Hi stackers

I asked for an Asus vivobook for Christmas and santa 🎅 didn’t disappoint

I thought id lay out how i set it up with a privacy mind

Im not a super shadowy hacker, I'm one of those beginners that is fast realising that the whole tech retail industry is designed to purely harvest your data

StartStart

Using my old potato chromebook

Download from the official sources and run pgp signature if available

O&O ShutUp10++

Electrum

Sparrow

Signal

Brave

Proton VPN

Transfer onto usb stick

Turn on new laptopTurn on new laptop

Confirm language etc

When says connect to network
Shift + F10

Type: OOBE\BYPASSNRO

Restart

Choose i dont have internet

Create a local account: fake name

still offline at this point

Windows screen finally!Windows screen finally!

Run the usbRun the usb

Check the signatures in properties
Already checked but belt and braces

Run OandO
Choose recommended settings, make sure recall, copilot, ms everything is all gone

Delete bloatware
Mcafee, social media etc

Install apps
Sparrow vpn Signal Brave etc

Set Brave as default browser

Turn on internetTurn on internet

Now im a beginner, so had to connect to internet to sign into vpn, i know this was the weak point, i read something about wireguard to get seamless protection, but was over my headNow im a beginner, so had to connect to internet to sign into vpn, i know this was the weak point, i read something about wireguard to get seamless protection, but was over my head

Set quad9 dns as belt and braces (vpn covers dns by default)

I tried to use freetube, yewtu . be etc, none worked, unfortunately pipepipe is android only and not going to install emulators

So youtube search in Startpage, in Brave saved to pin bar (not signed in obvs)

WalletsWallets

Mainly for testing but for actual use, import xpub with qr and watch only

That’s it, what do you think!

Given that most people use chrome and gmail, i think im definitely on the right road