So apparently when setting up Windows 10 the option to create a local account is no longer available if an internet connection has been detected. You have to physically disconnect from the internet if you do not want a Microsoft account. Awesome.
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wright_is
Premium Member29 September, 2019 - 4:02 am
<p>What version of Windows 10 are you using?</p><p>We set up several new PCs a week at the moment with 1903 Pro and we set up a local account on all of them (network attached), which we then immediately delete, once it is in the domain.</p>
<p>I just walked my daughter through the process, and she was connected the entire time. They are just further obfuscating it.</p><p>When setting up the first account, after indicating that you do not have the email address, you will be presented with a choice of options, and the one you want is "Offline Account". I always have them set up a local admin account to which they know the password, and then have them add their own accounts as non-admin, local accounts, which is much easier and lets them get a better home directory name. They can then switch to their MSA and add their school accounts as well.</p>
<blockquote><em><a href="#472214">In reply to Lordbaal:</a></em></blockquote><p>You're right. It is not hidden. It's now labelled 'Domain join instead'. How did my mother not know this?</p><p><br></p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/tA9fo1R.png"></p><p><br></p>
<blockquote><em><a href="#472537">In reply to Lordbaal:</a></em></blockquote><p>It is if you don't have a clue what 'Domain join instead' means. I guess labeling it 'Create Local Account' was too confusing for MS to consider!</p>
<blockquote><em><a href="#472550">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>That's the way you have to go in order to sign up with a local account. You do not have to join a domain. But you have to click on it.</p>
<p>Just ran into this at work. If you are installing on a machine that has Pro associated with it, you get the option for join a domain instead even if you are connected to the internet. If the machine is associated with Home which can not join a domain, it will not give you any way to continue with a local account unless the install is done without internet connectivity. </p><p>I'm using the same 1903 usb key that I've had since the release so I guess Microsoft is pushing out a modified install process during the install as it didn't do this before. I have the luxury of working around this since I have Pro on everything but I hope this isn't a precursor to it being mandatory on 1909 installs. </p><p>This reeks of the early days of Windows 8 when you couldn't do anything without a MS account, not even update to 8.1 via the store. I made up dozens of throw away MSA accounts. I want to go back to paying for Windows, so it can be mine to use as I want and not Microsoft's. </p>
<p>Actually, it may not even be a "thing".</p><p><br></p><p>From Ghacks…</p><p><br></p><p>"We installed Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 version 1909 multiple times and the offline account option was presented to us each time. It is quite possible that Microsoft is A-B testing the chance or that the change affects only some regions and not others."</p><p><br></p><p>ghacks.net/2019/09/30/how-to-create-a-local-account-in-windows-10-1909-if-the-option-is-not-available/</p>