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Windows 10: How to Install WITHOUT a Microsoft account

Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 6:36 pm
by Chrisax
Windows 10 is there, or arriving on your computers if you already registered to get it.

It's free for all users of Windows 7, 8, 8.1. Really free, no hidden costs, seriously. The only condition is you update before July 29 2016, so you have one year to do it. After that, you would have to buy Windows 10.

You can directly update your computer, and you can also, as well, perform a complete clean new install. There is a lot of literature already about this on the web.

Note that you can perfectly save Windows 10 now and install it later.
You can download an ISO (the "disk image" that is needed to make an installation DVD or USB stick) here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/softwar ... /windows10
(The same page exist in your own language somewhere)

It's a good system: beyond what is visible, many improvements have been made and many things have been rewritten.

But... Windows 10 is also very curious about you and what you are doing although it does NOT hide it (much) and it DOES provide all the ways to respect your privacy.

There, it's not about paranoia of any conspiracy theory, just about some good sense and personal choices : how much do you want Microsoft -but mostly, their unknown and changing business partners- to know about you? (Note that you can ask the same question about Facebook, Google, Android, and many other companies / software.)


So let's see some points... the first one is the "Microsoft Account"
(Other post: "Windows 10: the Privacy settings you MUST know" http://www.athenpaladins.org/forums/vie ... =45&t=9540)

When you install Windows 10, you'll be asked to enter your Microsoft account if you have one, or to create one.

When you arrive on the installation page asking you to "make Windows 10 your own" (LOL) and opt for a Microsoft account, just look in the bottom left corner: you have the option to SKIP this step


You do NOT NEED to associate your Windows 10 to your Microsoft account at all or to create one.



Here are the pages in the two languages I speak (the best), but the option is at the same place in all other local versions:

(Click on thumbnails)

English
https://www.thurrott.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/win10-setup.jpg

French

http://static.pcinpact.com/images/bd/news/155324.png


Windows 10 will work perfectly without being linked to a Microsoft account. BUT you won't have access to some features that require a MS account, so you have to be aware of it:
- Can't use OneDrive (the "cloud" MS storage)
- Can't use the synchronization of parameters between two Win 10 systems
- Can't use Cortana, the sexy but curious voice assistant
- Can't save your web passwords with Edge, the new MS browser (and you really wonder why Edge can't save your PW's locally on your own computer, as other browsers do !)
- Can't install new application from the Microsoft store (some may be available directly from their publishers though)

Nevertheless, the store will update automatically all applications provided with Windows 10! Good thing.



Some links:
English article:
English article

Google translation of a very good article in French:
Google translation of a very good article in French
Original in French


Follow-up: read "Windows 10: the Privacy settings you MUST know"
http://www.athenpaladins.org/forums/vie ... =45&t=9540