Windows 11 setup – no@thankyou.com or not

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[Kathy Stevens]

We are thinking about purchasing a new Windows workstation.  If we do, it will be our first Windows 11Pro PC.

After reviewing the AskWoody site it appears as if we have three options while setting up Windows 11Pro:

• Creating a user account,
• Setting up the PC using the no@thankyou.com account dodge to create a local account, or
• During the setup process pressing the [Shift] + [F10] keys to open a command prompt and then entering OOBE\BYPASSNRO and hitting enter. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/all/set-up-windows-11-without-internet-oobebypassnro/4fc44554-b416-4ecb-8961-6f79fd55ae0f

Using a user account is a nonstarter for us.

no@thankyou.com is problematic in that the thankyou.com domain is owned by Citibank and is used to support their ThankYou Rewards program.  https://www.thankyou.com/cms/thankyou/

A review of Citi’s Privacy policy opens the question, does Citi have the right to collect and use our personal information as well as disclosing our personal information as a result of us simply making use of the thankyou.com domain?  And what impact does the use of the no@thankyou.com address have on Citi’s servers?

Think about it, why not use no@askwoody.com. If enough of us used the AskWoody address it would probably be blocked by Microsoft!

Is there a downside to using Option 3?  If not, it is probably our best option.

Your thoughts?

• This topic was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by Kathy Stevens.

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Kathy Stevens wrote:

no@thankyou.com is problematic in that the thankyou.com domain is owned by Citibank and is used to support their ThankYou Rewards program.

That’s a non-issue.  The email address gets immediately kicked as having been used too many times.  Nothing ever gets to thankyou.com.  Citi has nothing to collect.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

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rbailin, Kathy Stevens

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The simple answer is to go through the OOBE not connected to the internet. Works every time since the only option is a local account. You’ll be prompted to connect wi-fi just decline. Of course, don’t plug in that RJ45 connector!

Once setup is complete connect and run Windows Update.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
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4 users thanked author for this post.

rbailin, CADesertRat, Alex5723, Kathy Stevens

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RetiredGeek wrote:

The simple answer is to go through the OOBE not connected to the internet. Works every time since the only option is a local account.

Windows 10 lets you use a local account if you disconnect from the internet. The latest version of Windows 11, however, will not — if you try the same trick, you’ll just get an error message. Even the Professional version of Windows 11 now requires a Microsoft account.

How to Set Up Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account

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Funny, since I just got done doing that with my brand new MinisForum Venus UM790 Pro.
I didn’t see any error or warning messages i the process.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
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1 user thanked author for this post.

Cybertooth

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I was thinking any old phony email address would do. Am I wrong in that?

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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It has to be an email address that is locked and already in use on the Microsoft 365 system.  As others have said, you never get to the Citibank domain, it’s totally Microsoft that you are working with at that point as they are attempting to log you into the M365 account.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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It has to be a m365 account that has been locked.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Susan, Are you saying that my Microsoft account which has 3 digital licenses for my 3 Windows 10 machines, through a gmail address is now somehow connected to a 365 account? I’m confused

Thanks in advance

Kevin G

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Susan is saying the email address has to be recorded in MS system. Your gmail address already is.

cheers, Paul

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Hi all you experts, need your help very badly and urgently. bought a new laptop and setting up, initially connected to internet, but could not get to local account. Finally tried the shift+F10 option with the command prompt and method below mentioned in Italics while I was looking a solution up, this appeared on microsoft page itself.

The PC did restart and now it is not connected to internet but is stuck at some defaultuser0 page, asking me for a password, when tried to reset, it says it needs a removable media like a USB flash drive and asks to use this and try again. have no clue what should be done ahead. please rescue, have not set up the PC or the laptop still.

Awaiting your prompt rescue guidance. Am afraid the PC is not hacked. below is link where i found this DIY hack, but since it is on microsoft, i believe i need an account to reply or ask the same person for issue and hence turning to your deep knowledge on the same.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/insider/forum/all/set-up-windows-11-without-internet-oobebypassnro/4fc44554-b416-4ecb-8961-6f79fd55ae0f?page=1
Alternative Workaround that should remain feasible, more trouble than the simple above command:
If the Internet is disabled, you start the reinstallation of Windows 11. You get to the window: “Unfortunately you have lost the Internet connection”. From here it starts. Replace “User Name” with whatever you wish to use for the account:
Press Shift + F10. The command prompt opens
net.exe user “User Name” /add
net.exe localgroup “Administrators” “User Name” /add
cd OOBE
msoobe.exe && shutdown.exe -r

Windows will now restart and start with the other settings until Windows 11 is installed correctly with a local account.
When logging in, “The user name or password is incorrect” now appears. Simply press OK and select the right account at the bottom left of screen. You should have one for Administrator and one for whatever name you used as “User Name” above.

Moderator Edit: to remove HTML from Copy/paste

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Hey Y’all,

FYI: I just help install Win 11 on a new Dell laptop (Home) and an older Dell laptop (PRO). Both meet the requirements for Win 11 and both allowed the OOBE\ByPassNRO to function and allowed me to setup a Local account on each machine w/o setting up any MS Accounts.

22 Jan 2025

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
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Kathy Stevens

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Also good for me. There is an extra step in the instructions to ensure networking is off.

cheers, Paul

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