Setting up windows 11 pro for a home studio (multiple users), which route to take?

[tlr]

Hi,

It was a long while ago since I did this (win XP times) so I'm wondering a bit about what route to take.

Questions that arose during starting up the install process:
- Should I go for a MS account or only local during the install?
- If I go for the MS account route, should that be tied to any of the users actually using the computer or just be used for admin?
- Additional accounts, should/can they be local, or should/must any additional users tie their accounts to online accounts?

I'm thinking some of this may wreck havoc with licensing schemes of the music apps I will run. It seems like cubase might be tied to a single ms login for instance.

What I'm planning to install so far is Reaper, NI Complete (or whatever it is called now), Reason, Renoise.

Greatful if anyone could point me in the right direction!

[otwer22]

You most likely have less trouble if you just use a local account. Installs can get connected to your online account which for me can be a pain.

[tlr]

Thanks, that's a good point. The install process makes creating only a local account a bit tricky though. I'll have to see if the previous tricks work on the latest installer.

So is an install with a local account the norm around here?

[dellboy]

Thanks, that's a good point. The install process makes creating only a local account a bit tricky though. I'll have to see if the previous tricks work on the latest installer.

So is an install with a local account the norm around here?

Unless they have changed anything in the last few months it should be as easy as switching off your internet and telling the installer you do not have any internet.

[tlr]

Unless they have changed anything in the last few months it should be as easy as switching off your internet and telling the installer you do not have any internet.

Yeah, I saw some tutorials on this. Some just used a bogus mail address (like a single letter) for the sign in and the installer then gave an option for local install as the account didn't work.

Are there no ill effects going the local route here? If there are none, I prefer this on a DAW. No need to share misc stuff with ms cloud services if not required.

[otwer22]

Use the following procedure as linked, I use this when setting up new machines at work, I need to use only Local accounts on our machines.

https://pureinfotech.com/bypass-interne ... indows-11/

Hope this does not violate forum rules if so please remove.

[tlr]

Use the following procedure as linked, I use this when setting up new machines at work, I need to use only Local accounts on our machines.

Thanks!

FYI, I started up the installer (with internet access) and tested signing in with id 'a' and password 'a'. Then you get an "Oops. something went wrong" message (and that the account 'a'? had been temporarily locked). After that you immediately get to the next page where you are promted to give your desired account name. There's a note below that says it is better to use an online account,and that to me indicates I'm now running the installer in create local account mode.

I saw this procedure somewhere online and thought I'd try it. I'm not sure if there are any ill effects later though, for instance that the account 'a' is in there in some config.

[Shinizzle]

Signing in with a MIcrosoft account helps with Microsoft products such as 365 or OneDrive. Otherwise it's still a user profile on the disk accept that signing into Microsoft apps and services is easier as your login info is saved to the TPM.

If you have Windows Pro, the bitlocker key can be added to your Microsoft account should you wish to use Bitlocker.
Otherwise, unless your software specifically states it integrates with your Microsoft account than it will install like any other local account. Of course if your software licencing uses the TPM module to store information about the licence that may cause issues as writing to the TPM when it is already storing Microsoft account data could be fun.

Basically, Microsoft account should be fine (I use one and have had no issues on Win 11 Home, Bitwig, Live Lite, Reason and Studio One 5 Artist). I would avoid Bitlocker though.
Creating a local account and than adding your Microsoft account is pretty much the same anyway.

The only time I would not recommend signing in with a Microsoft account is if you have multiple MS accounts and wish to log into them on the same user profile.

[tlr]

I went for the method of signing in with 'a', pw 'a'. This allowed me to install using a local account.
but...

Basically, Microsoft account should be fine (I use one and have had no issues on Win 11 Home, Bitwig, Live Lite, Reason and Studio One 5 Artist). I would avoid Bitlocker though.

I've added an additional SSD and when initializing that in the Disk Manager I noticed that the system disk "OS" C: is NTFS (BitLocker Encrypted). This wasn't selectable during install. Furthermore when I create a volume "AUDIO" D: on my newly added SSD it also becomes NTFS (BitLocker Encrypted), no choice possible...

Any pointers here?

[tlr]

It turns out that for a win11pro installation you cannot avoid creating volumes with BitLocker during install if they are supported by the HW (TPM2.0). I had to decrypt the drive by running "manage-bde -off c:' as administrator to get rid of it. This lack of options during install doesn't feel very Pro to me. It just feels scary to be honest.

[Shinizzle]

Open CMD with admin privileges and type:

Manage-bde c: -off
Once done,
Manage-bde d: -off

Keep using the command:
Manage-bde -status
To see when decryption is complete.

Also you should be able to turn it off in the settings, just search for bitlocker settings.

Windows 11 Pro machines have bitlocker enabled by default on new builds now, it's mainly a business thing.

[tlr]

Thanks! Seems we came to the same conclusion at the same time, but it feels safer now that you confirmed the procedure.

To me Pro/business should be about more available configurability. It used to be that differentiation. There is supposedly an Enterprise edition which may be just that, but it wasn't available from Dell for this box.

[Shinizzle]

Pro is mainly geared towards business users with the additions over home is being able to add to domains (active directory, azuread etc), remote desktop use and full disk encryption and some other security stuff.
There's no advantage over home versions for studio use, the telemetry sent back to base for any version is the same. You might get more bloatware but that can be uninstalled or just choosing the world version when reinstalling windows (from a windows USB stick for example)

[tlr]

I see, thanks for the informative description! It was very little extra money for the pro version in this bundle so I don't feel too cheated.