Keep Microsoft Out of My Computer

Windows 11 was thrust on me. All updates were off, back-up was off. It broke my computer in half. I went on a lot of Microsoft Support forums, nothing helped. Chat? No and don't bother. I got angry enough to back up my life on a flash drive and do a factory reset. I signed in online and tried to install the Office 2019 I paid for. Nope. "Something went wrong" over and over. Because Office disappeared after the 11 install, I looked for the product key but I was unsuccessful.

I used a Microsoft tool that got rid of the many Office installs that failed.
Another reset 06/19/2024, used Edge to download and install Office and wouldn't you know it, it worked but;
Was Edge the answer all along? That does not make me feel at all safe.

My original Office was not attached like inoperable Siamese twins to 365, now it is and I don't like it. Again I unlinked OneDrive, turned off back-ups, turned off updates, but if I sneeze in another room it shows up online.
I chose a solid color desktop background. This morning it was a photo of a bridge and lots of trees. I had to play Where's Wally to find my icons. I changed it back but there's always tomorrow right?

I can't get Microsoft out of or off of my computer. It's the same as a home invasion. Can someone, anyone convince Microsoft to stop breaking into my house? I feel like I'm being stalked. It's unsettling.

Do I have to buy a Mac? Go on Go Fund Me? Is Apple as obvious?

Is there really a way to get rid of 365 and OneDrive? Is there really a way to get back my stand alone Office? The program where my life isn't uploaded against my will?

I'm so exhausted waking up and finding new and disturbing additions on my computer.

I'm asking for help for Office and my autonomy back. Anyone? OK, now I know I'm whining.

Do you feel better now you've got all that off your chest?

If you want Microsoft off your computer, you will have to stop using Windows.

The link below has lots of Linux downloads you can replace Windows with.


Here is a link to a Linux forum where you can whine about it once you have installed it.

believe it or not there is hope. Revo uninstaller free works wonders with most of MS apps and you can get it from the app store.
i myself use word 2003 it came on a MS works 2009 disc and i also have it blocked in the firewall.

in the tutorial section on this very forum there are quite a few things that help twist windows 11 to your liking.
there is hope it is out there.

Hope this helps and best of luck. Steve ..

BenevolentAnarc said:

Windows 11 was thrust on me. All updates were off, back-up was off. It broke my computer in half.

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I have all updates enabled on my Windows 10 machines at home and NONE of them have updated on their own to Windows 11. I'm unsure why your computer "upgraded" from 10 to 11.

BenevolentAnarc said:

I signed in online and tried to install the Office 2019 I paid for. Nope. "Something went wrong" over and over.

Click to expand...

Where did the Office 2019 license come from? The reason I ask, is that a lot of people use the cheap licenses found on the web, like a $9.99 Windows 11 Pro license, or $14.99 for Office 2019. These licenses are often times not legit for retail sale, but they get sold anyway. So, while it may activate when first purchased, it may not activate down the road if a MAK license key count was reached or Microsoft blocked the non legit key.

BenevolentAnarc said:

Another reset 06/19/2024, used Edge to download and install Office and wouldn't you know it, it worked but;
Was Edge the answer all along? That does not make me feel at all safe.

Click to expand...

Where did the download of Office come from? It doesn't seem right to me that it would not activate in one browser, but then would on another browser. But I'm not 100% sure. I use Office 365, and I use Google Chrome. 99.9% sure I installed Office 365 using Chrome without incident.

BenevolentAnarc said:

Is there really a way to get back my stand alone Office? The program where my life isn't uploaded against my will?

Click to expand...

I thought you said above that you reset on 6/19 and using Edge got your office install working. Is this not your stand-alone installed version of Office?

There is also hope called "Knowing What You're Doing". I've used Windows 11 Pro since Oct 5, 2021 and quite frankly am quite pleased with it. I have no need for programs or hacks that make Windows 11 look or act like previous versions of Windows.

Onedrive - Post #2 here. Unable to Completely Delete OneDrive. Note: if you have attempted to get rid of onedrive but did not do it correctly, you may have to reinstall onedrive and start over using the correct procedure.


