Solved Windows S Mode Computer Bought in Error

Winuser said:

This is good example of why MS decided to release a Windows S mode. I also see that MS explains not only why the program won't run but provides a link to explain how the user can get the program to run if they still want to use it.

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I don't personally think the explanation is good enough and is still too confusing for the average user. There is nothing that says windows S mode on the prompt box. A further explanation on what S mode is, on the prompt itself would be good. Vs a tiny link. Also, if the program they're trying to install isn't in the store and they follow the link on the second dialogue box I attached, It opens to just nothing there and then the user gets confused.

cereberus said:

The target audience for S versions is primarily school children to run basic apps including MS Office (at a cost of course).

However, it is a good fit for more scam vulnerable (especially old folk) whose basic needs are primarily light surfing and emails.

I had a relation who was so click happy and always got infected with malware.

His actual needs were modest so I created an S mode version, and since then no problems.

So if you only have minimal needs but want added security without any real understanding, S versions have their place.

Re. getting a 64GB emmc S device from Walmart, did OP not read the specs?

I actually have a travel laptop with only 32GB emmce drive but it is adequate to run MS 365, surf and email. So 64GB emmc would be a luxury.

Even on my main laptop, with lots of apps, I only use around 40 GB. With MS 365, I get 1 TB of onedrive storage space.

So why do I have a basic travel laptop - simply cost and if laptop does get stolen, no major financial lost.

So as for S modes, the cheap emmc devices have their place.

So people who say they are useless have not considered all aspects/usage of such devices.

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That's fair. But I think it causes more problems than it's worth. For example, most people see a Chromebook and immediately know they can't run windows programs on it because chrome OS just sounds like the chrome browser (which is pretty much what it is).

But someone buying a windows computer wouldn't expect it to not run the software they think it will. Yes, you can disable S mode but I think there needs to be more clarity from Microsoft on what S mode is. The advertising and things needs to reflect that. The average consumer will see windows 11 S mode possibly under the os section but probably won't know what that means and think it's still regular windows. Which is what probably happened here.

I'm not saying the idea of S mode is bad, I'm just saying it needs to be way more clear to the user.

I also think that Chromebooks are way better than any Windows machine in S mode. Especially due to cost and malware prevention. Granted I'm not talking about the ones that apparently cost $1,000 for some reason. Microsoft selling low budget machines that are set up for S mode is fine, but they need a mandate that they're more than "just enough" storage for Windows updates and stuff. Your device shouldn't break because it runs out of space without barely anything on it.

bobkn said:

I don't know, but I'd guess that was because the attempt was to download Firefox from the Net, rather than the MS Store.

That's a charlie foxtrot, all the same.

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In my experience with s mode, when you launched an installer for a program that's featured on the Microsoft store, it's supposed to offer you to get it from the store. But a lot of times it doesn't work. When it does work it's pretty cool

andrew129260 said:

I don't personally think the explanation is good enough and is still too confusing for the average user. There is nothing that says windows S mode on the prompt box. A further explanation on what S mode is, on the prompt itself would be good. Vs a tiny link. Also, if the program they're trying to install isn't in the store and they follow the link on the second dialogue box I attached, It opens to just nothing there and then the user gets confused.

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If I had a computer running S mode I would check those links to see how helpful MS is.

Winuser said:

If I had a computer running S mode I would check those links to see how helpful MS is.

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I might create a vm with it based on the instructions here

Winuser said:

Seeing those specs, that might be what my wife's niece bought. The one she bought was either pink or purple. I don't remember for sure. If she still has it I might buy it from to experiment with light versions of Windows. @TechnoMage2021 has peaked my interest in experimenting with light version of Windows. I just haven felt like finding where I put my laptop. It's either in a closet, shed or my storage unit.

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I'm back to plan A of using my laptop to experiment with. I found out last night my wife's niece is using the laptop for school work and her old laptop for her games and stuff.

pparks1 said:

Probably something like this, at $169.

View attachment 90707

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That looks like the one she has. At least the specs are the same.

I'm not sure what she paid for it, but the fact remains that she won't have what she needs with this one.

Wynona said:

That looks like the one she has. At least the specs are the same.

I'm not sure what she paid for it, but the fact remains that she won't have what she needs with this one.

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Actually with 1 year MS 365 that is a good deal - we never get such deals over our side of thePond .

cereberus said:

Actually with 1 year MS 365 that is a good deal - we never get such deals over our side of thePond .

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Beg to differ....

bobkn said:

That inspired me to check whether Chrome is available from the MS Store.

It isn't, but many others are. (Firefox is.)

I suspect that many low level users aren't supposed to have any idea what a Web browser is. I believe (without proof) that is the basis of why the "N" versions of Windows for the EU don't bundle MS Edge. Either the PC maker includes a browser, or the user has to choose one.

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Very strange. I wonder why I couldn't install Firefox from my USB drive, but there it is in all its blazing glory in the Store.

Wynona said:

Very strange. I wonder why I couldn't install Firefox from my USB drive, but there it is in all its blazing glory in the Store.

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I don't know, but my guess is that it is only installable from the Store. The installer that you downloaded is not recognized as a Store app.

As I'll probably never use 11S, I'll probably never know for certain.

