Win10 S-Mode?

[Diggs]

Huh? WTF just happened? I had a S-Mode laptop on the bench yesterday (it stopped Chrome from installing - heh). I don't know if it's my CRS acting up or if I was truly unaware of Win10 S-Mode. Owner was clueless. Liked how the laptop looked when she bought it. It is S-mode no more.......

 

[timeshifter]

I discovered S-Mode when trying to get a client to install my ScreenConnect application for a remote session. Beating my head against the wall. Finally had to go there and that's when I learned about it. That's what you get for buying a $249 Windows laptop at Walmart.

 

[Sky-Knight]

To leave S Mode, open the Store app on your PC and search for “Switch out of S Mode.” The Store will guide you through taking your PC out of S Mode.

Basically, it's Windows 10 tablet edition.

 

[Porthos]

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/4456067/windows-10-switch-out-of-s-mode

 

[Diggs]

It is S-mode no more.......

As I mentioned I dumped it out of S-Mode quickly enough. Just say'n that was the first S-Mode machine I've seen and it caught me by surprise.

 

[mraikes]

Thanks for mentioning this, I haven't encountered or heard of S-Mode. Now I know.

 

[Porthos]

Well, we shall see after Christmas how many we encounter.

 

[NJW]

Yes, with 10S you can't even get Teamviewer QS loaded. Getting out of S-mode also requires a Microsoft account for access to the Store, of course.

 

[KrustyTech]

I had a laptop last week that was purchased from a big chain store , had Windows 10 home , they offered to "upgrade" it to windows 10 s for $175.
Funny thing was I only noticed when I went to install chrome and couldn't however I could find no trace of "s-mode" anywhere. I couldn't find the option in the store the revert to Windows . It let me run the 1809 upgrade and then seemed to work ok... Windows system was reporting it as Windows home edition.

 

[Diggs]

Getting out of S-mode also requires a Microsoft account for access to the Store, of course.

Ran into another cheapie Best Buy laptop with S-Mode today. Anyone know if you can N&P straight to Home without creating a Microsoft account and going to the MS store?

 

[Porthos]

Either jump thru the hoops or swap to a spare drive and see. You can be our guinea pig.

 

[Diggs]

swap to a spare drive and see

Good thought. Customer wanted to live with it for now. I may yet get a chance to try this but it's a clam shell design that I hate to pry apart.

 

[Porthos]

it's a clam shell design that I hate to pry apart.

Most new cheapies are like that now.

 

[Porthos]

Customer wanted to live with it for now.

Unless money is the issue, doubt they will live with it for long.

 

[KrustyTech]

Ran into another cheapie Best Buy laptop with S-Mode today. Anyone know if you can N&P straight to Home without creating a Microsoft account and going to the MS store?

I think the last one I had here I didnt need to create a microsoft account , could just open the app store and run the conversion app.

 

[Diggs]

I think the last one I had here I didnt need to create a microsoft account , could just open the app store and run the conversion app.

I tried today and it required an account. If you installed Win10S with an online account, then no, it won't require it but this was installed with an offline account.

 

[NJW]

Anyone know if you can N&P straight to Home without creating a Microsoft account and going to the MS store?

Win10S is Pro, not Home. Try the trick I mentioned here.

 

[mikeroq]

Win10S is Pro, not Home. Try the trick I mentioned here.

Windows 10 S is a mode of Windows 10. It's available in Windows 10 Home in S Mode and Windows 10 Pro in S Mode.
If you had an existing Windows 10 S Mode pre April 2018 update it will become windows 10 Pro in S Mode after updating.

 

[mraikes]

I ran into my first one of these today. Setting up a brand new laptop for a long time client.

My first clue something was not quite right was when there was no option to create a local account during first startup. It required an MS account. So I made a fake one on the fly just so I could move on.

Then once I reached the desktop, I ran the 10 S switch from the store to change it to regular 10 Home. Overall it added a few additional frustrating steps, but it was an onsite so I was on the clock. ;-)

Just another step forward by Microsoft on its March to a walled garden, masquerading as concern for customer security.

 

[NJW]

It's available in Windows 10 Home in S Mode and Windows 10 Pro in S Mode.

Okay, I didn't know that. I've only seen very low-cost HP branded Win10S machines and they were all Pro.

My first clue something was not quite right was when there was no option to create a local account during first startup. It required an MS account.

Again, this is not my experience. Perhaps it is either an OEM config option, or MS has changed the requirements. Of the Win10S machines that I have commissioned, it was possible to run the OOBE setup without Internet connection (my SOP) and a local account was established. These have all been post-March 2018 machines, with the free Store S-mode-disable capability.