Office 2019 -On a fresh reset it should be only a matter of uninstalling the clicktorun version of Ofc that comes with windows first. You should then be able to log in to your MS account on line and go to services/subscriptions icon. Your Ofc 2019 should be there. Click the down arrow and there is an install option. Microsoft account | Sign In or Create Your Account Today – Microsoft

Yes, @Edwin is right. We don't mind helping when we can but this is not a "Bash Microsoft" forum. We're users just like you. Contrary to popular belief, we do NOT own our copies of Windows. MS does. Our licenses only gives us the right to use it. MS can do whatever they want to with it..

Sure, most of us have griped every once in a while about something MS does, but we learn to change what we can and live with the rest. I suggest you take the time to check out the tutorial section of the forum. Most anything that can be natively changed has a solution written out for you step-by-step. The tutorial section can also be searched by key word. There are also a number of third party tools available on the web that can change some things within the OS, but not all of us use them.

Hi, BenevolentAnarc, welcome to the ElevenForums

Venting is healthy. But…

The best way to achieve what you want to achieve, is to create an individual thread for each issue you are facing with Windows 11 (preferably as few as possible at the same time?)

You might also need to be informed (I don’t know) that this forum and we members are not Microsoft.
This forum and the members that help here, do so of their own free will at no cost and with no affiliation to Microsoft.

I hope it gets better for you

Windows for Dummies is a cheap book you might find helpful

Marcus Vinicus said:

Do you feel better now you've got all that off your chest?

Click to expand...

Sort of, not really.
Office has disappeared again. My printer, wired or not won't connect with my computer again. This morning my desktop was a photo they took of Mars, on Mars. I researched which security software can be trusted. I read a lot about Eset so I used them to scan my computer. There is nothing on my computer that shouldn't be there so I'm stumped. I live alone and don't believe in poltergeist.
I know I'm not proficient enough to fool around in the deep dark parts. I use my computer to write, send emails, hm, I'm thinking. That's close to how little I use it for. However, it is my income stream. I write what I think and help people write what they think. So I do depend heavily on my computer working at its most basic level. I freaking freaked out and panicked when it stopped working. I freaked out more when, for the first time in over a year, I logged onto my Microsoft account and found everything I believed was only on my computer in my house, online. I don't have any idea if Microsoft's cloud is as safe or safer than other clouds. That never concerned me until l saw my life online.
Some people take my dilemma personally and aren't so nice. I don't understand that. Then don't respond, move on and ignore me. That only upsets me for about 45 seconds but who needs it al all.
I was asking for how to. Is this the wrong place to go to? Do I have to be madly, deeply in love with all things Microsoft or is it go somewhere else lady?
Did I offend someone who thinks of Microsoft as a religion or political affiliation? I am not an Anti-Microsoft Supremacist. Maybe an air gap computer is the answer. I don't know, I really just don't know.

XxXxX said:

believe it or not there is hope. Revo uninstaller free works wonders with most of MS apps and you can get it from the app store.
i myself use word 2003 it came on a MS works 2009 disc and i also have it blocked in the firewall.

in the tutorial section on this very forum there are quite a few things that help twist windows 11 to your liking.
there is hope it is out there.

Hope this helps and best of luck. Steve ..

Click to expand...

I used it. Thank you so much. It is shockingly fast. I used it to uninstall something else first. Then, just because, I did a search on my C Drive and there was not a trace of what I uninstalled. I'm buying a used computer and a friend is removing all things network. One of the things I really like about me is I hardly ever throw out something I might, maybe, you never know, use again. In my box of possible stuff, I found a hard disk of Office 2016. I can't wait to use my very out-of-date computer and software.
Again, thank you. You restored a part of my sanity.

I'm reminded of an old saying "lie down with Dogs and you're likely to get fleas".

You spend all your time, effort and money with Microshaft and then you complain when you get what they are famous for (fleas).

I've been a computer Builder and Tech for 40+ years, so believe me when I tell you that I could solve all your problems, at least the ones you've mentioned, in less than an hour, if I had your computer here.

