I was trying to activate and install HiveOS so I could mine on Wifi in my garage as my farm started to expand but kept getting crashes and issues with Hive for a few hours. I decided to try using windows but not activating and I am very impressed at how simple it was and how quickly I got up and running. That and the ability to quickly switch to different programs or lesser known miners without having to wait for support is nice. For those of you looking to do the same, I recommend just following the simple steps listed at the below website. Recommend doing Windows 10 Pro so you get Remote Desktop. Most may know this but for the new guys looking for an alternative to the other OS and not wanting to purchase Windows.
https://www.windowscentral.com/you-do-not-need-activate-windows-10This is a solid option but I wouldn't rely on it for very long. MS could always decide to issue an update that causes it to do something stupid like reboot every 24 hours or so as a reminder that you aren't running an activated version. If you do this I would still work on getting plan A working.