Bypass W11 MS Account

[Wainuitech]

Seems MS have or are removing the option to use oobe\bypassnro trick to bypass a windows account.

Seen on Bleeping Computer theres another "trick"  https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/mi...quirement/

Haven't tried it yet but will be

[king1]

lets have a copy of that for easy reference 

When installing Windows 11 and you reach the screen asking, "Let's connect you to a network," you can use the Shift+F10 keyboard combination to open a Windows command prompt.
At this prompt, type 

Code:

start ms-cxh:localonly

 and press Enter on your keyboard to open a "Microsoft account" window where you can create a new local user for the Windows 11 install.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/mi...quirement/

[Wainuitech]

Just gave it a go - Works well, BUT This is on a fresh install, blank drive, leave disconnected from internet, and when asks for connection then enter the commands.

Only thing is of course there are a lot of Driver and other updates afterwards.

Don't know how this would work for a preinstalled system like a new Shop brought laptop, as normally the 1st thing it does is want a internet connection to carry on. Wish I had of known this yesterday, installed two new Lenovo's yesterday and today. -- have to wait and see I spose

[nzoomed]

I was just reading about this yesterday, am yet to try it. I feel it will only be a matter of time before M$ will block this method too, hopefully not.

[Wainuitech]

I was just reading about this yesterday, am yet to try it. I feel it will only be a matter of time before M$ will block this method too, hopefully not.

Thats what I as thinking as well. Its also mentioned in the article near the end  

However, as the start ms-cxh:localonly command appears to be more tightly integrated into the operating system, rather than just a script, it will likely be harder to remove.

I think its connected to creating another user without a MS account as is now. 

There is also a reg edit you can do but not tried that one yet.

[king1]

The method listed in this link is similar but uses a developer console to initiate the command
https://github.com/the-P1neapple/WinJS-M...unt-Bypass

provides a bit more background on how it works

[nzoomed]

I was just reading about this yesterday, am yet to try it. I feel it will only be a matter of time before M$ will block this method too, hopefully not.

Thats what I as thinking as well. Its also mentioned in the article near the end  

However, as the start ms-cxh:localonly command appears to be more tightly integrated into the operating system, rather than just a script, it will likely be harder to remove.

I think its connected to creating another user without a MS account as is now. 

There is also a reg edit you can do but not tried that one yet.

Given the amount of time the current method has been published, it still might be some time before they patch it up.
Im hoping that a simple regisrty patch from a USB can be run from command prompt instead should microsoft go this way.

[paulw]

I be M$ will soon block this as well in anear future update. Then someone will find another back door.

[king1]

there is always going to be a need for local system accounts by some mission critical systems somewhere that absolutely cannot be connected to the internet for whatever reason... So I don't think they are ever going to be able to remove the functionality completely.

I guess they could limit it to specific versions maybe

[Wainuitech]

Thats what I as thinking as well. Its also mentioned in the article near the end  

I think its connected to creating another user without a MS account as is now. 

There is also a reg edit you can do but not tried that one yet.

Given the amount of time the current method has been published, it still might be some time before they patch it up.
Im hoping that a simple regisrty patch from a USB can be run from command prompt instead should microsoft go this way.

There is a reported Reg hack, haven't tried it yet or made up a reg file to try, could be interesting. Description is down the page: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/mi...indows-11/  

Code:

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
shutdown /r /t 0

[nzoomed]

there is always going to be a need for local system accounts by some mission critical systems somewhere that absolutely cannot be connected to the internet for whatever reason... So I don't think they are ever going to be able to remove the functionality completely.

I guess they could limit it to specific versions maybe

I would expect that the enterprise editions would not require this.

Given the amount of time the current method has been published, it still might be some time before they patch it up.
Im hoping that a simple regisrty patch from a USB can be run from command prompt instead should microsoft go this way.

There is a reported Reg hack, haven't tried it yet or made up a reg file to try, could be interesting. Description is down the page: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/mi...indows-11/  

Code:

reg add HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
shutdown /r /t 0

I will play around with that when I get a chance, going forward im afraid a registry hack might be our only way around this in the future.

[king1]

lets have a copy of that for easy reference 

When installing Windows 11 and you reach the screen asking, "Let's connect you to a network," you can use the Shift+F10 keyboard combination to open a Windows command prompt.
At this prompt, type 

Code:

start ms-cxh:localonly

 and press Enter on your keyboard to open a "Microsoft account" window where you can create a new local user for the Windows 11 install.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/mi...quirement/

just tried today on a new laptop, worked a treat... Much quicker than the bypassnro and waiting for restart etc