How to reinstall Windows 10 on my computer without tying the OS to my personal account again?

[RobertSaget]

I am selling my custom built computer, which includes Windows 10 that has been activated with my personal Windows account. I told the kid who is buying it that I would do a fresh install of windows and update the drivers for him (since he doesn't know how).

 

What I need to know is:
When I go to reinstall windows, how can I activate windows on this machine again, without having to use my personal account?

 

I downloaded the windows media creation tool and made a boot USB from that, but I don't want to go through this process until I know what steps I am going to need to take. I have looked all over for this, but there is so much conflicting or irrelevant information to parse through.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

[mr cheese]

I believe Windows 10 is also linked to hardware ID's, which stay consistent to your hardware configuration. Try installing windows and creating an offline account (DO NOT SIGN IN WITH A MICROSOFT ACCOUNT) without entering a product key at installation time, and if you log in and it says Windows is not activated, then you may need to look for further solutions from there. Also, I believe there is a way to get your product key off of your Microsoft account, or off of Windows once you've activated it with your Microsoft account, and you should be able to reactive that same system with that same key again, since your hardware would be the same/mostly the same.

 

Hope this helps!

[HeyKitty]

okay. Listen up, I do this literally every day.

 

While installing and configuring Windows10 during the wizard you are going to get the sign into/create a Microsoft account screen, should look like this:

Now. If you do NOT have that "offline account" option in the bottom left corner. you will type "Admin" into the email/phone box and hit next.

 

Now type "123" into the password field and hit next once again.

 

It will fail and let you create an offline account.

 

You're welcome

[kelvinhall05]

40 minutes ago, RobertSaget said:

When I go to reinstall windows, how can I activate windows on this machine again, without having to use my personal account?

 

Go through the Windows install without signing into a Microsoft account, and instead making an offline account. Then buy another product key and use that to activate Windows.

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

18 minutes ago, HeyKitty said:

okay. Listen up, I do this literally every day.

 

While installing and configuring Windows10 during the wizard you are going to get the sign into/create a Microsoft account screen, should look like this:

Now. If you do NOT have that "offline account" option in the bottom left corner. you will type "Admin" into the email/phone box and hit next.

 

Now type "123" into the password field and hit next once again.

 

It will fail and let you create an offline account.

 

You're welcome

I believe that only works with Pro versions. Home versions literally lock you into making a Microsoft account if I remember correctly. You literally have to disconnect from all networks in order to proceed with a offline account on Home. 

[HeyKitty]

3 minutes ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

I believe that only works with Pro versions. Home versions literally lock you into making a Microsoft account if I remember correctly. You literally have to disconnect from all networks in order to proceed with a offline account on Home. 

did a windows 10 home on an HP 2000-2bw19wm laptop today. Just wipe the drive and reinstall with USB.

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

32 minutes ago, HeyKitty said:

did a windows 10 home on an HP 2000-2bw19wm laptop today. Just wipe the drive and reinstall with USB.

I guess you're using an older installer because just as I remembered when I had to re-image an old HP Compaq for a family friend a few months back:

 

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-create-local-account-during-windows-10-home-setup-process

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-set-up-windows-10-with-a-local-account

[HeyKitty]

3 minutes ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

I guess you're using an older installer because just as I remembered when I had to re-image an old HP Compaq for a family friend a few months back:

 

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-create-local-account-during-windows-10-home-setup-process

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-set-up-windows-10-with-a-local-account

nope. recreate with every big update. Speeds up the update process once installed.

 

just try this:

1 hour ago, HeyKitty said:

While installing and configuring Windows10 during the wizard you are going to get the sign into/create a Microsoft account screen, should look like this:

Now. If you do NOT have that "offline account" option in the bottom left corner. you will type "Admin" into the email/phone box and hit next.

 

Now type "123" into the password field and hit next once again.

 

It will fail and let you create an offline account.

and if it wont let you, send a video because I still don't believe I'm magical  

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

Just now, HeyKitty said:

nope. recreate with every big update. Speeds up the update process once installed.

 

just try this:

and if it wont let you, send a video because I still don't believe I'm magical  

Well this is literally what I saw:

The offline option is nowhere to be found for Home editions. Only when I'm working on my own machine which has Pro does that option show up. Microsoft is just weird...

[HeyKitty]

Just now, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

Well this is literally what I saw:

The offline option is nowhere to be found for Home editions. Only when I'm working on my own machine which has Pro does that option show up. Microsoft is just weird...

Correct, so type Admin into that field. and hit next.

 

It will then ask for a password. type a filler password like "123asd" or the such.  It will fail and ask if you'd like to setup offline.

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

3 minutes ago, HeyKitty said:

Correct, so type Admin into that field. and hit next.

 

It will then ask for a password. type a filler password like "123asd" or the such.  It will fail and ask if you'd like to setup offline.

Haven't tried typing Admin, I've just yanked the ethernet cable out so it's forced to do offline like the articles mentioned. Might try that next time.

[HeyKitty]

Just now, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

Haven't tried typing Admin, I've just yanked the ethernet cable out so it's forced to do offline like the articles mentioned. Might try that next time.

let me know how it goes, I got to setup 8 desktops tomorrow, I hope it still works tomorrow

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

Just now, HeyKitty said:

let me know how it goes, I got to setup 8 desktops tomorrow, I hope it still works tomorrow

Who knows when that'll be hahaha. In my day job we just use SCCM to image machines. It's only when I'm at home helping family/friends do I have to install the good  old fashion way. 

[RobertSaget]

Thank you everyone for your help! I really appreciate it. Just want to give the little dude a good starter pc, so I wanted to make sure not to mess up the setup before selling it to his dad.

[metaleggman]

Not sure if this still works, but you could try setting up windows 10 while not online.  When I setup my rig last year, I was annoyed because I was using a wifi adapter with its own drivers, so Windows 10 originally setup with an offline account, which I didn't want.

 

Ohp, realized @BlueChinchillaEatingDorito mentioned this already lol