Windows and Microsoft login

Dave_McLaughlin · June 24, 2015, 10:37pm

One of the things I discovered the other week when I built a new machine for my Home Automation was the fact that when using the same Microsoft account name for logging in really screws up any settings you have on another other machine using the same account. My Dell laptop has a touch screen and now the colours of the desktop are the same as the other machine and the touch interface has stopped working.

I’d use caution if you intend to use a Microsoft account across machines. It doesn’t seem to work the same way I though it would with my Google account.

I’ve changed the HA machine to use a local account instead and trying to get the laptop back to a working state.

ianlee74 · June 24, 2015, 10:55pm

This is curious. I use the same account to log into my work laptop, home laptop, laptop for my 3D printer, home computer, and two different tablets and don’t have any issues.

Now, what is a problem is trying to use two different logins during the same session. I understand why but Google definitely makes this much easier than Microsoft does.

Skewworks · June 25, 2015, 12:29am

There is a setting not to duplicate your settings to other devices.

Dave_McLaughlin · June 25, 2015, 12:40am

Thanks Skewworks,

I just found that one about 10 mins ago. Problem is that you need to setup the system first before you can disable this

mcalsyn · June 25, 2015, 1:04am

I have a love/hate relationship with this feature. I have three Microsoft accounts that I use regularly (day job, personal, and pervasive.digital) and that mostly works out like I want it too, sharing desktop colors (so I know who I am logged in as), installed apps, settings, etc., but only within that ‘persona’.

But where it falls down for me (and something that cannot seem to be individually opted out of) is for keyboard settings. I use a bunch of language-specific keyboards and some of those keyboards are physically different (extra keys), so I want my keyboard setting to stick on those machines. The problem is that the OS seems “for your convenience” to use the logic of “this account was created in Spain, therefore, let’s choose completely random moments to switch the keyboard into Spanish layout, Spanish spellcheck, etc.”

First-world problem for sure, but after the first failed password attempt, I have now learned to double check my keyboard setting.