Clean install with Microsoft Account question

Hi all,
When clean installing using a Microsoft Account how does Windows 10 handle your favourites/bookmarks?
I have syncing turned on. During a clean installation are my favourites/bookmarks automatically restored back in to the Edge browser during the setup process or do you have to do it manually somehow?
Ive never tried it with Windows 10. With Windows 8.1 during the Set Up procedure after signing in with your Microsoft Account it used to show you several various backups that had been saved in the cloud and you had to select the one you wanted. Then as soon as setup was finished if you immediately went into the browser all of your favourites would be there

I have no idea about "syncing" or the use of a Microsoft Account during an install. I use a local account.

But....I'd think you could certainly backup your bookmarks manually to another drive or a USB stick, regardless of syncing and a Microsoft Account. I do that as a matter of course every few weeks anyway.

You'd have to find out where your bookmarks live on your C drive and then backup that folder, by ordinary drag and drop if nothing else. The location will vary by browser.

ignatzatsonic said:

I have no idea about "syncing" or the use of a Microsoft Account during an install. I use a local account.

But....I'd think you could certainly backup your bookmarks manually to another drive or a USB stick, regardless of syncing and a Microsoft Account. I do that as a matter of course every few weeks anyway.

You'd have to find out where your bookmarks live on your C drive and then backup that folder, by ordinary drag and drop if nothing else. The location will vary by browser.

I will save my bookmarks to a USB flash drive just in case. The Local Account/Microsoft Account is something I constantly battle with. Should I go back to signing in with a Local account as I always used to is an option Im always considering. One of the benefits of clean installing with a Microsoft Account though used to be that it restored all your favourites back into the browser without having to do anything manually. Im curious to know if that's still the way it works in Windows 10.

Should you go back to local??

I decided before I ever installed 10 that I had no particular use for a MS account. I have one, but I never use it. I assume you'd need it to use the MS "store" and to use "the cloud" or "OneDrive" or who knows whatever other wonderful things, but I have no use for them. I do as much as possible on my own hard drives--saving data, backing up data, etc and don't want to rely on someone else's hardware or an Internet connection if at all possible.

Personal choice I guess. I assume you have some reasons to install with a Microsoft Account and didn't just flip a coin.

ignatzatsonic said:

Should you go back to local??

I decided before I ever installed 10 that I had no particular use for a MS account. I have one, but I never use it. I assume you'd need it to use the MS "store" and to use "the cloud" or "OneDrive" or who knows whatever other wonderful things, but I have no use for them. I do as much as possible on my own hard drives--saving data, backing up data, etc and don't want to rely on someone else's hardware or an Internet connection if at all possible.

Personal choice I guess. I assume you have some reasons to install with a Microsoft Account and didn't just flip a coin.

Im very similar to you really. Ive only been using a Microsoft Account since Windows 10. Before that I always used Local accounts. Im not a big One Drive user and don't save anything important there if anything at all.
In my case clean installations work seamlessly with a Microsoft account and that's my main reason for using a MS account even though my preference otherwise would be a Local Account instead. This explains my particular situation...
I have a Dell laptop that came with Windows 8.1 pre installed. I upgraded to Windows 10 during Microsofts free upgrade period. Three months after upgrading to Windows 10 the laptops motherboard became faulty so Dell replaced it. Dell gave me a replacement product key to use with Windows 10 but having already used a Microsoft Account to sign into the laptop I already had a digital licence linked to my Microsoft Account so Ive never had to manually type in a product key since when clean installing Windows 10 so that's great..nice and simple. I don't want to start having to type in product keys again like in the old days for Windows Activation

The question I have is.. I do keep considering going back to using a Local account and doing a clean installation of Windows 10. However, If during Setup I selected to sign in with a local account (ignoring the set up with a Microsoft Account option) and bearing in mind that Dell changed the motherboard...would Windows 10 activation be no longer automatic because my Digital Certificate wouldn't be linked to my Microsoft Account anymore? I realise that Dell gave me a Windows 10 product key when they replaced the faulty motherboard so I do have a product key but I don't really want to mess about entering the product key for Windows 10 Activation when at the moment Activation is automated through my Microsoft Account and is so straight forward

sportsfan148 said:

I don't really want to mess about entering the product key for Windows 10 Activation when at the moment Activation is automated through my Microsoft Account and is so straight forward

Entering the key is a one time thing that takes 30 seconds.

You don't want to spend the 30 seconds?

Or you don't have the key?

Or you are afraid it won't work?

If the latter, my assumption would be that you may have to speak to an actual human at MS to activate, but I've heard they are usually receptive. I don't know that for a fact because all of my installs are local and I haven't spoken to MS on the phone in 8 or 10 years.

Yes I do still have the product key. The Dell engineer gave me a new product key when Dell replaced the motherboard under warranty. That was about 18 months ago. Like I said though Ive never had to use it so Ive no idea if it works or not and my laptop is out of warranty now

Well, I don't think you have anything to lose by trying the key and seeing if anything catches fire. A clean install is going to wipe all partitions regardless.

Maybe make a full Macrium image before taking the plunge.

Cheers for your advice mate. I'll give it some thought. I guess Im one of those who tends to think ..If it aint broke don't fix it lol

sportsfan148 said:

Cheers for your advice mate. I'll give it some thought. I guess Im one of those who tends to think ..If it aint broke don't fix it lol

I agree with "if it ain't broke.....".

I just don't know exactly how annoyed you are with the Microsoft Account method and I could understand staying with it if it's only a minor irritant.