What User Account should I use for PC to be sold

gzt7d8 · 10 Apr 2018

I'm going to sell my PC but before I do, I'm going to put a clean install on the machine. As part of a normal installation steps, you normally login to your MS Account. But I don't want to put my account on the machine, I'm hoping you have a solution that will allow me to put some local/temp user account that the new owner can then login with their MS account name and password after they purchase the PC.

I looked through the User Tutorials but nothing jumped out at me.

What do you suggest?

Greg

Brink · 10 Apr 2018

Hello Greg, :)

If you like, while doing a clean install, you can stop at step 16 below and just turn off the PC. This will give you an out-of-box experience (OOBE) for the new owner to pick up at this step to continue setting up Windows 10 on the PC how they want.

Clean Install Windows 10 Windows 10 Tutorials

NavyLCDR · 10 Apr 2018

At the first user login screen where you would normally create the first user account, press ctrl+shift+F3. This will log you into the built-in administrator account in audit mode. You can connect to WiFi or Ethernet, do updates, install device drivers, make sure the computer is all set up properly. Then select the option in the Sysprep window that opens automatically to shutdown in OOBE mode. All traces of the login that was temporarily used, including WiFi network name and password will be erased and the next time the computer is booted, it will go back to the initial screen asking to create the first user account as if nobody had ever logged onto the computer before. But all the device drivers and updates installed will remain in place.

DeaconFrost · 11 Apr 2018

It's called an Offline Account, and it's an option during the install routine. Choose Personal as for the type of account. The installer will true to persuade you to use a Microsoft Account, but you can continue on. I normally create one called User or End User or something like that.

gzt7d8 · 11 Apr 2018

Outstanding responses, all of which seem easy enough for me to put in place. I had planned on doing a clean install ahead of the planned sale so I might just run through these recommendations ahead of the actual sale.

Thanks again for your responses!

Greg

Brink · 11 Apr 2018

Glad we could help Greg.