New NVME & Clean W10 install.... Account Info?

[doutee]

Hi there

I have a new NVME SSD I'm going to use to replace my existing one. I'll take the opportunity to have a clean W10 install on the new drive, and have found some guides as to how to do this so am hopeful I can do it without too many problems.

One question I have though is regarding the 'Microsoft Account' usually required during the setup process to install a new version of Windows. As I already have a W10 system up and running (bought from and setup by PC Specialist) do I already have a Microsoft Account, and if so do I need to know these details to proceed with the new install? Or will it be starting entirely from scratch, and so I'll need to set up a new account myself?
On a related note, I've read in various places that there used to be a way of using a local account and not having to sign in with a Microsoft account... is this possible?

Many thanks for any help!

Hope you're all enjoying as good a holiday break as possible!

 

[ubuysa]

You can use the existing Microsoft account.

It is still possible to use a local account. On the setup page where it asks you to sign in with your Microsoft account look at the bottom left, there's an option there to use a local account instead.

 

[doutee]

Thanks for such a quick reply Ubuysa!

"You can use the existing Microsoft account." - I'm not sure if I already have an existing Microsoft Account. I'm guessing from your reply that I do though; if so where would I find the details of it?

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks for such a quick reply Ubuysa!

"You can use the existing Microsoft account." - I'm not sure if I already have an existing Microsoft Account. I'm guessing from your reply that I do though; if so where would I find the details of it?

The Microsoft account is what you use for anything Microsoft, office 365, Xbox, etc etc.

If you’re logging in with an email and password then that’s the Microsoft account.

 

[ubuysa]

Thanks for such a quick reply Ubuysa!

"You can use the existing Microsoft account." - I'm not sure if I already have an existing Microsoft Account. I'm guessing from your reply that I do though; if so where would I find the details of it?

Ah, I misread your 'do I' as 'I do'... ☺️

A Microsoft account is simply an account with @hotmail.com or @live.com, etc. You can set one up during the Windows install if you want. The advantages of logging in with a Microsoft account are that it syncs many of your settings (like the desktop wallpaper) so you don't have to do a bunch of setting up when you reinstall. It saves you having to manually login to the Microsoft Store every time and you can associate your Windows license with your Microsoft ID as a digital license and carry it with you to a new PC...

 

[Bhuna50]

It no longer has to be @hotmail or @live as I use my @blueyonder


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Martinr36]

You can user any email to sighn up for a microsoft account i think, my main one is with my gmail

 

[doutee]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

So I don't have, nor want a Microsoft Account (if I can avoid it). I think Ubuysa answered my main query by saying that I can still proceed with the installation without signing up to anything, by using an offline/local account instead.

My worry was that because PC Specialist initally set everything up for me, that maybe there was a username / account they created for me that I should know the details of, in order to proceed with the clean install. Sounds like that isn't the case.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

So I don't have, nor want a Microsoft Account (if I can avoid it). I think Ubuysa answered my main query by saying that I can still proceed with the installation without signing up to anything, by using an offline/local account instead.

My worry was that because PC Specialist initally set everything up for me, that maybe there was a username / account they created for me that I should know the details of, in order to proceed with the clean install. Sounds like that isn't the case.

You can only use a local account if it’s a retail copy with a printed key. If it’s an OEM with no key, you have to tie the license to a Microsoft account to be able to transfer it to another machine.

 

[doutee]

You can only use a local account if it’s a retail copy with a printed key. If it’s an OEM with no key, you have to tie the license to a Microsoft account to be able to transfer it to another machine.

So it's the same machine, just with a new NVME SSD, would that be an issue? I have a key written down somewhere if that's required as part of the process.

 

[SpyderTracks]

So it's the same machine, just with a new NVME SSD, would that be an issue? I have a key written down somewhere if that's required as part of the process.

Ah, apologies, if it's the same machine, it will be fine to keep it as local install.

 

[Gavras]

Make sure if you have an online account (or move to one) that you have 2FA enabled.

want to scare yourself, look in your MS account Info on where attempted logins have occurred.

 

[doutee]

Well on a related note to do with privacy, I wonder if anyone can recommend a useful (up-to-date) guide on retaining as much privacy as possible on W10?
On the previous install I went through all the usual things to do with apps, Cortana, access to mic/video etc... even installed "Spybot" which I've since heard isn't recommended (or that it isn't free anymore). I'm aware there's only so much you can do, but I would like to keep as much control as possible over what MS collects.

 

[Gavras]

Well on a related note to do with privacy, I wonder if anyone can recommend a useful (up-to-date) guide on retaining as much privacy as possible on W10?
On the previous install I went through all the usual things to do with apps, Cortana, access to mic/video etc... even installed "Spybot" which I've since heard isn't recommended (or that it isn't free anymore). I'm aware there's only so much you can do, but I would like to keep as much control as possible over what MS collects.

The following covers some basics.

it is however Tin Foil hate territory.

It also opens up security issues such as using passwords and not Pins with 2FA - which then makes you very visible to the wrong people.

Also games and applications collect far more information than Microsoft.

What exactly on your PC are you worried about Microsoft seeing?......

They do not care who you are, you are basically a nobody, a very little person in the huge global ecosphere of online people.


the simplest and best method for online privacy is don’t go online, after that it’s create a fake online presence - different name, mobile not linked to you and do not have any social media accounts that include friends or family ever.

 

[ubuysa]

The details of the data that Windows telemetry collects can be found here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...ndows-10-28808a2b-a31b-dd73-dcd3-4559a5199319 which says this....

This data is transmitted to Microsoft and stored with one or more unique identifiers that can help us recognize an individual user on an individual device and understand the device's service issues and use patterns.

That means that Microsoft can associate future data coming from your PC with historical data from the same PC, but there is nothing to identify you personally. You're just another PC to them.

You can also install the Microsoft diagnostic data viewer from the store if you're concerned, with this you can monitor the real time data being sent to Microsoft. One very useful aspect of this viewer (that I use) are the details of the problem reports that have been automatically sent to Microsoft.

The bottom line us that if we want Windows to be constantly improved, if we want bugs identified before they cause problems, and performance bottlenecks identified before they become a problem, then we have to send diagnostic data to Microsoft to enable them to see how Windows is being used and what problems there are. We can't expect everyone else to send data to improve our own experience, we all have to cooperate with Microsoft in making Windows better.

You should be more afraid (much more afraid) of the web tracking that your browsers do - that's far more insidious, and of very limited value to us personally - than the diagnostic data that Microsoft collect within Windows.