Microsoft blocks all options to bypass MS Account on new Installs

@WildWilly Not sure why the Win11 installer did not install network drivers for you. Unless of course this is brand new hardware. With newer motherboards the installer may or may nor have the proper drivers to install. This has always been an issue. I have one newer motherboard where the Win11 installer does/did not have the proper motherboard drivers. It doesn't skip installation simply because it's not connected.
I always go and get the latest drivers and have them ready just in case. Matter of fact for clean installs I never connect it and use a local account only. Once the initial install is finished I generally install the chipset drivers next. Many times these chipset drivers, for both Intel or AMD systems, will have the proper drivers to get most hardware running, especially network drivers. Microsoft Update is generally better with Intel drivers and having the most current ones. AMD systems not so much.

WildWilly said:

I went into the User definition & just removed the password from there. It was a bit different from what you showed but it worked. W11 now boots straight to the desktop without stopping on the lock screen. On the other hand, the idea of W11 demanding a sign in at some later date sounds like something I should turn off. I'll have to remember to check the additional settings under Sign-In Options next time I'm fooling around with it.

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By default you will stop at the sign-in screen when resuming from Sleep or Hibernation, even with no password for your account. There will not be any box for a password, just an OK button to continue.

If you never use sleep/hibernation on your desktop then it's not something to worry about. My machines are laptops, so I've turned it off in sign-in options.

For pretty common LAN adapters, such as Realtek PCIe Gigabit Ethernet, Windows installs the driver automatically, even disconnected from the internet since it is in the database. For less common LAN adapters or older adapters not in the database, it won't find drivers and you have to manually install it.

The copyright notice in the motherboard manual says November 2022. And yes, it has an Intel chipset. That's almost one year before the 23H2 ISO I used. Maybe the motherboard is new enough to cause trouble. I would quote you the BIOS date but I'm on W7 at the moment. Whatever. I'm dealing with what I have & will post how it goes once I do get back into the W11 box & install what appears to be missing drivers. I didn't really check in Computer Management to verify this. I have to admit I didn't even think of that until now. I just took my cue from the error messages I was getting when I tried to do things like get into the Network section of system Settings. I also couldn't get into Windows Update to change any of those settings. I want to set it to automatically download updates & notify me but leave it for me to manually execute/install the updates. But it wouldn't let me in. Such a hassle . . .

As for hibernate, I'm not likely to use that. This is a desktop. I used to use hibernate back on . . . I forget. NT? 2K? XP? One of those. It seemed to work for a while & then it started acting weird. I can't remember the details now. But I stopped using it & now it's a habit.

@WildWilly you can simply go to Device Manager and it will show you what hardware is not working and needs a driver to be installed. I've seen it where a clean install doesn't install ethernet drivers but does install wireless networking drivers. So you could still have internet access you just have to add your wireless router as the source vs ethernet.

Windows Update isn't going to install any drivers or other updates if you are not connected to the internet. So you have to manually download and install LAN or wireless drivers from motherboard manufacturer's support site first. But since you are there download all drivers. You should be better than relying on Windows Update.

Tip: If you go to shutdown menu and there is only Shutdown and Restart, there are drivers missing on your system. If you also see sleep (aka standby) you probably have all drivers installed but check with Device Manager to see if all are in full working order (no yellow ! on any device).

I did Clean Install W11 Pro, used Rufus 4.3 and it worked flawlessly for local account

Download the ISO and create a bootable Windows 11 install USB stick with "Rufus" - where you have the option to "Remove the requirement for an online Microsoft account:"

Remember in Rufus to select MBR for Legacy BIOS installation (like Windows 7). GPT is for modern UEFI installation in computers that can boot in UEFI mode.

I tried Rufus. Remember, I had to try it on my W7 system because it was all I had. Rufus failed to show the target device onto which it was supposed to create install media. I documented that in the other thread whose link is in one of my earlier posts upthread here.

Well, there's some good news & some bad news. First the good. I got back on my W11 system & scrounged around in the Computer Management tool. In the Device Manager section it showed a bunch of things that did not have drivers installed. So the W11 install let me down.

Whatever.

I then executed the network adapter driver installer off the portable SSD where I had downloaded it from the Asus web site. It ran for a bit. I wasn't entirely sure anything was happening. PCI NVMe SSDs don't make the little grinding noises that SATA HDDs do. I was hunting around in Task Manager to see if I could find the installer when I started getting notifications from the installer. Then poof, the system suddenly rebooted. Or maybe it just signed me off & back on. It was all rather startling. My desktop looked different & my mouse was nowhere to be found. I could get some navigation of the Task Bar with Win+t but things were just off.

