Getting on line without registering with microsoft?

Hi. I'm new to this forum. I bought a Toshiba L850 with a Windows 8 system. This laptop is not a touch screen.
I added a 2013 Word.

All files have been transferred over from the old laptop which has Windows XP.

Question is: Can I get my emails and use Internet Explorer without having to register with Microsoft? If so, how?

Cheers Harold

Hi,

What exactly do you mean by "register with Microsoft"? If you're talking about using modern apps (e.g. Mail app), you need Microsoft account that carries a few benefits. If you don't want to use it, there are desktop apps you can use with your regular account.

Hi there
Emails just need any old email client -- I use Outlook but any suitable email client will work without having a Ms account.

IE works too -- when you install Windows 8 just select Use Local account then you don't ever have to bother with a Ms account if you don't want one. I have NO - / ZERO interest in any cloud based type services so I don't have an Ms account -- doesn't stop you from using your computer in any way you want to (just like XP in fact).

The only difference is that there's no built in email client like OUTLOOK EXPRESS. The Metro App requires a Ms account which is why I suggest use a different email client. I find Outlook fine - but this is part of OFFICE PRO -- unfortunately not in the Student and Teacher edition. You might find it included with your OFFICE 2013 depending on the version you installed.

You might find a "get around" by using a small XP Virtual Machine (run it on VMware player -- Free) and then use Outlook express for your emails -- the only drawback here though is Outlook express might have trouble playing / attaching Multi-media files and also when you click embedded URL links (Web sites) as you will be limited to what older versions of IE can handle -- and of course with the changeover to IPV6 for Internet addresses problems even reaching web sites will happen in the future. However for just basic emails with "bog standard" attachments it will work.

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks gents. Yes I was sure there was a way. I initially clicked on mail which was leading me down the track to getting a MS email account with no other options offered. I'm now on the page "add your Outlook account" with instructions "Enter the information below to connect to your Outlook account" This requires four pieces of information and again I'm stumped. What does one put down for the domain name? I don't know how the information relates to Windows XP set-up which just has mail@.......
I don't think I had user name with the old account. Anyway, you have helped but I need some hands on tomorrow. Cheers, Harold

Harold said:

Thanks gents. Yes I was sure there was a way. I initially clicked on mail which was leading me down the track to getting a MS email account with no other options offered. I'm now on the page "add your Outlook account" with instructions "Enter the information below to connect to your Outlook account" This requires four pieces of information and again I'm stumped. What does one put down for the domain name? I don't know how the information relates to Windows XP set-up which just has mail@.......
I don't think I had user name with the old account. Anyway, you have helped but I need some hands on tomorrow. Cheers, Harold

Click to expand...

Hi there
Are you using OUTLOOK as your email client

If so then when adding a NEW account simply click the set up manually choose NEXT and then enter data as provided by your internet service provider.

Choose IMAP rather than POP3 though -- that way your mail will be left on the server (you can copy it if you want to the computer) and the mail will be synced with your smart phone (if you have one) and also any other computers you use that has an outlook account on them.

Cheers
jimbo

Thanks again Jimbo. That screenshot is different to the one I had but I'll see how I get on. Cheers, Harold

It MAY be trying to get you to make a Skydrive account which is how Windows 8 can be connected across many different computers. But it would be asking you if you want to create a Microsoft/Skydrive account as a user login.

Thanks again chaps. I had a friend over who downloaded our 2003 Outlook program. All works well. All the outlook folders had been tranferred over yesterday and where there so all is good.

Thanks again for your help. Harold