I used to use Rufus on Windows to create a bootable USB that lets you skip the Microsoft account setup, but now that I've switched to Arch Linux, I need a way to do something similar for installing Windows just for gaming. Any ideas?
3 Answers
Not sure if this helps, but it’s important to remember that you can run a quick internet search for installation methods outside of Windows forums, especially if you're focusing on using Linux tools. Just keep in mind that some tutorials might be referring to older versions of Windows, so make sure you're looking at the most recent methods.
You might want to check out Ventoy. It allows you to set up bootable USB drives, and I've heard it works well for this purpose. Another tip is to use the command prompt during installation: when you reach the screen asking for internet connection, unplug the ethernet cable and hit Shift + F10 to open the command prompt. From there, running `oobeBypassNRO` should help you bypass the Microsoft account setup completely. It's worked for me! Check out this video for more info: [YouTube Source](https://youtu.be/7HgAN5cEmkk?si=4Sl7RbvX2NfQezRJ&t=1815).
I've also heard that traditional disk image writers might not handle Windows ISOs well. You might want to try WoeUSB instead: https://woeusb.com/. I can confirm that the steps to skip the Microsoft account still work on the latest Windows 11.
Another route could be using the legacy installation option from your USB. When you boot into the install media, sometimes you might see advanced options for bypasses if no internet is detected. But as others mentioned, make sure your USB is set up correctly!
I'll give Ventoy a shot, thanks for the tip!