I have tried to explain what S mode is and does. In S mode, the device is set to only run apps from the Windows Store, and was meant to be used by students and or users, not wanting any other apps. Most users will just return the device and purchase one that isn’t in S mode, like one that has W11 Pro installed. I have dealt with this issue a few times, and the best way is to just return the device, if it is returnable, once it is taken out of S mode, it will not be returnable.
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Is that the only way?
Is it not possible to take it out of S mode, install what you want, and forget it ever had w11?
and
How exactly do you take it out of S mode?
Do you do something in W11?
OK, I found it
Cheers
Neville
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I understand that part. It doesn’t seem like that should have anything to do with boot though. Maybe it does, but Windows isn’t even running. How can it have an effect?
Your assumption is wrong, W11 is running!!! Only in S mode!!!
Windows 11 the almighty: it runs even on the powered off computer.
It runs even before booting.
Is that what you mean, @4dandl4 ?
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I repeat myself: Windows is in S mode, not the device.
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And how on Earth was it possible to boot Ventoy that one time? 
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Yes!!! But the version of Windows that is installed has the bios of that machine locked down to a Windows boot only.
So when that windows was installed, in the factory, it wrote something in the bios which inhibits non-w11 boots?
So you have to boot W11 to unlock it… nothing else will boot and I assume you cant unlock it by going into the bios.
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I don’t believe such a block exists.
In this case, the only once booted Ventoy easily defeats that theory.
I think.
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Does anybody know?
We are all going to encounter this issue one day
Within 2 years W11 laptops will come free in your Cornflakes packet. We need to know how to Linuxify them
Hi all, 
a big thank you to all of you for your replies. 
@ernie :
Yes, I could bring up the boot menu (I think it was with the hep of the F10 key).
But for some reason I only get two entries now:
No mention of any USB device.
That´s the other problem. I only have these two possiblities there:
- the internal SSD with WIN10 on it
- Disabled
As for the laptop´s manual: I already found and downloaded it.
It´s a good-for-nothing sort of manual as far as BIOS/UEFI settings are concerned. It offers no help whatsoever.
Still: Thanks a lot for your suggestions, Ernie.
Thanks, Daniel. Of course I will attempt to follow these steps next time I´m with my ex-neighbour:
- opt out of S mode from within a running WIN
- also: “fast boot disabled” in WIN as well.
That wouldn´t be something to consider, I think. My ex-neighbour has waited far too long to be able to return the laptop anyway.
Yes. indeed. That was the case just once. I could kick my a… (sorry) because I failed to remember how exactly it was done. 
That I did, László. Countless times. The stick wouldn´t be offered as a choice though.
… which gives me some hope. 
@nevj :
Hmm, I wouldn´t know. of course. But ist´t that somewhat unlikely?
But you´re certainly right in taking such scenario into consideration.
O.K. , we might try that after all.
Of course that´s what I attempt to do. This would be the bast plan. 
Thanks also for the link, Neville.
That is a very good point, Neville.
@pdecker :
That was my thought as well.
But @Daniel_Phillips said:
Holy s…t. 
.
Until now my attitude towards Microsoft was indifferent at best. If that is the case they seem to be doing everything to make me hate them… 
.
Thanks so much to all of you.
Many greetings from Rosika 
@Rosika
This topic has gone completely wacko!!! I do not defend or approve of MS and their S mode!! We are talking W11 Home Edition, if one does not wish S mode, then purchase a device with W11 Pro Edition, or a device that has Linux installed. The fix is simple, but that may be too simple, boot into Windows, do the update and see then if the option to exit S mode is available. Good luck!!!
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Hi Daniel,
Sorry, I didn´t want to make anybody feel uncomfortable. 
No no. I didn´t mean to imply you did. Sorry if it came out in an ambiguous manner.
I just wanted to stress my sentiment that WIN meddling with BIOS/UEFI seems intolerable to me.
O.K., that would be an alternative…
… but not for my ex-neighbour. She already purchased that very laptop (because it was cheap enough for her) and she hadn´t consulted me beforehand.
Plus: she already waited too long to return it.
So we have to come to terms with it.
I´m still convinced there has to be a way of installing a Linux distro on it.
Also remember what Neville pointed out:
I couldn´t agree more … sad as it is. 
I´ll attempt to do that of course.
Thanks a lot, Daniel.
Cheers from Rosika
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Hi again,
funny thing…
I just stumbled across a website which seems to suggest that the laptop in question would´ve been available without any pre-installed OS as well.
I hope I understood it correctly.
see: Medion Akoya E3223 30032549 ab 399,00 € | Preisvergleich bei idealo.de
Medion Akoya E3223 without OS
The site is in German though.
Just look out for the phrase “ohne Betriebssystem”:
Am I correct in assuming that she wouldn´t have run into any difficulties like that had she opted for this version of the laptop 
Cheers from Rosika
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Let me still express my doubt that really Windows is that tries to drive you crazy…
*I’m about to to blame the BIOS there…
I guess, “ohne Betriebssystem” would have been cheaper for her, as not paying for a Windows licence.
But having that hard time to boot up an USB drive for installing would happened as well…
I bet there’s something with that BIOS that interferes with Ventoy.
(Of course I cannot be sure)
We can buy here laptops too without preinstalled OS, but in practice this usually means FreeDOS preinstalled.
@nevj had the idea, that maybe your Ventoy drive got corrupted after that boot? Do you still have it (untouched since those attempts), and can you check, if it works now with your computer as usual, as it used to work before?
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Thanks, László, for providing your views on the matter.
Right. That makes sense.
I was just taking up what @4dandl4 suggested, namely that WIN´s S mode would have imposed those hurdles upon us.
As far as the laptop´s behaviour is concerned: comparing the ventoy stick to another usb-stick with only e.g. Linux Lite ISO on it should also shed some light onto the matter, I think. 
O.K., I didn´t know that. Thanks for letting me know.
That´s certainly worth looking into.
Thank you very much for your latest suggestions, László.
Have a nice Sunday (what´s left of it).
All the best from Rosika
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Have you tried a different USN port?
Also, post the make and model (If you know it, or when you get back to your ex-neighbor’s home again) and I’ll look it up to see if I can figure out how to offer better help.
Ernie
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It is the only explanation I could think of as to why it would not boot a second time.
Not quite… I suppose that it is possible that Ventoy wrote something on the USB stick and disabled it
Ventoy is a box of tricks. Avoid it
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