Solved Contemplating to buy Windows 11

Try3 · Sep 14, 2025

coffeeaddicted said:
Honestly, just for this (highlighted) it would be worth it. I didn't know that.

But it is incorrect.
You can use Windows 11 Home with local accounts.

If you are happy to stay with Home, continue to use local user accounts and you have Windows 10 already, you did not need any key & you did not need to spend any money at all.
Upgrade to Windows 11 - ElevenForumTutorials
I have upgraded Windows 10 Home to Windows 11 Home without having to use MSAccounts.
It is even possible too avoid them during Clean installs.
Clean Install Windows 11 - includes local account method - ElevenForumTutorials

Denis

Bree · Sep 14, 2025

coffeeaddicted said:
If i remember correctly, in the beginning of Windows 10 it was possible to have a local account very easy but it seems to have changed to make it harder to enable that.
I bought the key and my computer now runs pro, which is nice. No problems, once it was activated it upgraded automatically.
Its all a PC adventure.

Welcome to Eleven Forum.

Home requires you to create the first account as a MS account, even Pro makes it difficult to avoid. If you want just a local account there are two ways, one easy the other harder.

Easy: either set up with an MS account, then when completed switch to a local account....
Switch to Local Account from Microsoft Account in Windows 11
...or create a new local account, make it an administrator, then remove the MS account.

A bit harder: bypass the requirement for a Microsoft account at initial setup and create a local account. See Step 15 in this tutorial.

15 If you are installing a Windows 11 Home or Pro edition and want to set up a local account, then do not click/tap on Skip and follow the steps below:

Clean Install Windows 11

Winuser · Sep 14, 2025

coffeeaddicted said:
If i remember correctly, in the beginning of Windows 10 it was possible to have a local account very easy but it seems to have changed to make it harder to enable that.

You are remembering correctly. IMO, one of the reasons is that this locates the user folders to OneDrive that has a very limited amount of storage space unless the user pays MS for more storage space if/when needed or knows how to move their user folders back to their local drive.

Edit: I do use OneDrive but only for my documents and pictures. Because I also subscribe to MS 365 I have enough OneDrive space to last a long time.

Hazel123 · Sep 14, 2025

Enjoy your Windows 11 Pro

One thing that I don't think was mentioned, was Pro has Group Policy editor (apologies if I missed that), in which you can set a policy to prevent Windows upgrading beyond a particular version (if you wish to do so for some reason). I used that on one machine to stay on 23H2 for longer when 24H2 was being pushed.

Also however you set it up, I'm sure you know about doing backups/system images - needed as much today as ever

Try3 · Sep 14, 2025

coffeeaddicted said:
If i remember correctly, in the beginning of Windows 10 it was possible to have a local account very easy but it seems to have changed to make it harder to enable that.

It's just a single extra step that is very easy.
Clean Install - TenForumsTutorials

Denis

coffeeaddicted · Sep 14, 2025

Winuser said:
You are remembering correctly. IMO, one of the reasons is that this locates the user folders to OneDrive that has a very limited amount of storage space unless the user pays MS for more storage space if/when needed or knows how to move their user folders back to their local drive.

Edit: I do use OneDrive but only for my documents and pictures. Because I also subscribe to MS 365 I have enough OneDrive space to last a long time.

I have to admit that i never gave it much of a thought, with cloud. Nowadays, i remove it if i can. I don't like that, i have to have it approach. Not everything i like to have synced.
Though, i can see the benefits.
At least my memory isn't bad. lol

coffeeaddicted · Sep 14, 2025

Hazel123 said:
Enjoy your Windows 11 Pro One thing that I don't think was mentioned, was Pro has Group Policy editor (apologies if I missed that), in which you can set a policy to prevent Windows upgrading beyond a particular version (if you wish to do so for some reason). I used that on one machine to stay on 23H2 for longer when 24H2 was being pushed.

Also however you set it up, I'm sure you know about doing backups/system images - needed as much today as ever

Backup. Yes, this is a thing.
I have/had an external drive. One day, it fell off the shelf and since has a IO problem. I still kept it because i want to try to recover but it seems, it may not be possible.

