15 ms·

I have not used windows in a while but thinking of building a PC. Is there a way to install way older version of windows 10 without Microsoft's AI nonsense and

I have not used windows in a while but thinking of building a PC. Is there a way to install way older version of windows 10 without Microsoft's AI nonsense and the online account requirement?

lifetimerubyist 9mo ago
I just did it today with the current ISO you can download from Microsoft themselves. Then installed all the Windows updates, graphics drivers and even enrolled in the free extended security support. Then I just uninstalled Cortana and Copilot manually. Ezpz Be warned that they employ extreme amounts of dark patterns to try and trick you into converting the offline account into an online one. Online activation of the Windows license is separate from an online user account.
- dotancohen 9mo ago
  > Be warned that they employ extreme amounts of dark patterns to try and trick you into converting the offline account into an online one. This would be an extremely valuable comment if you would document that.
- abound 9mo ago
  Were you able to enable extended security updates without logging in? I've held out for literal years, but that was the thing that finally made me log into an online user account (and start figuring out how to finally cut the last bit of Windows out of my life)
  - wmf 9mo ago
    Just pirate the updates with Massgrave.
- robinsonb5 9mo ago
  Were you able to use the online activation system without a Microsoft account? I wasn't able to - though as you say, that account doesn't have to be tied to the license or an account on the machine being activated.
CamperBob2 9mo ago
Look into LTSC, and the resources at https://massgrave.dev/ https://massgrave.dev/ . Disclaimer: I have no personal knowledge of that site, but it is commonly recommended when this subject comes up.
- q3k 9mo ago
  I've heard that it is a way to reliably but potentially illegally activate MSFT products. Stay away.
  - kristofferR 9mo ago
    Nah, it's been hosted by Microsoft for years, on Github for a decade, without as much as a takedown notice, 161k stars now, they don't mind. https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts If they wanted it removed from GitHub they would have done so.
  - nixass 9mo ago
    Hot take but legality is completely irrelevant for home use
  - 9x39 9mo ago
    If you're a midsize business with revenue, theoretically one of their enforcement partners may take a run at you, but this is not a thing with home users (or even most small business abuse).
  - shepherdjerred 9mo ago
    I'd feel bad only if there were a legitimate way to acquire the LTSC for home use
everyone 9mo ago
Just get Windows 10 LTSC from the pirate bay and install IOT version. It's an actually good version of Windows MS dont sell to normal people.
- monocasa 9mo ago
  It's based on 20H2, so there's software that doesn't support it like Starfield.
  - 9029 9mo ago
    I thought it worked just fine on LTSC 2021 (21H2)
  - everyone 9mo ago
    I played starfield just fine on LTSC 2021.
loeg 9mo ago
It's possible, but it won't get security updates anymore.
kristofferR 9mo ago
Windows 10 is outdated, not recommended at all. Just install Win11 Enterprise and get your favorite LLM to give you instructions to remove the stuff you don't want, after like 15 minutes it will be totally cleaned for perpetuity.
- deleted 9mo ago
  [deleted]
- Unai 9mo ago
  Not recommended by whom? Win10 still works perfectly fine, has less bloatware, will be supported for a while, and probably won't get updates that just add useless AI and advertisements. If someone wants/needs Windows, I would absolutely recommend windows 10 right now, it's probably the best time for using that version.
wvenable 9mo ago
If you're willing go through a little bit of trouble -- and it sounds like you are -- it's pretty easy to configure Windows 11 to look and act pretty much like Windows 7. You'd be hard pressed to tell what version of Windows I'm running if you gave it a cursory glance. The main tool for me is https://www.startallback.com/ https://www.startallback.com/ O2O Shutup ( https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 ) is also pretty useful for disabling anything you don't like all in one place -- it doesn't even install.
- nilslindemann 9mo ago
  I also found Winscript and Windhawk useful. https://github.com/flick9000/winscript https://github.com/flick9000/winscript https://github.com/ramensoftware/windhawk https://github.com/ramensoftware/windhawk
- layer8 9mo ago
  Only Aero, Classic theme not really.
shepherdjerred 9mo ago
https://massgrave.dev/windows_ltsc_links https://massgrave.dev/windows_ltsc_links

