News DEV74 - AI RSS Feed

Windows OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer):

It is permanently tied to the first computer it is installed on
It cannot be transferred to another PC, even if the first one is retired
It costs less than the Retail version
Technical support is provided by the computer manufacturer, not directly by Microsoft
It is usually pre-installed on PCs purchased from manufacturers

Windows Retail:

It can be transferred from one computer to another (but can only be active on one device at a time)
It costs more than the OEM version
Technical support is provided directly by Microsoft
It is sold as a standalone product, often in physical packages or as a digital download
It offers greater flexibility for users who change hardware frequently

Identical functionality: Both versions offer the same operating system functionality - the only difference is the licensing and support terms.

The choice depends on your needs: if you plan to change computers or significantly upgrade your hardware, the Retail license is more cost-effective in the long run despite the higher initial cost.

To bypass the Microsoft account sign-in during Windows 11 installation, you can press Shift + F10 to open a command prompt and type "start ms-cxh:localonly" to create a local account.

Or press Shift + F10 to open command prompt Type: OOBE\BYPASSNRO and hit Enter. The system will reboot and give you the option for local account