Solved Trying to setup new win11 pc with a local account

WhyOhWHY99 · Dec 9, 2025

spapakons said:
IT has happened before. The SHIFT+F10 combination doesn't open a Command Prompt. In that case restart and you should see the OOBE again. Press SHIFT+F10, this time will work.

Held power button until system shut off. Started up again, again tried to open cmd via Shift F10. NEVER came up either time. Tried repeatedly starting on first screen. Internet not connected.

After connecting ethernet cable and entering a MS Account, it downloaded updates for a loooong time during the Win11 initialization process. When it was done, it was 25H2. No way to know what came from Lenovo. Ordered 11-29-2025.

spapakons · Dec 9, 2025

WhyOhWHY99 said:
Held power button until system shut off. Started up again, again tried to open cmd via Shift F10. NEVER came up either time. Tried repeatedly starting on first screen. Internet not connected.

After connecting ethernet cable and entering a MS Account, it downloaded updates for a loooong time during the Win11 initialization process. When it was done, it was 25H2. No way to know what came from Lenovo. Ordered 11-29-2025.

I didn't say to force shutdown, I said to restart before trying again. Also don't forget the more advanced workaround, Audit Mode. Press CTRL+SHIFT+F3 to login with the built-in Administrator account, create a local account, restart to OOBE. This time it will not ask to create an account since there is one already.

WhyOhWHY99 · Dec 10, 2025

spapakons said:
Also don't forget the more advanced workaround, Audit Mode. Press CTRL+SHIFT+F3 to login with the built-in Administrator account, create a local account, restart to OOBE. This time it will not ask to create an account since there is one already.

spapakons said:
I didn't say to force shutdown, I said to restart before trying again. Also don't forget the more advanced workaround, Audit Mode. Press CTRL+SHIFT+F3 to login with the built-in Administrator account, create a local account, restart to OOBE. This time it will not ask to create an account since there is one already.

Thanks. I did not know about Audit Mode. I've saved that for future reference.

SteveEngland · Dec 10, 2025

On many laptops, you need to press the Fn key also. Fn + Shift + F10

spapakons · Dec 10, 2025

SteveEngland said:
On many laptops, you need to press the Fn key also. Fn + Shift + F10

Yes, very confusing! Some laptops instead of having the F keys as default, they have the secondary functions as default and in order to actually use an F key you need to press the Fn key with it. You can change that from BIOS, but most just don't know it. So in a laptop, if SHIFT+F10 doesn't work, try Fn+SHIFT+F10.

WhyOhWHY99 · Dec 10, 2025

WhyOhWHY99 said:
Thanks. I did not know about Audit Mode. I've saved that for future reference.

So I ran sysprep.exe to restart OOBE. Then hit CTRL+Shift+F3 to use Administrator account. After creating local account, when it restarts, I never get the list of privacy related stuff like whether I want to share keyboard data with Microsoft. I've spent a while looking all through Settings to try to find those settings. Any idea where to find them?

EDIT = Found them in Privacy & Security.

THANKS for your help in getting a local account setup.

LesFerch · Dec 10, 2025

If you have a Microsoft account, you can complete the build using that account, create a local account, login with that new account, and (optionally) delete the Microsoft account from the machine.

Sure, if you're building machines all the time you'll want a more efficient method, but it does the job.

spapakons · Dec 10, 2025

LesFerch said:
If you have a Microsoft account, you can complete the build using that account, create a local account, login with that new account, and (optionally) delete the Microsoft account from the machine.

Sure, if you're building machines all the time you'll want a more efficient method, but it does the job.

For a personal computer maybe, but for us that also build computers for others, it is not convenient to use a Microsoft account. Others don't want to give you their credentials, let alone most don't have a Microsoft account and don't want to use a password or PIN every time they open their PC. Me also, I don't want to enter a password every time I login or when my computer locks.

NormanF · Dec 10, 2025

You might as well sign up for a Microsoft account during OOBE, log out after you get to the desktop and create a local account there.