Now, I have to tell you that when I'm looking at my computer monitor, my back is to my TV. I happened to turn my head & here was W11 on my TV. It turns out that the network adapter driver installer installed not only ethernet support, but also the WiFi drivers, the Bluetooth drivers, the Crystal Sound drivers for the onboard audio . . . AND the NVidia driver. I had those driver installers lined up, ready to go, but it looks like I'm not going to need them. I've got both my monitor & my TV (actually my surround receiver, but that's more detail than I need to go into here) plugged into the NVidia adapter. The Asus driver installer just installs everything. It decided that my TV would be my primary monitor. I don't know why it does that. I had a similar experience on W7. For some reason, even though the TV had not been active (connected but not it use), it is now my monitor #1 & my regular computer monitor is now monitor #2. And I had to swap the primariness back to the computer monitor.

So much for the good news. Now for the bad. So after I played around a bit with my now working system, I decided it was time to actually activate this thing. I had entered my activation key right at the beginning of the install process a few days ago. Now I wanted to personalize some things & it was telling me I couldn't do that until I activated my W11. I found this rather curious since the key I had entered so early in the process had allowed me to do this successful install. How come that key wasn't also recognized now? Hey. It's Microsoft. This isn't the first time something illogical has happened. So I entered my activation key.

It didn't work. But in the process of not working, I somehow transformed my existing local user into a Microsoft Account user. No, it did not create a new user. It modified the attributes of my existing user & made it no longer local. This is not what my reading in this forum has led me to believe would happen. Now I understand the pain of trying to use W11 with having to log onto Microsoft every time I turn around.

Well, there's a Troubleshooter associated with failure to activate. I ended up opening a ticket & asking for Microsoft to phone me. It was only about 10 minutes from the time I opened the ticket & the time my phone rang with a call from Bellevue Washington. I think it was Bellevue. It might have been somewhere else. Ten minutes isn't bad at all. I was settling in for a multi-hour wait. Of course, when I picked up, I was actually on hold waiting for someone to talk to me. But even that wasn't so bad, maybe 15 minutes. After I explained my situation to the nice lady with the heavy south Asian accent, she asked for my activation key. Turns out it's for W7.

I have communication from the place I bought this key that states it's a W11 Pro key. I even got back on their site & looked up my purchase information. It's clearly labelled as a W11 Pro key. So I have begun the pursuit of getting these people to give me what I paid for.

Meanwhile, I fooled around a bit in my not activated state on W11. Yesterday, I was able to do a few things like change the desktop background from the default to a solid color, use an accent color, change the system font, install a couple of applications (Notepad++ & a couple of other handy utilities, not a lot of things). So I thought I would create myself a second user & make it local (and an administrator) so I could try installing Firefox & do something productive, like maybe come in here & crow about how I was posting from W11. Negatory. The new user had a small font, the default desktop background, no accent color. All the things I did yesterday with a local account now fail with this new local account. I'm blocked at every turn by the warning that I can't personalize my system if it's not activated. If that's true, how did I manage to personalize the other user yesterday without being activated?

During my failure to activate, Edge kept opening for a second or 2 & then closing. I don't want to use Edge anyway, but it seems to not work. Something else that didn't work was the large update for 23H2. Windows Update did run & did install some updates, but the big one failed. I think it installed some things but some things didn't work. I am going to take the same attitude towards W11 updates that I did towards W7 updates. They get one chance to work & then I ignore them forever after. I actually retried this update about 4 times & it still didn't get all the way to the end.

In an attempt to salvage something from this debacle, I tried to install Firefox. I got blocked by the annoying screen saying if I want to install something here, I have to get it from the Microsoft store. That's a total non-starter. I need to hunt around on here for the tutorial that tells you how to avoid that. What is doing that? Windows Defender? I went back to my other user ID, the one that logs onto Microsoft, & that didn't let me install Firefox either. So I have some hunting around to do. No problem. I'm into doing things myself.

So here I am back on W7. Yet again. I never had any problems like this on my first install of W7 all those years ago. It ran for hours but at the end of it, I had a functioning system, connected to the Internet, on which I could install any application I wanted without getting it from the Microsoft store. This whole install process is broken. It's not supposed to be this hard. I guess this is why most people buy systems that already have W11 installed. But if OEMs can install it, why can't I? I am determined to get this working one way or another.

