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šŸ˜‚ Elon Musk just crawled from under a rock and discovered something that has been bothering people for years. It is just too funny not to share this one.

Image description: Elon Musk & X @elonmusk • 42m Just bought a new PC laptop and it won't let me use it unless I create a Microsoft account, which also means giving their Al access to my computer! This is messed up. There used to be an option to skip signing into or creating a Microsoft account. Are you seeing this too? This is not cool of Microsoft.


(Originally published on mastodon.social: 2024-02-25)

View original on mastodon.social
lemmy.world

Just buy the company and change it yourself Elon!

Whats the matter, are you too poor to buy a widdle software company?

110
lemmy.world

Elon proceeds to buy Microsoft. One month later an account for a paying subscription with Microsoft is required to set up the laptop.

49
Breezyreply
lemmy.world

Microsoft is valued at 3 trillion dollars. Even if we go back to just under a single trillion during covid, elon couldnt afford it. I dont think theres anyone on this planet who could buy half of microsoft, none the less the whole company.

18

I still want him to say he’ll do it, just for the fun legal chicanery that will inevitably follow

6
nexussapphirereply
lemm.ee

The best part is I think it replaced the user libraries folder with OneDrive without asking. If you disable OneDrive it could delete the files off your computer or dump it into the root home folder for that user. It did that when I used it last at least.

4
sh.itjust.works

This sort of happened to me at work. We got a new laptop amidst a massive time crunch, and didn’t configure anything before installing our instrument’s software and getting to work. At the time, we didnt have a paid 365 account or anything, so we were just saving data in folders on the desktop at first. A couple months later, all the files, folders and launchers on the desktop disappeared, replaced by a single icon called ā€œwhere are my filesā€. It was a web link that directed us to buy 365 or else lose all our files…that we thought we were saving LOCALLY.

6

We all have our limits, I bailed out as soon as Linux supported a good amount of games. I wanted to get out before I got burned.

2
lemmy.ca

Even on the Pro edition, on the most recent version it doesn’t have an option up front for a local account.

Apparently the workaround, for now at least, is to try signing in with [email protected] and a random password. It then tells you the account is locked due to incorrect sign in attempts, and gives you an option for a local account.

50
potustheplantreply
feddit.nl

If you set it up wothout an internet connection you will not be forced to log in. That workaround has worked for like a decade.

31
M500reply
lemmy.ml

About a year ago an update came out where even without an internet connection it wouldn’t even let me get past the sign in screen. It just told me to connect to the internet to proceeds or something. Not sure if that’s still a thing or not.

27
M500reply
lemmy.ml

I used some command prompt to get around it, so I’m not saying it’s impossible. but unless you are decently techy, you will not know to do it.

10
potustheplantreply
feddit.nl

The guides I found give you every single detail you’d need to know. If you know how to read, you can use the terminal bypass method.

1
M500reply

Right, but my mom and dad would not even think that there is a way around it. They wouldn’t even know to look.

1

I did it the other day without issue. Went back to fedora when I realized that the middle click could only do either of its functions in windows on my ThinkPad, while it can do both in Linux.

3

Confirming, in December I didn’t have Wi-Fi drivers and thus couldn’t login to install the Wi-Fi drivers.

9
potustheplantreply
feddit.nl

It is but here’s still a workaround. If you open the windows terminal on the login screen, disable the internet connection and run ā€œoobeypassnroā€ you will not be forced to log in.

5
rooster_buttreply
lemm.ee

I think you are missing a \b. OOBE\ (Out of Box Experience) bypass NRO (eNROllment).

0

Microsoft: May we please fuck with you endlessly with these pointless settings?

Me making Trollface.jpg: Sorry bruv it's the year 2024 and I still don't have an internet connection.

Microsoft: Oh ok nevermind then!

8
juliebeanreply
lemm.ee

it worked on windows ten. apparently not so on eleven.

3

True. There’s still a workaround though. If you open the windows terminal on that screen, disable the internet connection and run ā€œoobeypassnroā€ you will not be forced to log in.

3

I would assume it was for work and he would have it connected to a domain. With group policy you can set to use local accounts as default if I remember correctly.

2
Agent641reply
lemmy.world

Its hacky and annoying that its even nessecary but still easier than installing Linux.

7
otacon239reply
feddit.de

When was the last time you installed Linux? I’m done with a fresh install on most popular distros in 30 minutes or less.