LesFerch · Dec 10, 2025

NormanF said:
You might as well sign up for a Microsoft account during OOBE, log out after you get to the desktop and create a local account there.

Exactly. And use a burner email if you don't want to keep a Microsoft account.

spapakons · Dec 10, 2025

Or you can convert the Microsoft account to local account, but the whole point of these workarounds is to avoid using a Microsoft account with all the consequences of using one. A known side effect of using a Microsoft account is that OneDrive replaces your home folder and you cannot find your data locally. There are other Microsoft apps that run and not everybody wants them. Also in Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 BitLocker is enabled and automatically encrypts all your drives! The key is stored in your Microsoft account, but if for some reason you cannot access it you can be locked out of your own PC since Microsoft never informs you and doesn't show you the key!!!! If you do decide to use a Microsoft account make sure you immediately decrypt your drives and disable BitLocker. Also make sure you disable automatic sync in OneDrive and you restore your home folder locally. There are Tutorials for all of these, but the best workaround is to avoid using a Microsoft account to login to the PC. Use it only for specific apps and games, not globally.

LesFerch · Dec 10, 2025

spapakons said:
For a personal computer maybe,

Yes, that, especially Windows Home.

LesFerch · Dec 10, 2025

spapakons said:
Or you can convert the Microsoft account to local account, but the whole point of these workarounds is to avoid using a Microsoft account with all the consequences of using one. A known side effect of using a Microsoft account is that OneDrive replaces your home folder and you cannot find your data locally. There are other Microsoft apps that run and not everybody wants them. Also in Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 BitLocker is enabled and automatically encrypts all your drives! The key is stores in your Microsoft account, but if for some reason you cannot access it you can be locked out of your own PC!!!! If you do decide to use a Microsoft account make sure you immediately decrypt your drives and disable BitLocker. Also make sure you disable automatic synd in OneDrive and you restore your home folder locally. There are Tutorials for all of these, but the best workaround is to avoid using a Microsoft account to login to the PC. Use it only for specific apps and games, not globally.

Only if you remain logged in with the Microsoft account. That's not what we're talking about.

spapakons · Dec 10, 2025

LesFerch said:
Only if you remain logged in with the Microsoft account. That's not what we're talking about.

Better safe than sorry... I wouldn't risk it.

LesFerch · Dec 10, 2025

spapakons said:
Better safe than sorry... I wouldn't risk it.

I wouldn't risk converting a Microsoft account to a local account. Who knows what remnants will give you trouble. But creating a new local account and using that is perfectly safe. As for the Microsoft account, I still want to have one but not everyone does, so a burner account would do in that case.

spapakons · Dec 11, 2025

That's exactly why you should AVOID using a Microsoft account to login and create a local account in the first place. Then go at Microsoft Store and download the apps and games you want and make sure you connect to your Microsoft account for these ONLY, not convert the local account to Microsoft! This is the best of both worlds.

MisterEd · Dec 11, 2025

Another potential problem with starting with a Microsoft Account is that it sets up your computer to use OneDrive. If later you decide you don't want OneDrive you have to be very careful removing it or you will lose the data in it.

cheaterslick · Dec 11, 2025

SteveEngland said:
On many laptops, you need to press the Fn key also. Fn + Shift + F10

That exactly what happened to me!

That tutorial in the beginning of this conversation needs to include that because some keyboards require the Fn key to be pressed at the same time.

I spent a couple of hours scratching my head wondering what the hell was going on before I googled that solution from another website.

LesFerch · Dec 11, 2025

MisterEd said:
Another potential problem with starting with a Microsoft Account is that it sets up your computer to use OneDrive. If later you decide you don't want OneDrive you have to be very careful removing it or you will lose the data in it.

It doesn't change the behavior for local accounts. Whether you create the local account at build time, or later, it won't have OneDrive enabled. Once you've completed the build, created and logged in with a local account, and then deleted the Microsoft account from the machine, it's the same result (just more steps) then directly starting with a local account.

Personally, I like to use Rufus, but I've never had an issue using my Microsoft account to complete a build (and then create and use a local account going forward).

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