I have not used windows in a while but thinking of building a PC. Is there a way to install way older version of windows 10 without Microsoft's AI nonsense and the online account requirement?

lifetimerubyist 9mo ago

I just did it today with the current ISO you can download from Microsoft themselves. Then installed all the Windows updates, graphics drivers and even enrolled in the free extended security support. Then I just uninstalled Cortana and Copilot manually. Ezpz Be warned that they employ extreme amounts of dark patterns to try and trick you into converting the offline account into an online one. Online activation of the Windows license is separate from an online user account.

dotancohen 9mo ago
> Be warned that they employ extreme amounts of dark patterns to try and trick you into converting the offline account into an online one. This would be an extremely valuable comment if you would document that.
abound 9mo ago
Were you able to enable extended security updates without logging in? I've held out for literal years, but that was the thing that finally made me log into an online user account (and start figuring out how to finally cut the last bit of Windows out of my life)
- wmf 9mo ago
  Just pirate the updates with Massgrave.
robinsonb5 9mo ago
Were you able to use the online activation system without a Microsoft account? I wasn't able to - though as you say, that account doesn't have to be tied to the license or an account on the machine being activated.

CamperBob2 9mo ago

Look into LTSC, and the resources at https://massgrave.dev/ https://massgrave.dev/ . Disclaimer: I have no personal knowledge of that site, but it is commonly recommended when this subject comes up.

q3k 9mo ago
I've heard that it is a way to reliably but potentially illegally activate MSFT products. Stay away.
- kristofferR 9mo ago
  Nah, it's been hosted by Microsoft for years, on Github for a decade, without as much as a takedown notice, 161k stars now, they don't mind. https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts If they wanted it removed from GitHub they would have done so.
- nixass 9mo ago
  Hot take but legality is completely irrelevant for home use
- 9x39 9mo ago
  If you're a midsize business with revenue, theoretically one of their enforcement partners may take a run at you, but this is not a thing with home users (or even most small business abuse).
- shepherdjerred 9mo ago
  I'd feel bad only if there were a legitimate way to acquire the LTSC for home use

everyone 9mo ago

Just get Windows 10 LTSC from the pirate bay and install IOT version. It's an actually good version of Windows MS dont sell to normal people.

monocasa 9mo ago
It's based on 20H2, so there's software that doesn't support it like Starfield.
- 9029 9mo ago
  I thought it worked just fine on LTSC 2021 (21H2)
- everyone 9mo ago
  I played starfield just fine on LTSC 2021.

loeg 9mo ago

It's possible, but it won't get security updates anymore.

kristofferR 9mo ago

Windows 10 is outdated, not recommended at all. Just install Win11 Enterprise and get your favorite LLM to give you instructions to remove the stuff you don't want, after like 15 minutes it will be totally cleaned for perpetuity.

deleted 9mo ago
[deleted]
Unai 9mo ago
Not recommended by whom? Win10 still works perfectly fine, has less bloatware, will be supported for a while, and probably won't get updates that just add useless AI and advertisements. If someone wants/needs Windows, I would absolutely recommend windows 10 right now, it's probably the best time for using that version.

wvenable 9mo ago

If you're willing go through a little bit of trouble -- and it sounds like you are -- it's pretty easy to configure Windows 11 to look and act pretty much like Windows 7. You'd be hard pressed to tell what version of Windows I'm running if you gave it a cursory glance. The main tool for me is https://www.startallback.com/ https://www.startallback.com/ O2O Shutup ( https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 https://www.oo-software.com/en/shutup10 ) is also pretty useful for disabling anything you don't like all in one place -- it doesn't even install.

nilslindemann 9mo ago
I also found Winscript and Windhawk useful. https://github.com/flick9000/winscript https://github.com/flick9000/winscript https://github.com/ramensoftware/windhawk https://github.com/ramensoftware/windhawk
layer8 9mo ago
Only Aero, Classic theme not really.

shepherdjerred 9mo ago

https://massgrave.dev/windows_ltsc_links https://massgrave.dev/windows_ltsc_links