New HP laptop Windows 10 that will be upgradeable to Windows 11

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A friend has purchased a new HP laptop Windows 10 that will be upgradeable to Windows 11 at Walmart.
I don’t know the HP model and she doesn’t know it herself.
I hope I will not have to tell her the laptop should be returned, and she really needs one that has better specs etc.

She doesn’t know how to use a computer, but she wants to learn how.
She signed up for a PC learning course 3 years ago & it drove her and a friend bonkers and I understand that. The class was being trained using Vista and a Microsoft office program that was in use at that time.
Her friend was using Windows 10 at home along with whatever Microsoft office program she was using.
The handouts for homework certainly didn’t look like the Windows 10 methods and both of them became so frustrated, they had to quit as they couldn’t keep up with the class.

Moving on, my friend asked me to set up the new HP laptop Windows 10 laptop she just purchased for her tomorrow.

However, I need advice on the best way to set it up properly as simply as possible.
I’ve been able to set up new PCs over the years, but today’s world is more than challenging to me. I know I’m dating myself, but it is what it is.

If I set-up the new HP laptop off-line, will it still work in today’s world in order to just create a local administrator account instead of a Microsoft account. After that connect on-line and complete the rest of the process especially for Windows Updates.

I suspect that there will be an option to use Microsoft Office 365 free trial period probably for 30-days but I’m pretty sure my friend will not want to do so. She won’t want to pay for anything more unless it’s an absolute necessity.
Will I be able uninstall it immediately or allow it to be activated and then uninstall it?

Then there’s a possibility I suppose for an anti-virus program that will be available. Same as above, she won’t want to pay for anything more unless it’s an absolute necessity. Will I be able uninstall it immediately or allow it to be activated and then uninstall it?
I prefer that Microsoft Defender be used.

She doesn’t want to upgrade to Windows 11 any sooner than necessary.
But when that time comes, will it be necessary to create a Microsoft account?

Although I’m a fan of image backups, I doubt she’ll approve. If she doesn’t, I want to create at least a USB recovery drive. That will be helpful to me if it’s ever needed.

Essentially, I want to keep everything as simple as possible.

Anything else I need to be aware of?

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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Coldheart9020

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I just set up a Win 11 surface device yesterday. Keep the device OFFLINE (off the Internet) as you set it up and you will get the option to set up a local account.
You will not be forced to a MS account when it upgrades to 11.
I would uninstall the M365 and install whatever Office suite (even libre office) that you want.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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cmptrgy

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Use defender.  Uninstall whatever a/v they ship.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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cmptrgy

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I agree with Susan, don’t connect to the Internet until you have completed the initial setup. Once that’s done shutdown, connect it to your Internet then start back up and log on with the account you created during the setup. Now you can go and apply any updates that are needed – both HP updates and Windows updates. Follow the rest of her advice regarding the Office and using Windows Defender. If she does want an Office Productivity Suite download and install Libre Office. It’s compatible with all Office formats, and best of all it’s FREE.

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cmptrgy

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Another thing I’d like to mention regarding an office productivity suite. If your interaction with others is predominantly based on Office 365 then check out stacksocial.com. They often times run specials on Office 365 packages for very low prices. For example, they are offering the Office Professional lifetime license for $59.99 (https://stacksocial.com/sales/microsoft-office-professional-plus-2021-for-windows ) and a training bundle which includes an Office Professional lifetime license for $79.99 (https://stacksocial.com/sales/the-premium-microsoft-office-training-bundle-lifetime-license-of-ms-office-home-business-for-windows-2021 ). These are fully legitimate licenses from Microsoft.

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cmptrgy

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“Libre Office. It’s compatible with all Office formats, and best of all it’s FREE.”
I didn’t know it was compatible with all Office formats: that’s great.

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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Coldheart9020

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Probably should have worded that better. For most of the documents, spreadsheets, etc. created in the open document format (ODF) are switchable between the two: e.g. .doc, .xls, etc.

When files from Office 365 get more complex you can run into occasional problems when trying to open them in Libre Office. Here’s a short thread that points out the compatibility between the two – https://ask.libreoffice.org/t/current-compatibility-between-libreoffice-and-ms-office/31924

Thanks!

