Windows 8.1 with a Windows live account, absolutely useless!!
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 8,121
Likes: 686
From: Twickenham, home of rugby
I've just started evaluating Windows 8.1 - a clean install requires almost 1GB of updates already!!! 
There's two things to be aware of regarding local and internet accounts.
At installation time, as mad jock says, one has to be careful to select custom rather than express settings to ensure that a local account is created.
Also, the first time you use one of the built-in apps, it will probably drag you through an account creation / logon process, that will actually replace your local logon account with your MS internet account. Unbelievable.
Yet another thing - the local account you (hopefully) created is the only admin account, as the built-in Administrator account is disabled by default.
So my recommendation to anyone who wants to remain sane is to initially install and configure Win 8.1 with a "dummy" local account that will be your backup admin account. Then enable the Built-in Admin account. Then create a local USER (not admin) account that will be your main user account.
SD
There's two things to be aware of regarding local and internet accounts.
At installation time, as mad jock says, one has to be careful to select custom rather than express settings to ensure that a local account is created.
Also, the first time you use one of the built-in apps, it will probably drag you through an account creation / logon process, that will actually replace your local logon account with your MS internet account. Unbelievable.
Yet another thing - the local account you (hopefully) created is the only admin account, as the built-in Administrator account is disabled by default.
So my recommendation to anyone who wants to remain sane is to initially install and configure Win 8.1 with a "dummy" local account that will be your backup admin account. Then enable the Built-in Admin account. Then create a local USER (not admin) account that will be your main user account.
SD
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 436
Likes: 0
From: Patterson, NY
just wipe it off and put XP on it. Should run great on new hardware.
Joined: Apr 2008
Aviation Qualifications: SLF
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 228
From: troposphere
Just bought a netbook with W8.I didn't have to sign in with a Live account either.Although the mail app kept on filling the screen when I was using Hotmail (aka Live) and constant reminders to update to 8.1.I killed the mail app popups by turning off all notifications.
I'm not upgrading to 8.1 until I have no choice.
I'm not upgrading to 8.1 until I have no choice.
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,845
Likes: 21
From: YMML
You have until January 2016 according to this: Windows 8.1 Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 970
Likes: 1
From: Timbuktu
With 8.1 Update 1 you can skip MS account by clicking "make new account" and then the "sign in without an MS account" (or words to that effect) link is visible.
Also, you can follow a series of instructions to boot directly from the Win8.1 .wim file, saving a very substantial amount of disk space.
Windows Image File Boot (WIMBoot) Overview
Also, you can follow a series of instructions to boot directly from the Win8.1 .wim file, saving a very substantial amount of disk space.
Windows Image File Boot (WIMBoot) Overview
