Can you Switch an existing W10 Home Install over to S Mode?

Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

  1. Posts : 245
    W10 Home Version 21H1 Build 19043.1055
       #21

    lx07 said:
    No, it would not. That is just a standard user - same as it has been for the last 20 years with the only restriction being they can't install *some* store apps.

    If they want to install Chrome or Firefox then they can - both will just stick the .exe in %localappdata% which the user has full access to.

    If you want to block people you need to block access in your gateway (to gmail or TOR or whatever) or give them S mode that they can't change.

    Depends what you are trying to block I guess - buggering up the local PC or wasting time on Facebook...
    Just tried to install Firefox in the user account, got the admin alert box for the pin to 'allow' hit no...and it installed it anyway. So what's the point of having the pin/password admin? Daft...
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 245
    W10 Home Version 21H1 Build 19043.1055
       #22

    No, it would not. That is just a standard user - same as it has been for the last 20 years with the only restriction being they can't install *some* store apps.
    Is a 'local' account any more restrictive? Or is there a registry hack to remove the standard user account app installation facility, (or at least make it adhere to the admin permission alert?)
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #23

    Infrasonic said:
    So what's the point of having the pin/password admin? Daft...
    It will only bugger up your own account if Admin doesn't propagate it. Same a S mode really. If the admin lets people install "iAmAvisus.exe" then you may as well give up. That is the administrators' fault though if they do.

    The difference between S mode and a standard user is while neither can mess up the whole PC a user using S mode can only use the 450k programs from the store while the standard user not using S mode can use several million.

    I could only think of about 100 useful programs myself so either way it is just management rubbish. If you have Outlook, Word, Excel, and a Web Browser plus the one (or two) application you need for your work then you are done.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 15,027
    Windows 10 IoT
       #24

    Infrasonic said:
    Is a 'local' account any more restrictive? Or is there a registry hack to remove the standard user account app installation facility, (or at least make it adhere to the admin permission alert?)
    No a local account isn't any more restrictive than logging in with a Microsoft account, not if its a member of the administrators group. The first account created on a Windows 10 PC, local account or otherwise is a member of the administrators group. It has to be. Any subsequent user account your create can be a standard user or administrator. You want at least one administrator account on the PC. Create a new user account and make it a standard user and you will be closer to your goal. You will not be able to skip any prompts for the administrator password. Click no and nothing will happen, what ever action was prompting for it will be refused.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 245
    W10 Home Version 21H1 Build 19043.1055
       #25

    alphanumeric said:
    No a local account isn't any more restrictive than logging in with a Microsoft account, not if its a member of the administrators group. The first account created on a Windows 10 PC, local account or otherwise is a member of the administrators group. It has to be. Any subsequent user account your create can be a standard user or administrator. You want at least one administrator account on the PC. Create a new user account and make it a standard user and you will be closer to your goal. You will not be able to skip any prompts for the administrator password. Click no and nothing will happen, what ever action was prompting for it will be refused.
    Thanks, I'll have a mess tomorrow, set up another (2nd) standard user account and see if it will adhere to the admin alert permissions for app installation.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 15,442
    Windows10
       #26

    There is a lot of misunderstanding about S mode.

    Initially MS created a separate SKU called Win 10S which has it own licence, but will also activate with a Pro licence.

    This version is no longer available from 1803.

    From 1803, S mode is just a different operating mode to any version. So Home for example can operate three ways.

    1) As unrestricted Home ie can install win32 apps

    2) Restricted installation mode ie you can prevent installation of win32 apps BUT still execute previously installed win32 apps.

    3) Full S mode - win32 apps cannot be installed or executed.

    However, you cannot change to S Mode, but only clean install it, and even then that requires some specialist knowledge as you have to modify the install.wim file (I wrote a guide How to Enable S mode in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums).

    You cannot change a existing version to S mode, only clean install. You can change from S mode to non S mode but it cannot be reverted back later.

    It is not clear but the latest Insider versions have an S switch which suggests it will be bi directional in next version but afaik, it is not fully implemented yet.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 44
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #27

    lx07 said:
    If you have a digital license for Pro and clean install S it will be activated with the same digital license. You can convert to Pro with generic key but as you said you can't convert back - you have to clean install again. It makes sense as you could have done anything when not in S mode which would destroy the hoped for extra security.

    So to answer the question:

    You can't and unless something significant changes you'll not be able to.
    Thanks.

    So from what I have read here, If I purchase a device with W10 Home pre-installed and activated, I should be able to perform a clean install to S mode and use the same licence. Thanks.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 15,442
    Windows10
       #28

    scoob101 said:
    Thanks.

    So from what I have read here, If I purchase a device with W10 Home pre-installed and activated, I should be able to perform a clean install to S mode and use the same licence. Thanks.
    Yes but for most this is rather restricting but I have done it for a click happy user who always got malware all the time!
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 5,478
    2004
       #29

    scoob101 said:
    Thanks.

    So from what I have read here, If I purchase a device with W10 Home pre-installed and activated, I should be able to perform a clean install to S mode and use the same licence. Thanks.
    I don't know - with Pro then yes - I have tried it. I don't have a home license so I can only assume it is the same.

    Quite why you would want to is another matter - only for someone else's PC (a subordinate or child) I guess.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 44
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #30

    lx07 said:
    I don't know - with Pro then yes - I have tried it. I don't have a home license so I can only assume it is the same.

    Quite why you would want to is another matter - only for someone else's PC (a subordinate or child) I guess.
    Yep this use case is for a child.
      My Computer


 

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 10 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 10" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:04.
Find Us




Windows 10 Forums