Tech talk, cold comfort.

**Steven W**, 2025-10-08 04:18 »

https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/07/ ... t_loophole

Microsoft is closing a popular loophole that allowed users to install Windows 11 without a Microsoft account.

The change has appeared in recent Insider builds of Windows 11, indicating it is likely to be included in the production version soon.

Microsoft refers to these loopholes as "known mechanisms" and is talking about local commands in this instance. You can learn all about these in our piece for getting Windows 11 installed with a local account, but suffice to say start ms-cxh:localonly is no more.

"While these mechanisms were often used to bypass Microsoft account setup, they also inadvertently skip critical setup screens, potentially causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use," Microsoft said.

"Users will need to complete OOBE with internet and a Microsoft account, to ensure [the] device is set up correctly."

The change is part of Microsoft's ongoing game of Whac-A-Mole with users trying to find ways of avoiding its online services. In March, it removed the bypassnro.cmd script that allowed users to get through the Windows 11 setup without needing an internet connection. That time, Microsoft said the change was to "enhance security and user experience of Windows 11."

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It just keeps getting funnier. I hope they've upped whatever they pay their shills.

**Steven W**, 2025-09-26 02:24 »

I am about to laugh myself to death.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsofts-w ... -in-europe

To get the extension and stay on Windows 10, users need to choose from one of three options: they can cash in 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points, sync their Windows Backup to Microsoft OneDrive, or pay an upfront fee of $30.

While the first two options may seem free, they are closely tied to Microsoft's own services. The backup option might also push some users to purchase extra OneDrive storage since, by default, only 5GB is free.

These conditions didn't sit well with consumer advocacy group Euroconsumers. The group raised its concerns with Microsoft, which it felt was violating the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). "Linking access to essential security updates to engagement with Microsoft's own services raised reasonable doubt of compliance with obligations under Article 6(6) of the DMA," it says.

In response to the group's concerns, Microsoft has decided to make the extended security updates for Windows 10 completely free in the European Economic Area (EEA): no reward points or backups required.

You have to admit, after all the acquisitions that the Americunts allowed and then all the layoffs, this is a trifecta of fuck yous.

**Steven W**, 2025-09-16 03:58 »

https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/mic ... one-thing/

The ability to get free updates on Windows 10 is a pretty big deal because it is still the most widely used Windows OS, accounting for just over 53% of installs as of May 2025. That leaves millions of people without security support in just a month unless they upgrade. The cloud backup option gives users a way out without costing them any money.

The only potential issue is OneDrive. Anyone with a Microsoft account gets up to 5GB of storage for free. However, as The Verge points out, some backups may exceed this limitation, requiring users to purchase a monthly or yearly plan. At $2 a month for 100GB of cloud storage, a year of OneDrive still costs less than the $30 for a year of additional security updates, but it may still cause frustration among some customers.

The ability to get free updates on Windows is a pretty big deal because....

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as The Verge points out, some backups may exceed this limitation, requiring users to purchase a monthly or yearly plan. At $2 a month for 100GB of cloud storage, a year of OneDrive

Butt of crust, dahling!

At $2 a month for 100GB of cloud storage, a year of OneDrive still costs less than the $30 for a year of additional security updates...

These "tech sites" are sad shells of them former selves.

You have to admit, the timing of my previous comments was impeccable.

!, 2025-08-14 03:09 »

Yes, I think so too.

**Steven W**, 2025-08-12 23:31 »

Yeah, now that I think of it, I believe that's why Microsoft Windows is available so cheap and Microsoft looks the other way when someone basically makes it free. Simply put, a so-called operating system that transforms the 'end-user' into 'the product' should be free. Microsoft and Google both know this. Microsoft just wanted to create the illusion of 'getting it for almost nothing' for those that still believe that things are just like before. Exchange Subscription Edition, anyone?

**Steven W**, 2025-08-12 23:09 »

Sadly, I guess the same could be said of Microsoft and OneDrive as well.

**Steven W**, 2025-08-12 23:05 »

Heh, let's enter brutally-honest-mode for a second. Surely, the value of the info-gathering that Google does in ChromeOS Flex isn't so minimal, that Google also needs to push subscriptions to Google Drive that hard as well.

**Steven W**, 2025-08-12 22:59 »

! wrote: ↑
2025-08-12 16:00
These machines seem to break easy or made of cheap junk, so I guess it's good nothing is actually "stored" on it locally. On the other hand, techies, will not like it.

Yeah, we're both thinking that Vanilla ChromeOS and Flex need to be a bit different. Not necessarily radically different, but some.

**Steven W**, 2025-08-12 22:48 »

Heh, I've been rolling some of this over in my mind. I think they encrypt everything. So, I could forgive some of this. I could overlook not sharing partitions, although the value (in security terms) of that when you can access flash drives is dubious at best. As much as I hate to say this, dual-(or more)booting doesn't necessarily require other operating systems to have access to ChromeOS/Flex's shit.

At bare minimum, they could provide a partition for your own stuff that they promise not to delete. Phrased another way, your files won't be treated as cache. In-overthinking-mode, a tool to recover that partition in the event of disaster would be nice too. Built-in to the images for installation of new versions might be really, really nice.

!, 2025-08-12 16:00 »

Steven W wrote: ↑
2025-08-09 02:04
...OS treats all local storage as cache...

That's kind'a scary, if accidentally yanking something, but on the other hand, it's made for average user, so, maybe that's a safe approach for them to also not accidentally yank something. These machines seem to break easy or made of cheap junk, so I guess it's good nothing is actually "stored" on it locally. On the other hand, techies, will not like it.