Do a Clean install of Windows 11/Pro/64, using a clean ISO from a respected source. Once installed download and install either Open Office or Lebre Office. Either one is FREE and will work just like MS Office, without all the hate and discontent.

I've solved peoples problems with Microshaft before, so I know just how easy it is to do it. But, you have to be willing to severe all ties with MS.

PM me for details.
TM

pparks1 said:

I have all updates enabled on my Windows 10 machines at home and NONE of them have updated on their own to Windows 11. I'm unsure why your computer "upgraded" from 10 to 11.

Where did the Office 2019 license come from? The reason I ask, is that a lot of people use the cheap licenses found on the web, like a $9.99 Windows 11 Pro license, or $14.99 for Office 2019. These licenses are often times not legit for retail sale, but they get sold anyway. So, while it may activate when first purchased, it may not activate down the road if a MAK license key count was reached or Microsoft blocked the non legit key.


Where did the download of Office come from? It doesn't seem right to me that it would not activate in one browser, but then would on another browser. But I'm not 100% sure. I use Office 365, and I use Google Chrome. 99.9% sure I installed Office 365 using Chrome without incident.

I thought you said above that you reset on 6/19 and using Edge got your office install working. Is this not your stand-alone installed version of Office?

Click to expand...

I bought Office 2019 in March 2020 from Microsoft for $149. It was stand alone. I can't remember which version of Windows was on my computer at the time. After the factory reset I went to my order history and tried to install what I thought was my original stand alone Office 2019. The install failed time after time. I did another reset. I happened to be listening to the news and two words, Dictator and retribution were repeated over and over. AHA! or aha. Maybe it's a monopoly mind set. Where anything Microsoft has to completed using Microsoft. That's why I used Edge. The truth is I don't know if it was Edge or just not Firefox. The Office download cannot be ripped away from 365 so I'm unhappily having to use it for now.
Very much like health insurance, choices are no longer yours. What you can and cannot have and how you're allowed to use it. Unless I learn how to build my own computer from various parts, I feel that I"m at the mercy what's being dictated to me, at me.
So oh well for the time being. Thanks for your reply.

TraderGary said:

There is also hope called "Knowing What You're Doing". I've used Windows 11 Pro since Oct 5, 2021 and quite frankly am quite pleased with it. I have no need for programs or hacks that make Windows 11 look or act like previous versions of Windows.

Click to expand...

What are talking about? I don't know what I'm doing and that's why I don't do anything. Who are you Assumption Prime?

glasskuter said:

Onedrive - Post #2 here. Unable to Completely Delete OneDrive. Note: if you have attempted to get rid of onedrive but did not do it correctly, you may have to reinstall onedrive and start over using the correct procedure.


Office 2019 -On a fresh reset it should be only a matter of uninstalling the clicktorun version of Ofc that comes with windows first. You should then be able to log in to your MS account on line and go to services/subscriptions icon. Your Ofc 2019 should be there. Click the down arrow and there is an install option. Microsoft account | Sign In or Create Your Account Today – Microsoft

Click to expand...

I did. I swear I did that. I uninstalled Office CTR then downloaded Office from my order history online. The download window appeared. Office and Microsoft 365 are getting ready. Don't turn off your computer. Not quite yet but I'm close to giving up.

z3r010 said:

If you want Microsoft off your computer, you will have to stop using Windows.

The link below has lots of Linux downloads you can replace Windows with.

Download Linux

Links to popular distribution download pages

www.linux.org

Here is a link to a Linux forum where you can whine about it once you have installed it.

Forum list

Friendly Linux Forum

www.linux.org

Click to expand...

Also check www.distrowatch.org for new versions/releases. Most Linux distros come with free LibreOffice, VideoLAN/VLC and other programs. I have Linux Mint on a Desktop and Notebook plus several versions on bootable LiveUSB thumb drives such as Ubuntu, Lubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, latest is Zorin.

TechnoMage2021 said:

I'm reminded of an old saying "lie down with Dogs and you're likely to get fleas".