I think the issue was not so much it had S mode, as that can be turned into full Windows. But the fact it only had a 64gb drive, and those HP streams don't have an upgradeable drive. It's the lack of upgradeability that I think is the issue. If you could swap the drive for a bigger one then it's not such a bad deal for someone who just wants a celeron processor for surfing the net. Similar to the old netbooks. And you could upgrade the drives on those.

Hazel123 said:

But the fact it only had a 64gb drive, and those HP streams don't have an upgradeable drive. It's the lack of upgradeability that I think is the issue.

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And they are eMMC drives, which are horrendously slow. It's basically a flash memory card.

Wynona said:

Very strange. I wonder why I couldn't install Firefox from my USB drive, but there it is in all its blazing glory in the Store.

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Because S mode prevents anything from being installed unless you do it through the store. What should have happened though, is when you tried to launch the installer, it should have prompted that you can find the firefox app in the store and took you there, but it failed to do so for whatever reason.

Hazel123 said:

I think the issue was not so much it had S mode, as that can be turned into full Windows. But the fact it only had a 64gb drive, and those HP streams don't have an upgradeable drive. It's the lack of upgradeability that I think is the issue. If you could swap the drive for a bigger one then it's not such a bad deal for someone who just wants a celeron processor for surfing the net. Similar to the old netbooks. And you could upgrade the drives on those.

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agreed, and the 4GB ram. Should be 8GB

pparks1 said:

And they are eMMC drives, which are horrendously slow. It's basically a flash memory card.

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Yup.....

And,

Wynona said:

That looks like the one she has. At least the specs are the same.

I'm not sure what she paid for it, but the fact remains that she won't have what she needs with this one.

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If that is the machine she had, definitely not worth removing S mode from. 4GB ram is not great for windows....That thing would have crawled.

Wynona said:

Very strange. I wonder why I couldn't install Firefox from my USB drive, but there it is in all its blazing glory in the Store.

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That's because you were trying to install the program and not the store app.

And now we get to the end of the road.

I want to say thank you to everyone who contributed to my friend's dilemma with an inadequate laptop computer.

I also want to clarify that although I'm the OP, I am not the one who bought the computer. Because I've built my own computers and installed Windows numerous times, I know better than to use Windows S Mode!

My friend (let's call her Carol) who did buy the silly thing, is a complete novice when it comes to computers and cannot be blamed for her lack of knowledge in the field. Heck, since I've avoided "S Mode" most of my computing life, I know little to nothing about it either!

Enter the gurus . . . You guys and gals have edumacated me to the max, even to including that there are "high end" S Mode computers to be had. So, in the long run, if I had a student who consistently got into trouble, I guess I could point him/her to one of the higher end ones.

We never got to the point of eliminating S Mode from the computer, so that's good. However . . .

Carol has done her share of the steps to solve this problem . . . she went to Walmart, told them about the machine's inadequacy; she was told to reset it to its original specs before returning it. I have now reset the laptop to factory settings. We will be returning it on Thursday or Friday. At that time if there is a laptop with similar specs to the one I got there in January 2023, I think she will buy that one. If not, we will order a Lenovo that I absolutely know will be adequate for what she wants to accomplish.

Again, on Carol's behalf, I say, Thank You Very Much!

Wynona said:

Very strange. I wonder why I couldn't install Firefox from my USB drive, but there it is in all its blazing glory in the Store.

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It's been packaged as a Store app, that's why it's available in S Mode......

bobkn said:

As I'll probably never use 11S, I'll probably never know for certain.

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You don't have to have S Mode, the Store app version can be installed in any edition of Windows. As a test, I've tried it on one of my machines. It's identical to the standard version in all respects except for checking for updates, those are handled by the Store.

Bree said:

It's identical to the standard version in all respects except for checking for updates, those are handled by the Store.

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Yup which is great for security, if you can find the apps you use on windows as store versions, it would be better to use the store version so that it auto updates. Especially more for programs that don't have their own auto updater. Store apps are also generally more secure than normal apps and backup and restore with your account.

Bree said:

It's been packaged as a Store app, that's why it's available in S Mode......

You don't have to have S Mode, the Store app version can be installed in any edition of Windows. As a test, I've tried it on one of my machines. It's identical to the standard version in all respects except for checking for updates, those are handled by the Store.

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It would never occur to me to look for a Store version of a program I could get on the Web. Maybe I should change.

I tend to prefer the web versions. I think they're more reliable and full featured - but that's not a scientific observation. Just my opinion.

Hazel123 said:

I think the issue was not so much it had S mode, as that can be turned into full Windows. But the fact it only had a 64gb drive, and those HP streams don't have an upgradeable drive. It's the lack of upgradeability that I think is the issue. If you could swap the drive for a bigger one then it's not such a bad deal for someone who just wants a celeron processor for surfing the net. Similar to the old netbooks. And you could upgrade the drives on those.

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More than anything, the issue was that she could only in stall from the Store and that the "hard drive" was only 57.2 GB.

Wynona said:

That looks like the one she has. At least the specs are the same.

I'm not sure what she paid for it, but the fact remains that she won't have what she needs with this one.

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I asked and I am now pretty sure that's the one she had because she paid $169 for it.