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Coldheart9020, cmptrgy

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I can vouch for LibreOffice as I’ve used it for well over a decade at this point. Handled .doc, .docx, and many other native MS Office file formats with zero issues. Plus I like the UI, it reminds me of Office 2003 before it all changed with 2007.

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Make an image backup as soon as it’s setup so you can recover if/when it goes pear shaped.

Get a password manager to store her logins. A simple free one is best.
Where you backup the data / credentials will need some consideration.

I assume she will create a few documents so an automated online backup would help.

cheers, Paul

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Coldheart9020, cmptrgy

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@tfw, thanks for taking the time to post your explanations. Even though my friend will not use Office 365 since she just wants to be a simple user, your information interests me.

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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Hi Paul, I will make an image backup when the set-up is completed. I used to call that a pristine image backup.
— I’ll be doing that on my external drive but that’ll be it for the time being.
— I told her I’d be willing to create an image backup once a year, but she’ll have to buy an external drive.

Good recommendation for a password manager. Actually, I should do that for myself.

Document backups is also an excellent recommendation. Thanks.

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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The laptop is an HP PC 15-dy2000 (2D115AV)

EDIT. We finally got together yesterday, and everything was going well but everything looked so different but eventually I found out it was in S Mode. I didn’t know that up front meaning I was ignorant of that fact. My friend decided she wanted a Microsoft account and that went well. Before I left, she started WU’s even though there was a long list of them. I told her no matter how long it takes, do not use the laptop for anything.

Later in the evening, she called me and told me the screen turned white followed by turning black a few hours later. She shut it down & started back up: naturally still black.

I told her to leave it down but start it up in the morning: it will start up ok.
— She just texted me to let me know it started up ok & WU’s are continuing.

I’m thinking of changing Sleep to never.
— Is that a good idea?
— Anything else.

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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Sadly, all too often people look at the price instead of digging into the specs of the computer. At many places selling computers the help is more interested in saying what the customer wants to hear in order to get a sale, regardless if the salesman makes a commission or not.  I work for a managed services provider and some of our customers still insist on going to one of the big boxes to get their computers and then come to us to set them up then wonder why we have to charge what we do and take the amount of time we need to spend to get them up to 10 Pro so they work with their network. We explain to them what we had to do to get it to work with their network and they told us that the salesman said the computer would work out of the box with what they will use it for. A sad state of affairs indeed.

I always recommend to people to take someone who is savvy that they trust along with them when they go out looking for a computer. They know what you need, how and where it will be used and can drill down to the details by asking the salesman the right questions.

 

As to your questions, I and my colleagues have used one or more of the recommendations you mentioned with varying degrees of success to get the computer back up and running. Once you get the video back, then yes, turn off sleep and hibernate until all the updates have been installed – both Windows and manufacturer’s. Once your initial round of setup and updates are done you can then go back and re-enable sleep and/or hibernate if you choose to do so.

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cmptrgy

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I wasn’t with her when she bought it. She bought it as a recommendation from her girlfriend. My friend told me she bought the laptop for about, $375.00, I don’t remember the exact cost plus she purchased a 3-year warranty. But then this was the first time I experienced S Mode: I didn’t realize it was that way until eventually later on. So, I just learned the hard way, that from now on, I’ll be ready to find out up-front. Now I need to find out how to change from S Mode to Normal Mode.

On re-enabling Sleep Mode or and/or hibernate, great advice especially since I’m in I’m in tune with that.

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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cmptrgy wrote:

But then this was the first time I experienced S Mode:

You just switch S mode to home / Pro in Settings > Update & Security &gt > Activation.
Switch to Windows 10 Home or Switch to Windows 10 Pro.
You need to go to Microsoft store.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/switching-out-of-s-mode-in-windows-4f56d9be-99ec-6983-119f-031bfb28a307

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cmptrgy

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Switching to S Mode has been completed shortly after Alex23’s recommendation.
With that said, I’ll use the Windows 11 forum for future dealings on her new HP PC 15-dy2000 (2D115AV).

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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to or from?

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cmptrgy

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Switching from S Mode

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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b

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Paul T wrote:

Get a password manager to store her logins. A simple free one is best.

Any you can personally recommend, Paul?

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