Got to have another drive soon.

coffeeaddicted · Sep 14, 2025

Try3 said:
It's just a single extra step that is very easy.
Clean Install - TenForumsTutorials
View attachment 145362

Denis

I didn't know that. Thanks.
Another loop hole. :)

gunrunnerjohn · Sep 14, 2025

One major advantage I use with Win11 Pro vs Win11 Home is the fact that you can use RDC client with Pro. This allows me to sit at my computer and do maintenance on other machines on the network, very handy.

coffeeaddicted · Sep 14, 2025

Just to get back.
It looks like a legit license. At least that is what i read.
What kind of license does this store actually sell? Just curious.

Code:

slmgr /dli

This was the only way to check. Other commands didn't work, so i would have maybe gotten more details.

p.s. i had seen that there is a PID Checker from MS but the one on Github seems fishy. My browser and windows said, it had a virus. Now, maybe the browser is getting the information from Windows. Not sure. I couldn't find that tool on the MS webpage. Maybe it isn't available anymore.
Are there safe tools that give more information about a license?

gunrunnerjohn · Sep 14, 2025

You have a retail license, that's good. You shouldn't have any issue since it appears that it activated. That's what I have.

coffeeaddicted · Sep 14, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
You have a retail license, that's good. You shouldn't have any issue since it appears that it activated. That's what I have.

View attachment 145413

I think i was a little worried because of the cost. That's all. Reading the reviews gives you the impression, everything works. And yes it did. Though i wasn't sure. My worry was, it's OEM. Because it did not say anything in that regard.
In the end, it worked out fine.

Winuser · Sep 15, 2025

coffeeaddicted said:
Are there safe tools that give more information about a license?

I use either the winver command or ShowKeyPlus. It's in the MS Store and the programmer is a forum member.

pewa · Sep 19, 2025

To quickly find your Windows 11 product key, open Command Prompt, PowerShell or Terminal as an administrator and run this command:

wmic path softwarelicensingservice get OA3xOriginalProductKey

This retrieves key if it's embedded in your motherboard.

monkeylove · Sep 20, 2025

I used FlyBy11 and was able to freely upgrade several machines to Windows 11, with all data, settings, and applications intact.

PCUser · Sep 20, 2025

coffeeaddicted said:
I have Windows 10 but i am thinking to buy Windows 11 to have a clean install without old garble gib on my drive.
Now, i don't know if this makes sense or if it does.

Also, if i would buy a new copy, what would give the pro version (besides Bitlocker) that Home doesn't have.
I assume that i still don't escape the telemetry and adds that come with Windows nowadays.

I have a fairly ok PC so far. I don't play the newest stuff and everything that i do play, works fine so far.

Anyway, i just don't know if buying Windows 11 makes sense.

Thank you

@coffeeaddicted

I use Windows 11 Pro, and install on all PCs I work on that need Windows 11.
I buy my keys here, and they're around $5 or so. They've all worked perfectly for years, and I use paypal for transactions so I never give CC # out.

Microsoft Windows 11 Professional Digital License OEM – Online Activation
keys4us.com/product/microsoft-windows-11-professional-digital-license-oem-online-activation/

I like Windows 11 Pro the best. Before that, I liked Windows 7 Pro.
I've never had ANY problems with Windows 11 Pro, and I use a local account ALWAYS.

Hope this helps you in some way

coffeeaddicted · Sep 21, 2025

PCUser said:
@coffeeaddicted

I use Windows 11 Pro, and install on all PCs I work on that need Windows 11.
I buy my keys here, and they're around $5 or so. They've all worked perfectly for years, and I use paypal for transactions so I never give CC # out.

Microsoft Windows 11 Professional Digital License OEM – Online Activation
keys4us.com/product/microsoft-windows-11-professional-digital-license-oem-online-activation/

I like Windows 11 Pro the best. Before that, I liked Windows 7 Pro.
I've never had ANY problems with Windows 11 Pro, and I use a local account ALWAYS.

Hope this helps you in some way

This is just new to me.
So i am naturally a little hesitant.
It works for me as well.

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