lti wrote on 2025-04-28, 03:57:

No, Windows 11 really annoys me because of the UI changes. The new start menu (actually just a continuation of the boneheaded changes in Windows 8 - listing every shortcut in alphabetical order with huge blank space around them instead of having nice folder groups) and Explorer right-click menu are a pain in the ass.

The only sane way of using the Start Menu on Win10+ is not to use it at all, and the entire UI is pushing you in that direction. You are expected to just start typing the name of the app you want to run, and it will find it for you (usually does a pretty good job in it too). But navigating the start menu with the mouse? No way, at least without using a start menu shell replacement.

The new Explorer right-click menu is an evil for power users, and restoring the old behavior by means of a registry change is the first thing any power user should do on Win11.

You are expected to just start typing the name of the app you want to run

That's very true and it does bother me a bit since Windows 8.x.
As if everyone does memorize the application's name.
The whole Visual Studio series has so many utilities, for example.
I prefer Windows 3.x Program Manager over the modern way of doing things.
It's still a tiny bit more tidy than having the desktop full of icons, at least.

lti wrote on 2025-04-28, 03:57:

No, Windows 11 really annoys me because of the UI changes.

Oh yeah my remark was going off already modded Win11. I also find stock Win11 more annoying than stock Win10 due to changes to context menus.

This is also interesting, it's just a few hours old - saw it in the news.
https://www.macobserver.com/news/microsoft-ma … han-windows-11/

He uses Windows VMs in Parallels, too, like I do. :)

Was setting up a laptop to give away and used Rufus to disable all the checks and also allow local accounts.

I figured that it would just let me create a local account from the get-go but when it came time to set up an account, it made me use my MS account.

I usually just set up an account with my MS account and then go create a local account, make it admin and then log out and back in as the local account and th n delete the MS linked account when I am setting up computers for other people.

I thought that the Rufus option was supposed to bypass having to log in with my MS account at all, but apparently not or it just doesn't work on the latest release of 11.

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-04-28, 18:20:

Was setting up a laptop to give away and used Rufus to disable all the checks and also allow local accounts. […]
Show full quote

Was setting up a laptop to give away and used Rufus to disable all the checks and also allow local accounts.

I figured that it would just let me create a local account from the get-go but when it came time to set up an account, it made me use my MS account.

I usually just set up an account with my MS account and then go create a local account, make it admin and then log out and back in as the local account and th n delete the MS linked account when I am setting up computers for other people.

I thought that the Rufus option was supposed to bypass having to log in with my MS account at all, but apparently not or it just doesn't work on the latest release of 11.

Just did a successful Windows 11 install in QEMU last night with a local account. Make sure there is no internet connection. So no ethernet cable and/or wifi connected to something. And of course the right option selected in Rufus or using the command line trick.

And for pro just choose the domain join option.

What is wrong with the MS account exactly?
I mean from what I can tell a local account doesnt need an internet connection to log in and thats about it on the plus side.
But the MS account adds more at the expense of always needing to be connected.

dr_st wrote on 2025-04-28, 08:15:

The only sane way of using the Start Menu on Win10+ is not to use it at all, and the entire UI is pushing you in that direction. You are expected to just start typing the name of the app you want to run, and it will find it for you (usually does a pretty good job in it too). But navigating the start menu with the mouse? No way, at least without using a start menu shell replacement.

That was how Windows 10 worked for a long time, but now there's a random chance of that opening Edge and running a Bing search for the name of the program.

Also, who thought it was a good idea to have 3-pixel-wide scrollbars (or in the case of the Office installer, a 2-pixel-tall progress bar)? I don't have the fine motor control to click on one of those anymore (I don't know what's going wrong with my body).

Yoghoo wrote on 2025-04-28, 18:39:

cyclone3d wrote on 2025-04-28, 18:20:

Was setting up a laptop to give away and used Rufus to disable all the checks and also allow local accounts. […]
Show full quote

Was setting up a laptop to give away and used Rufus to disable all the checks and also allow local accounts.

I figured that it would just let me create a local account from the get-go but when it came time to set up an account, it made me use my MS account.

I usually just set up an account with my MS account and then go create a local account, make it admin and then log out and back in as the local account and th n delete the MS linked account when I am setting up computers for other people.

I thought that the Rufus option was supposed to bypass having to log in with my MS account at all, but apparently not or it just doesn't work on the latest release of 11.

Just did a successful Windows 11 install in QEMU last night with a local account. Make sure there is no internet connection. So no ethernet cable and/or wifi connected to something. And of course the right option selected in Rufus or using the command line trick.

The I ternet connection was it then. I connected to Wifi like I normally do.

ElectroSoldier wrote on 2025-04-29, 01:11:

What is wrong with the MS account exactly?
I mean from what I can tell a local account doesnt need an internet connection to log in and thats about it on the plus side.
But the MS account adds more at the expense of always needing to be connected.

I have no issues with having th MS account. It is nice because it allows you to easily re-activate / change the system a license is associated with. Keeps all your digital licenses and so if something screws up, you just select which machine it is supposed to be and it fixes the activation easy peazy instead of having to deal with manual phone activations.

I just set up the local accounts when giving systems away because I figure they can log into their MS account later if they want to. Makes it easier for me and more secure for them as they don't have to share a username/password and wanted PIN.

I've heard that the OOBE\BYPASSNRO method for local account setup has been replaced with start ms-cxh:localonly. Can someone confirm?