Ditching Windows!

[Eggy1]

As I previously explained I am locked out of my laptop by Microsoft password reset. I was requested to fill out an online form to create a new password and have been refused 3 times! Had enough! So heres my question, I was planning an upgrade of Ram and Hard drive to SSD. If I remove my original drive and replace with SSD can I load Linux and see the back of Windows? or isn`t it that simple? Many thanks for any info.

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Just use the HP cloud recovery tool to create a bootable USB recovery drive that you boot from in order to factory reset the notebook.

Then set up a new account.

Since you are booting from the media the same as you would with Linux, there is no need to enter any P/W.

You will lose all data on the hard drive by doing this.

Here is an info link for how to use the cloud recovery tool.

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06162205

After you set up a new account, you can switch to a local account, so that doesn't happen to you again.

I can't believe that on W10 Home, users are forced to create a Microsoft account to initially set up the PC.

I took me 15 minutes to figure out how to switch from a Microsoft account to a local account in W10 Home.

On W10 Pro, you can set up a local account right from the get-go.

[Eggy1]

Many thanks for replying, great advice and problem solved!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

I found out how you can set up an offline account on a new PC with W10 home for the next time, or if you have to factory reset the PC again.

Skip getting connected to the network and you will be able to set up a local account.

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

The thing I don't know is if you can skip entering a password at this step.   

I would if I could, because the new Windows asks you to create and answer 3 security questions.

When I changed out of the Microsoft account and set up a local account, I was able to use my usual logon password and enter the one password hint like we've been able to do since Windows Vista.