft account. However, you can easily switch between using a local account or a Microsoft account to sign in...

www.elevenforum.com

Smalltown · Sep 9, 2025

I now show that all I have is the local account on the computer. I wanted to stop them seeing the internet and one drive on the taskbar. I disabled one drive from starting in start-up. Any way to get the internet symbol removed from the taskbar? The user does not have internet service.

Megahertz · Sep 9, 2025

By Internet you mean Edge?
Right click on the icon and select "unpin from the taskbar"
Do the same for any other icons.

Smalltown · Sep 9, 2025

Megahertz if I right click on the internet "globe" on the task bar I only see Diagnose network problems and Network and Internet settings.

By internet I mean that the user has no internet connection to their building.

Ghot · Sep 9, 2025

I gave you ten points just for filling out your computer specs.

jimminy · Sep 10, 2025

Smalltown said:
Megahertz if I right click on the internet "globe" on the task bar I only see Diagnose network problems and Network and Internet settings.

By internet I mean that the user has no internet connection to their building.

To get rid of that icon, you need to look at taskbar settings (try right clicking an empty part of the taskbar and select taskbar settings). Look around and you'll find a section "other system tray icons".

You can turn any one of them on or off. This just affects the display. You won't see any icons you turn off.

Smalltown · Sep 10, 2025

Thanks, Jimminy found that task bar settings turned off the one drive icon by no option for the Internet icon.

jimminy · Sep 11, 2025

Smalltown said:
Thanks, Jimminy found that task bar settings turned off the one drive icon by no option for the Internet icon.

If you have win 11 pro, you might be able to use group policy to turn the network icon off.

Best way to open a local account only after a regular Windows 11 install has completed

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