I already have what is allegedly a true W11 Pro activation key. The vendor just gave me a new key. I didn't have to hassle with them, explain anything, beg, plead, cajole, threaten, nothing. Just, this didn't work, OK here's one that should work. That's the way things are supposed to go. Now we'll see if this really is the good item. Stay tuned.

If you have a second monitor connected, even not switched on, it is detected by Windows. I guess because it senses less resistance in the HDMI cable meaning it is connected to a device. Unless you explicitly set your monitor as primary, Windows give priority to the HDMI output, that's why after installing the graphics drivers the TV was the primary monitor. I have the same issue on my main PC. I use an old 19" TV as my primary monitor connected with a VGA cable (through a Display Port to VGA adapter). This is because the HDMI input supports up to 1280x720 (720p) resolution, while the VGA input supports 1440x900. Weird I know, I tried unsuccessfully to force 1440x900 at the HDMI, so I use the VGA now. I have configured my TV as my primary monitor in Windows and my second 1920x1080 monitor as the secondary. But before loading Windows HDMI gets priority and I have no picture until Windows starts loading and takes control. This is not bad as soon as I don't need to access BIOS or restart in Safe Mode. If I need to do that I must disconnect my secondary monitor to force my graphics card give priority to the TV.

Regarding Personalization, as long as you keep disconnected from the internet you can personalize Windows just like you want without having to activate first. If Windows detects an internet connection, then it locks Personalization and some other settings to force you activate. This is a known behavior, don't worry. Once you activate you can personalize all you want.

Some times using a Windows 7 or 8 or 8.1 key may not activate automatically. Try to Activate now. If you get an error that Windows cannot activate online, don't worry. Select to activate by phone. If this option is not available on the activation screen, open a Command Prompt as Administrator and execute the command slui 4 to get the phone activation screen. Select your country from the list to see the Microsoft Support number and dial it. (Warning: Some old versions of Windows may have an older number that is no longer valid. For Greece the correct number is 8015003000 or 2111206500). Follow the instructions. Assuming you go through the activation assistant, rather than a real person, when asked how many times you have activated the key select 1. Any other reply won't proceed. If your key is still valid (have not reached maximum allowed activations) you will be asked to type the number you see on screen. After you will be given the unlock code which you type in the respective boxes and hit activate. If your key is no longer valid you will have to change it with another valid key to activate.

Your upgrade to 23H2 failed because you must first activate Windows. Also your computer might not be supported. In this case you must download the 23H2 ISO, make sure you are disconnected from the Internet and then start Setup. Before proceeding you must replace a certain file from Setup cache folder to bypass compatibility check. For details see respective threads. In short, make sure you can see hidden files and all file extensions. Then right-click on the desktop and select to create a new text document. No need to open it, just rename it to appraiserres.dll without the .txt at the end. Now go to the hidden folder C:\$Windows.~BT\sources and delete the original appraiserres.dll file. Copy-paste the fake file you just created in the hidden folder. You may now proceed the upgrade. Stay disconnected from the internet until you are back on your desktop and you have version 23H2. You can confirm it in Settings->System->Info or by pressing Win+R and running the command winver

@WildWilly which version of Rufus were you using? I ask because the latest versions require Win8 or higher. Not sure how it works with Win7 however.

Rufus 4.xx doesn't work in Windows 7. Use version 3.xx or earlier.

If you read the other thread I referred you to you will see that I tried the latest Rufus, got a popup telling me to go to an older Rufus that would work on W7, then tried that. It didn't work. It refused to detect the external SSD I wanted to use. I then tried an even older version of Rufus. It wouldn't detect the external SSD either. So I got the ISO for 23H2 directly, all the while following Brink's tutorial on the subject. I installed 23H2 from the outset. But now that you've told me activation affects what Windows Update will install, I will retry the update after I get activated. Understand this. I installed 23H2 from an ISO. Windows Update then tried to apply an update to 23H2 & it claimed to have failed. I believe it installed some fixes & didn't install others. But I've been on 23H2 from the start.

I'm not going to need to go through the rigamarole of phoning Microsoft & getting activated that way. I'm not trying to activate W11 with a W7 key. At least, I didn't intend to do that but apparently I did exactly that unknowingly. I now have what is alleged to be a valid W11 activation key. I didn't before but now I do. It should just be accepted & then I will be able to do all the personalizing that I was blocked from before. I understand that personalization isn't allowed without activation. I didn't know that simply disconnecting from the Internet would allow even an unactivated W11 to be personalized. Well, I suppose I should have known since that's what I did. But I didn't really put the two together. Thanks for explaining that.