You spend all your time, effort and money with Microshaft and then you complain when you get what they are famous for (fleas).

I've been a computer Builder and Tech for 40+ years, so believe me when I tell you that I could solve all your problems, at least the ones you've mentioned, in less than an hour, if I had your computer here.

Do a Clean install of Windows 11/Pro/64, using a clean ISO from a respected source. Once installed download and install either Open Office or Lebre Office. Either one is FREE and will work just like MS Office, without all the hate and discontent.

I've solved peoples problems with Microshaft before, so I know just how easy it is to do it. But, you have to be willing to severe all ties with MS.

PM me for details.
TM

Click to expand...

Like you said, If I knew what I was doing. I don't. I don't know what an ISO is or a clean one or where to get one. How's that for admitting how much I don't know. The one and only purchase I've made from Microsoft was Office 2019. I bought it in 2020. Done and dusted. Until one dark and gloomy morning I woke to find there was a home invasion while I was sleeping. They took so much yet left behind a product I didn't want, never wanted, and didn't ask for.
I don't even know how to PM.
I was our home auto mechanic for years. From age 12 on I loved getting dirty and taking care of our MGB and Morris Minor. My technical talent is more engine and motor. I will never claim to intimately know computers.

antspants said:

Hi, BenevolentAnarc, welcome to the ElevenForums

Venting is healthy. But…

The best way to achieve what you want to achieve, is to create an individual thread for each issue you are facing with Windows 11 (preferably as few as possible at the same time?)

You might also need to be informed (I don’t know) that this forum and we members are not Microsoft.
This forum and the members that help here, do so of their own free will at no cost and with no affiliation to Microsoft.

I hope it gets better for you

Click to expand...

I'm aware that you are not Microsoft, well now I do. OK, so I dumped a whole lot, too much. There's a chance I might get the hang of it. The individual thread makes sense. Life was happening in an expectant way. Dawn, dusk, writing, take a break, go to a stream in the woods, make a great meal, eat it. Most days are like that and slivered in are big and small wow moments. For me, a dog, the woods, a stream or a dog and the ocean. Things go wrong. My car was dead. I got a new battery. Things are good again, easy. I couldn't get my computer to do that. I freaked.
It did feel like a home invasion. it felt the same as someone breaking into my house, stealing my stove, and giving me a brand new really expensive broken stove. Then what?
I don't ask for a lot, I don't need a lot. I do need my computer to work. It is my only source of income. My computer not working was not going to break my world, for a day or a few days. But then it was over a week. Maybe fear dictates frustration, don't know but that's how it felt.
Someone calling me a liar on this site was uncalled for. That's my nice way of putting it.
I can learn the best way to use this site. I won't multiple dump again. I bought a flash drive and backed up my life just in case because this morning I woke up, booted up my computer and Office is gone, my printer is gone and my desktop is a photograph. I used Eset to scan my computer. The scan turned up nothing. I'm lost and sad.

BenevolentAnarc said:

I bought Office 2019 in March 2020 from Microsoft for $149. It was stand alone..
The Office download cannot be ripped away from 365 so I'm unhappily having to use it for now.

Click to expand...

Great, so you bought it right from MIcrosoft at the normal $149 price for home and student, so that should make this pretty straight-forward. Looking at the current version download page for office home & student 2021, https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/mic...2021/CFQ7TTC0H8N8?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

I scrolled down to Overview and clicked on How do I download, reinstall, activate, or update Office. There it says you logon via your Microsoft Account that you bought the product with, and the installer should be there.



I would have to assume that with your older version it should still show up in your account and you should be able to reinstall it. If activations are failing, you should be able to hit the support page here and start up a call/case with Microsoft who are going to be best able to tell you what is wrong.


I don't have a stand alone copy that I can verify with certainty for you. I'm an Office 365 user myself, as I want office on a bunch of devices, some Windows and some Mac, I share it with my dad and everybody in my family is making use of their 1TB of OneDrive space so my work discount price of $69.99 makes Office 365 a no-brainer for me.