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questionMicrosoft Store shows years of app history after a clean Windows 10 install—without ever signing into a Microsoft account. How?! (self.privacy)<br>submitted 10 months ago * by Hqjjciy6sJr

I just did a clean install (boot from USB & format the whole drive) of Windows 10 on my Dell laptop. After opening the Microsoft Store and checking the Library section, I was shocked to see a full history of apps I had installed over the past several years—going all the way back to when I first bought the laptop.

Here’s the strange part: I’ve never signed into a Microsoft account on this device. Not on Windows, not on the Store, not ever. I’ve only used a local account since day one.

So how is this possible? The only explanation I can think of is that Microsoft uses some kind of unique hardware ID or activation fingerprint to...