24
Agent641reply
lemmy.world

Last week, Linux mint (Green ubuntu) still can't get the battery to detect and I dont know why. If I unplug the laptop, it turns off immediately. Battery icon shows up, shows "Charging" but stays at 0%

Battery was working in Windows the day prior.

HP laptop from ~2016

2

I work with mostly Dell laptops and see this all the time on Win10 so 2 grains of salt, but: Usually reseating the battery does the trick, if not the battery + ram + hd/SSD.

2
BossDjreply
lemm.ee

I went to go tell him so, but Twitter is forcing me to make an account. Ugh.

34

So we’re safe from his stupidity on the federverse whew wait a min…

4

Just tried to post to Xwitter. It won’t let me use it unless I create a Xwitter account. Which also means letting twitter cookes and algorithms track me across their site and push media at me.

Hypocrite. Doesn’t matter if it’s AI or algorithms, the end result is the same.

51

Forget posting, you cant even search or view the replies to a single post without logging in like you could before Musk's takeover

16

While valid criticism of Twitter, this is not hypocritical. There is a difference between a website that doesn't owe you anything not letting you in, and a device you own and paid money for, not letting you in. A comparable scenario would be Twitter deciding that paying users can no longer access the website (because it's now mobile app-only or whatever).

5

My made up name for twitter. It’s unimportant.

ā€œeXā€ twitter. The X also looks like a fallen over ā€œtā€, the state of twitter, IMO. Falling apart.

1
lemmy.world

It doesn't give AI access to your computer, I really hope Lemmy users aren't taking Elon's comments at face value now.

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psycho_driverreply
lemmy.world

allegedly

There are people out there that still believe your phone isn't listening to everything you say and targeting ads based on that, as well.

9
Honytawkreply
lemmy.zip

Phones aren't listening, that uses too much data.

Reality is a lot more creepy. They don't need to wiretap you.

If you talk to someone about a subject. Google knows you 2 have encountered each other, because Google knows both your locations, even if the GPS is disabled.

And if the other person do a quick search on the subject after you left. Then google can associate you with that user and gives you similar ad results. So it looks like you only thought about it.

But it goes further. Because Google has so much data on everyone, they can predict what you want before you even thought about it. Because like it or not, in a population of 8 billion, you aren't really that unique. There will be at least 10 000 similar people that all react to things the same way. So if they all have this brilliant idea about a subject, then you are bound to have the same idea. So they serve you ads.

10

Even this is silly, it’s what Google want advertisers to believe when they buy ads but their tracking is kinda shit in reality.

The reason you often see adverts that apply to you is that we’re all kinds basic and are probably only thinking of things because they’re running an advertising campaign.

1

My phone is always listening for an "okay Google" it's not too unreasonable to believe that there are other keywords that it'll hear to know what ads to send your way

1

I get ads for random shit that I have no interest in all the time.

Maybe Google has learned that sending me ads makes me less likely to buy shit, so they only send me ads for unrelated junk.

1
upandatomreply
lemmy.world

I'm one of those. If it were true you'd get targeted ads for everything your phone hears from TV too.

7

They totally have data on who you are spending time with. they know your friend went there and know you saw that friend. That's enough I think

15

Just wanted to say thanks for writing this up. I had a similar experience and figured wifi and location was enough for google to make the connection, but I like the extra part you added about being associated through contacts app too.

2
lemmings.world

I mean, most voice assistants have a way to teach it your voice. I imagine it would be trivial for it to learn your voice vs a TV voice given you are the person around your phone most often and it can eventually isolate your voice in a sea of noise

2
Tjareply
programming.dev

What they don’t have is the bandwidth. Plus it would be super easy to detect.

3

Plus it would be super easy to detect.

Process it all locally and someone will notice the battery hit. Process it remotely and someone will notice the bandwidth hit.

If it came out that they were listening in to every conversation, Congress would have an absolute field day. The Democrats won't like the invasion of privacy and the Republicans would be happy for any excuse to go after "Big Tech".

Why be obvious when you can quietly get better data? Why would Apple also play along this whole time?

2

They don't actually listen in on you. That would blow through your battery pretty quick and send a lot of data.

They have even better ways, though.

They can triangulate your location using WiFi. Even if the SSIDs are brand new, they can figure out you're close to someone by comparing the networks and their RSSIs. If you or the person you're talking with searched for something or went to a website/app very recently before or after the chat, Google is likely to send you relevant ads.

