First start
The first time Wild OS starts, it unlocks the disk with your disk password, then opens Welcome to Wild OS to finish setting up. There are seven short steps.
1. Region and language
Section titled “1. Region and language”Your display language, time zone and formats (date, time, numbers, currency and measurements), picked from what you chose in the installer. Change any of them here.
Find it for me looks up your time zone from your internet address. It’s off unless you press it, because it sends your internet address to an online service.
2. Connect to Wi-Fi
Section titled “2. Connect to Wi-Fi”Wild OS needs the internet to fetch security updates and set up Windows programs. Pick your network, or Join a hidden network. You can Skip for now and connect later. If you’re already connected with a cable, this step is skipped.
3. Create your account
Section titled “3. Create your account”Your account lives on this computer only. Wild OS never asks you to sign in online.
- Your name: how you’re shown on the sign-in screen.
- Computer name: suggested as
DESKTOP-and seven random characters, like on Windows, so it never gives away your name on a network. Use letters, numbers and hyphens. - Password: at least 8 characters. You can add an optional Password hint.
- Use my disk password to sign in: one password at start-up instead of two.
4. Make it feel like home
Section titled “4. Make it feel like home”Coming from Windows? Pick the layout you’re used to: the taskbar’s position, light or dark, and your accent colour. You can change all of it later in Settings.
5. Bring your files across
Section titled “5. Bring your files across”If Windows is on this computer, Wild OS finds it and lets you choose what to copy across: your documents, photos, music and other folders, and your browser bookmarks. It shows how much there is, and warns you if it’s more than the free space. Nothing is removed from Windows.
Choose Copy and continue. The copying carries on in the background once you’re signed in, and a notification tells you when it’s done. Or choose Skip.
If it says Windows is locked, the Windows drive is encrypted with BitLocker. Unlock or suspend it in Windows and choose Look again, or copy your files later.
6. Your privacy
Section titled “6. Your privacy”This page lists everything that could leave the computer, in plain English. Everything starts off unless it’s needed to keep you safe.
| Switch | What it does |
|---|---|
| Check for security updates | On. Checks for fixes once a day. Nothing about you is sent. |
| Send crash reports | Off, and locked off. Wild OS doesn’t include a crash reporter, so nothing is sent. |
| Location for weather and maps | Off. The computer has no location service, so no app can find out where you are. |
| Search the web from Start | Off. Start searches this computer only, and nothing you type in Start leaves it. |
You can change any of these later in Settings. See what Wild OS sends online.
7. Your Windows programs
Section titled “7. Your Windows programs”Choose Set up Windows mode to start setting it up now, or Finish to do it later from Settings. See set up Windows mode.