Thanks for the explanation that Windows prefers HDMI over Display Port. I didn't know that. I'll have to keep my eye on that. On my W7 system, I have the regular computer monitor plugged into the Display Port on the motherboard. I have the second monitor (my TV) plugged into a video adapter via HDMI. There is a setting in the BIOS to say which one to prefer for use by the BIOS if you're going to be looking at the BIOS settings before booting to Windows. But on W11 I have both monitors plugged into the same NVidia adapter. I'm not sure which one the BIOS will use. I haven't paid close enough attention to that yet. I found that on W7, if I want to use the TV as monitor #2 during that session, I have to have the TV physically turned on before I power the computer on or just reboot it. W7 comes to the desktop on monitor #1 & the TV remains blank. But as long as it was available during bootup, I can activate it from W7 at a later time. If I have the TV powered off during bootup but I turn it on after W7 has booted to the desktop, I can't activate it as my second monitor later. But that's W7. It's probably a bug but I've always just dealt with it. I don't know how W11 will manage this. I will have to experiment a bit & see how that goes. I would hope that the bug in W7 has been cured in W11.

I will reply later when I have the time to read all your post. For now I just say Rufus doesn't show USB hard disk by default l, only flash drives. But there is a check box to show UEB hard disks. More later when I will have read the whole post.

Rufus is a moot issue for me now. I have install media on my USB SSD which I have already used to successfully install W11 so I don't need any new ways of creating that. On the other hand, anything you say about Rufus might be useful to others stumbling across this thread.

WildWilly said:

If you read the other thread I referred you to you will see that I tried the latest Rufus, got a popup telling me to go to an older Rufus that would work on W7, then tried that. It didn't work. It refused to detect the external SSD I wanted to use. I then tried an even older version of Rufus. It wouldn't detect the external SSD either. So I got the ISO for 23H2 directly, all the while following Brink's tutorial on the subject. I installed 23H2 from the outset. But now that you've told me activation affects what Windows Update will install, I will retry the update after I get activated. Understand this. I installed 23H2 from an ISO. Windows Update then tried to apply an update to 23H2 & it claimed to have failed. I believe it installed some fixes & didn't install others. But I've been on 23H2 from the start.

I'm not going to need to go through the rigamarole of phoning Microsoft & getting activated that way. I'm not trying to activate W11 with a W7 key. At least, I didn't intend to do that but apparently I did exactly that unknowingly. I now have what is alleged to be a valid W11 activation key. I didn't before but now I do. It should just be accepted & then I will be able to do all the personalizing that I was blocked from before. I understand that personalization isn't allowed without activation. I didn't know that simply disconnecting from the Internet would allow even an unactivated W11 to be personalized. Well, I suppose I should have known since that's what I did. But I didn't really put the two together. Thanks for explaining that.

Thanks for the explanation that Windows prefers HDMI over Display Port. I didn't know that. I'll have to keep my eye on that. On my W7 system, I have the regular computer monitor plugged into the Display Port on the motherboard. I have the second monitor (my TV) plugged into a video adapter via HDMI. There is a setting in the BIOS to say which one to prefer for use by the BIOS if you're going to be looking at the BIOS settings before booting to Windows. But on W11 I have both monitors plugged into the same NVidia adapter. I'm not sure which one the BIOS will use. I haven't paid close enough attention to that yet. I found that on W7, if I want to use the TV as monitor #2 during that session, I have to have the TV physically turned on before I power the computer on or just reboot it. W7 comes to the desktop on monitor #1 & the TV remains blank. But as long as it was available during bootup, I can activate it from W7 at a later time. If I have the TV powered off during bootup but I turn it on after W7 has booted to the desktop, I can't activate it as my second monitor later. But that's W7. It's probably a bug but I've always just dealt with it. I don't know how W11 will manage this. I will have to experiment a bit & see how that goes. I would hope that the bug in W7 has been cured in W11.

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Probably it is a driver issue. Update your graphics drivers in Windows 7 and see if you can switch to the second monitor even if you turn it on after booting. I don't remember such behaviour in Windows 7, I cannot confirm that.

Over the more than 10 years I've been running W7 I can't tell you how many times I've updated my graphics drivers & the problem never changed. But I'm sure not interested in updating graphics drivers again, or anything else in W7, since I'm on the verge of retiring that machine & abandoning W7 in favor of W11.