1

More disturbingly, there are people who believe a thing isn’t happening, until they see proof that it is.

2
CheeseNoodlereply
lemmy.world

I just have my phone as my designated privacy nightmare because I'm cheap and whatsapp lets me make free phonecalls. My computer and browser on the other hand are so loaded up with privacy measures that if I don't log into youtube it literally breaks and shows no videos because the algorithm has no data to workt with.

2

Its how youtube says youtube works. It says it can't find any video history and just shows nothing. The page is still entierly functional and I can directly search things (or login to get suggestions) but it won't show me anything on its own.

1

I would hope so. People believing more conspiracy theories based on anecdotes is the last thing we need.

1
nexussapphirereply
lemm.ee

Your right, it collects data on files/usage habits and organizes it under a profile tied to you while adding nothing of worth. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a keylogger built into windows at this point.

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anon987reply
lemmy.world

No it doesn't, cut the crap fear mongering. show your source.

2

Whatever makes you feel better. I'm not judging people who use windows, I still use OEM android on my pixel.

1
Kedlyreply
lemm.ee

I was JUST about to ask. I wouldnt put it past Micro$oft at this point to force access to peoples desktops

2
lemm.ee

Crazy fact: when someone bought a car from you second-hand, they didn’t have to register with the car maker and have an account…

26
lemmy.world

You'd think a tech "genius" would know how to install Linux. I don't even use Linux and I know there's plenty of resources to help you do it.

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Anamnesisreply
lemmy.world

He's too busy for that! He's got to shit post on exTwitter for twelve hours each day.

11

Bet there is a load of Linux in Telsa. In cars and servers and chargers.

2
Shadowreply
lemmy.ca

I’m sure musk has some unpaid intern to do this stuff for him. No way he sets his own IT up.

7

local man who wants to own the internet experiences what that would be like for users, doesn’t like it, learns nothing. more at 11

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lemmy.ca

You definitely can still do it without a Microsoft account, it’s just not as obvious as before.

22
lemmy.world

If you turn off wifi or don’t connect the computer to the internet, it will let you create a local account.

7

Also let's you name it something other than your first initial followed by part of your last name. Which is so disgusting.

2
towerfulreply
programming.dev

shift + F10 to open a command prompt during the out-of-box-experience setup bit.
Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and press enter.
Think it stands for something like Out Of Box Experience / Bypass Network Requirement O-something.

Your computer will restart, and you will have the "I dont have Internet option" allowing you to create a local account

7

"Setup for an organization" and "domain-join instead", but you aren't forced to domain-join later. At least that's how it's done on Windows Pro. No idea about Home/Standard/whatever it's called now.

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Fenrisulfirreply
lemmy.ca

Yes really. People have just been conditioned to not pay attention to everything on the screen

3

I can confirm the only way setting up Home edition is to unplug the internet for it to prompt to make a local account

2

Also if you try and log in with a random email and gibberish password, it will fail to log in and show you the "Use local account instead" button

1
lntl
lemmy.ml

lol, this fella could fart and someone would post it up on the Internet

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Drasglafreply
sh.itjust.works

That would be more interesting than whatever shit he regularly pours from his fingers.

4
AtmaJnanareply
lemmy.world

And yet, if Lemmy didn't fall all over themselves to post every single negative thing even vaguely related to him, I'd never have to hear about Musk. Maybe I should finally start using keyword filters for Lemmy.

4

The mobile apps I use have a post filter setting that lets me block keywords present in a post title. Unfortunately, I don't think this is a feature of Lemmy, but the apps themselves. I would love to be wrong about that, but as far as I can tell the Lemmy web UIs don't seem to offer the feature.

edit: I use Eternity and Boost. Neither is perfect, so I switch back and forth.

3

I just want to thank you for sharing twitter as an image, instead of linking to it. It's amusing how much more usable an image is.

19
z00sreply

That goes without saying. You can't become a billionaire without oppression.

Billionaires should not exist. Bernie Sanders should be president.

1
dev_nullreply
lemmy.ml

If you read the thread he tried the solution, but it didn't work. The culprit turned out to be that the laptop automatically connected to nearby unsecured Wi-fi, thus forcing online mode. Turning off Wi-fi made the usual solution work.

1

Definitely! But the post didn’t ask for help, it was a complaint aimed at Microsoft. I assume he did search and this was airing a frustration after the fact.

