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Microsoft is plugging more holes that let you use Windows 11 without an online account
(www.theverge.com)
this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2025
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rufus doesn't help with preloads that you don't want to or can't, for whatever reason, overwrite with a 'clean' install.
If os can't be installed off a usb then that means linux can't either, which makes it a pretty sad machine to spend money on.
So it must be a work or school device then? Which users wouldn't be installing OS on anyways with it being handled through IT.
There are plenty that will boot/install Linux just fine but won't do a nice clean install of Windows 11.
Modern Thinkpad E16 (AMD) is one of them, a clean USB won't work, it will always stick at not finding required drivers.
You need to inevitably create a USB install from the MS USB Media Creation tool, running on the machine itself from the included crapware Windows - to get an installer USB that will work.
Different if you're just pushing a wim over the network from endpoint/scm, but it's basically broken for local users.
That's unfortunate. Looks like thinkpads aren't worth getting. I generally do not trust manfucturer preinstalled OS.
Only if you want to run Windows on that model I guess. My kid has an E16 AMD and installed Fedora Linux from a USB no problem.
Especially pertinent for Lenovo.
I would still get a ThinkPad, but then, I would never be putting Windows on it anyway.