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#21
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.