1
lemmy.world

You're allowed to use Linux without setting up an account

17
examplereply
reddthat.com

I keep trying but it keeps asking me to set up an account. eventually it accepts that I set up an account named root, but it won't let me continue without an account.

6
lemmy.world

Don't connect the computer to the Internet before you complete setup. If you did already...

Shift F8 during setup OOBE\BYPASSNRO

If that doesn't work, use IPCONFIG /RELEASE to break your Internet connection, then it will relent and let you setup without a Microsoft account.

Edit: it may be Shift F10, try one, if that doesn't work, try the other.

15

On my last vm install (was for a tutorial) it let me install without access but on first boot I couldn’t get past set up steps without it

However that was using home instead of pro which I have no idea why someone would do

1

Guy who bought corporations and took credit for their ideas doesn’t know how to tool around with Windows on a laptop

15

Why is giving AI access to your computer a problem, Elon?

12

Imagine if the account thing were true, a normal person might think hiding Twitter behind an account would also be obnoxious.

11
moitoi
feddit.de

Just enter ā€œadminā€ in the textbox for the Microsoft account. You’re welcome. If Elon pass by, thanks to mention it cames from Lemmy.

10
FIST_FILLETreply
lemmy.ml

wait, does this really work? i was forced to go through a win10 install recently and the frustration over creating a microsoft account damn near made me combust

3
moitoireply

It works with Windows 11 while setting up a new device. Follow the setup and enter ā€œadminā€ when asked for a Microsoft account. It will give an error and the possibility to create a local account.

9
Kitreply
lemmy.blahaj.zone

Just skip connecting to wifi during the initial setup and it will make a local account.

5
CosmicTurtlereply
lemmy.world

It's not enough. Your wifi can't even be on. If it detects a wifi network, it will demand you to connect to it.

Literally did this during the weekend. Don't worry: I only went through half of the setup trying to exit it. Was trying to boot to a Linux USB and failed šŸ˜‚

4

That's strange, I've done a half dozen fresh installs of 10 Pro recently and haven't run into this. Are you running 11? I haven't tested that one out yet.

1
lemm.ee

Does this mean it will also demand to connect to neighbors’ wifi?

1

It wouldn't let me continue without connecting. I know there are ways to bypass it. But like I said, I was trying to exit it.

1
moitoireply

You need to disable the network using command line. The ā€œadminā€ trick is easier for most of the users.

3

i only just found out this was a thing a few weeks ago, when my partner got a new laptop. i haven’t been living under a rock, but i have been using linux exclusively for around a decade, which may have similar effects.

10

Yeah! Not cool Microsoft!

It's not like I can't watch anything on Twitter without an account so I can get tracked and now also Nitter is dead! Shame on you Microsoft! Shame on you!

10

says the man who sells cars with software-gimped features of the people who gave him the idea

10
lemmy.sdf.org

Because this is the stupid timeline, how long before Elon Musk becomes a huge and vocal open-source nerd and moves all Teslas onto GNU Hurd?

9
Hadriscusreply
lemm.ee

There might in fact be potential to manipulate this idiot into becoming a floss advocate

5

Do we want him? On the one hand, he’s rich and loud. On the other, he’s loud and dumb. Hmm.

2

It would be a matter of time before he then deduces FOSS is communism and tries (and fails) to buy Microsoft

4
Dkarma
lemmy.world

Elon is a fucking moron who can't use Google to find the simple work around.

8

How's he supposed to get on the Internet without a PC? What, does he live in some techbro future where everyone has a handheld computer?

5

Windows 11 has this co-pilot thing which seems to be an AI although it doesn’t appear to have access to the laptop. Although this is a work computer so I don’t know if that’s just due to security restrictions.

3

@[email protected]

I don't use Microsoft or Tesla products, myself, but don't Teslas also have an assortment of DRM, "phone home", surveillance, and network control anti-features?

Seems to be a degree of low self-awareness going on here? šŸ¤”

1
mastodon.social

@[email protected] He mostly uses Apple products and has mentioned Linux a few times, but he may needs to use some accounting or some crap software that only runs on Windows. So, he bought a Dell or Amazon laptop, hoping for a quick setup. He wants to keep his data private on that laptop, but Microsoft has other ideas, including AI that is forced on everyone. So now he set Microsoft on fire. Just too funny

1