Basically, install Windows as you normally would, but when asked for Time and Currency format, select English (World) instead of your country.
Then let the installer do its thing. Eventually, you will see a window with an ice cream cone on the floor with the words “Something went wrong” and the error message “OOBEREGION.” This cryptic message means that the “out of box experience” (OOBE) didn’t launch because it didn’t know which region to launch.
Click Skip, though, and Windows will install just fine. You won’t be prompted to buy Microsoft 365, you won’t be prompted to pay for a OneDrive subscription, and your Start menu won’t be cluttered with apps.
After the install. Create admin and user accounts not tied to ms. Use the user account normally, and when you need admin you enter the second account details.
Use Sophia script to clean up all the advert apps bundled with win11.
I wish I could find a script to remove the advert features from edge for when I have to office. Mozilla Firefox is your day to day browser.
Use chocolatey.org to install ur apps. When you do updates, one command can do it all.
Check start-up scripts, and ensure there is nothing that doesn’t need to be there. Teams no, zoom also no.
Isn’t it ironic how you need instructions now to install Windows with a bearable level of bloat? Kinda like installing Arch just for uninstalling/skipping instead of installing.
Everyone keeps telling me Linux is hard to install and use and then I find crap like this and I get confused. I don’t have to worry about any of this shit with Arch.
So Arch works with every hardware imaginable without issues?
Any reason to use chocolatey over winget?
::gestures broadly::
Im assuming this is the Sophia Script you’re referring to? https://github.com/farag2/Sophia-Script-for-Windows
I actually managed to excise Edge from my system entirely, so pressing F1 in explorer doesn’t launch it anymore.
Dsspite some people warning that Edge was needed for some “core web functionality” it has broken nothing except the handful of places where they want to force you to launch a link in Edge. In that case nothing happens, but that’s not a big deal since I know how to use search engines to find information, which is the only purpose those features served.
It took quite a few steps but I got there. There are a few extra steps to stop it coming back in the next update but you can do it.
Jesus Christ feels like using a treadmill!
I like to use Winget instead of chocolatey
Check start-up scripts, and ensure there is nothing that doesn’t need to be there.
Nothing better than Autoruns for this.
Does the Sophia script allow you to pick and chose what apps to remove? Some of them are actually useful.
Yes, it does.
According to the article, “The only downside is that the Windows Store appears not to work out of the box.”
“The only downside is that the Windows Store appears not to work out of the box.”
This is a feature, not a bug.
Can be a major deal breaker though for anyone using GamePass.
If you’re gonna buy into the Microsoft ecosystem with a subscription service and a Microsoft Account, you’ll be stuck with their trash. Should maybe consider what else might “break Gamepass” in the future (purely by accident of course).
Like how if you don’t want OneDrive, whoops, now your Office documents can’t autosave. Better put OneDrive back like a good consumer and here’s some ads about increasing storage, you’re welcome.
Also Windows MR, potentially.
And WSL.
that is absolutely not a downside
GamePass.
Article’s author didn’t fully catch the meaning of “downside”.
I’m of the opinion that MS will eventually get this right, but it won’t be called Windows 11 by the time it does. The redesign, efforts into command-line and WSL, they are moving in a positive direction, but the ads, bloat, spyware, needs to go. If they can release Win12 or whatever its called with the simplicity of Win11, have the features of Win10 (and finally put a nail in the old interfaces from XP and before), they could have another solid performer like Windows 7.
they are moving in a positive direction, but the ads, bloat, spyware, needs to go
They’re going nowhere. It’s making money, Microsoft is using that income to offset development cost instead of just selling the OS at a flat reasonable rate. It’s part of the Windows business model now.
Windows is entrenched, they own most of the business world, they will never face serious kickback for their design decisions. Not at this point. Not until Gen Z gets old enough and numerous enough to start pushing workplaces to adopt Apple, and that’s an even worse direction.
This isn’t ever going to change. The only thing they’ll do is give tools to Enterprise editions for businesses to control the install, and only via Azure, at a price point far too high for the average user. Anything less than Enterprise will be locked down and monetized to hell and back.
Effectively, if you’re not a business, you will not have true control over Windows. Users no longer get to be admins. You have to pay for that privilege.
Yeah windows 11 is laying ground work for all of this.
It seems like they have decided that plebs and OEMs paying licenses was not a good business model.
Really makes you wonder where the entire business world is heading. It seems every company starting to prefer this route.
They’re not offsetting anything, they still charge money for the boxed copy sold in stores. This is pure profit for them.
Not until Gen Z gets old enough and numerous enough to start pushing workplaces to adopt Apple, and that’s an even worse direction.
Elder millennial here. This was said of us, too. I remember main framers sometimes noting this direction and poking fun.
Yet here I am and the world keeps chugging along in similar ways.
I don’t know why gen z is being portrayed as tech illiterate everywhere on lemmy. We grew up with technology and half of us are adults already
Growing up with technology doesn’t automatically grant you knowledge of it. Kids that grow up with iPads are capable of using iPads, but sit them in front of a computer and they’ll be lost. Being technically literate is more than just being able to install an app from the app store.
the ads, bloat, spyware, needs to go
They just introduced them. What makes you think this isn’t an integral part of the future of Windows?
Win12 gonna spy even harder tho
Win12 isn’t gonna run locally. OS as a service.
Window Sun Ray edition…
I think they’ll go even harder, making Windows only run stuff purchased through the Windows Store so they can completely lock in the market.
For “security“
Absolutely. The security argument is used so often I’m surprised people aren’t more cynical about it.
Some of us abandoned MS in the 90s and never looked back.
I haven’t ran Windows as a primary since 98.
Financial security no doubt
They already have a Windows “S” mode or whatever it’s called that does this. People will reject it, even casual users. I had one person ask me to turn off this mode to their kid could play Roblox. They just want to run apps, they don’t care how they work.
(and finally put a nail in the old interfaces from XP and before)
that’s probably not going to happen because it will break some programs
Honestly, there are some apps out there they need complete overhauls or to be completely replaced.
I choose antartica as region, and appers to be the same
> Clean Install
> Windows 11
The cleanest windows 11 install topped off with formatting the drive and installing Linux.
Download Rufus.
Download Pop! OS
Create USB installer.
Install Pop! OS
There you go.
Microsoft is a “New Oil” drilling company. Expect the Enron like approach
This is my opinion …
To clean install Windows 11, first, create a bootable USB drive using the Windows Media Creation Tool. Boot your PC from the USB drive, select your language and region, and click “Install Now.” Enter your product key if prompted or choose to activate later. Follow the on-screen instructions, format your desired drive, and complete the installation process.
Get the N verison and you won’t get any bloatware either
Look for Tiny10 and Tiny11 versions.
Do not recommend Tiny10/11. They are modified Windows ISOs and we have no way of knowing what actually was modified and if there’s anything malicious under the hood.
Besides it also completely breaks a bunch of actually useful features.
What’s that?
A barebones stripped down version of windows. Basically the smallest install possible to run windows. I use it on my Mac to virtualize windows.
I would rather go for Linux but when Windows needed I’d go for LTSB/LTSC version, choose this oobe during install, after install run christitustech debloat script, activate through github script and in register turn off auto download/install updates. 1.4GB ram idle usage while having all you need.
Linux btw
Removed by mod
An illiterate man has no use for books
“He only beats me when I deserve it”
