Windows 11 Business (Not Pro???) Can't install software!? New an unimproved?

[thecomputerguy]

Client calls me because he thinks his brand new computer XPS 13 is in "Protected Mode" like the old locked down cheapy Windows 10 thing, and he can't install his main insurance client management software Applied Epic.

I look up the specs and dell lists the computer as coming with Windows 11 Home or Pro

I figure it's got to be something simple, so I login to try and install his software. When trying to run it I am immediately hit with:



I'm like ... what? Try to run it in compatibility mode for Windows 8, same issue.

I look at the system information and I see that the computer is activated as "Windows 11 Business" NOT Windows 11 Pro.



I'm having a feeling that their software is shooting some sort of incompatibility message because it doesn't recognize the OS as it's technically NOT Windows 11 Pro?

I installed my RMM and it is also reporting Windows 11 Business



I tried doing some research on what the hell Windows 11 Business is and I'm not really getting anywhere with my research.

The computer has been joined to his organization via the Windows 11 setup. I typically try to start with a Local user when setting up a new computer by doing the oobe\bypassnro trick.

I also trying creating a local admin account to install the software and the local admin account is also activated as Windows 11 Business.

I suppose it could be something else but I have a feeling that it's because of the OS activation.

I'm looking for some options before I tell him he needs to factory reset it, and I don't exactly know what I'll see when I factory reset it and he'll need to do his whole setup all over again. Recovery options do not show any way to go back to Pro, only to factory reset.

What gives?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Every computer we join to AzureAD (365 Business Premium)...gets changed from Windows Pro...to Windows Business....yeah we have TONS of those Windows Biz in our RMM. The installation of the management tools does that...because that's a feature of Windows Business.
I've never had 3rd party software balk when it installs and see Business though...never.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

And I just re-read your post, I have a larger insurance agency client that runs EPIC..and I do not have this problem. And..my client in on 365 Biz Prem...thus his rigs are Windows Business. He used to run the older on prem WinTAM for...over 25 years....and moved to Epic last year (the online version). I have setup quite a few new computers over the past and and didn't have a problem installing EPIC.

 

[Blues]

Where is the installer coming from and can you get a newer installer for it could be an outdated installer that may not even recognize Win11.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Ok so here's what I did ... maybe I should have just rebooted the computer before I tried any of this and maybe that would have fixed it.

I switched over to the local admin account I created ... attempted to re-activate with a spare Windows 7 Pro License (I don't have any other licenses laying around), it actually activated but did not change the status of the license - still Windows 11 Business.

Attempted to reinstall, no go.

Rebooted, attempted to reinstall ... installation successful.

License still reports as Windows 11 Business. Windows update still works, Onedrive still works, Outlook still works, Teams still work, nothing is broken as far as I know.

** They did however state that multiple installers and multiple reboots were already attempted.

 

[thecomputerguy]

Where is the installer coming from and can you get a newer installer for it could be an outdated installer that may not even recognize Win11.

Installer was current.

 

[MudRock]

Any chance there are still rogue 16-bit components to this? That is pretty much #1 cause I see with business software that's been around forever (Even if actively maintained,) with the screenshot you showed. My experience in the past, it'll be one random DLL or something goofy.

I did read something recently, (Of course trying to find something again...) that when 22H2 dropped, it did cause a lot of incompatibility problems with many legacy and business apps on top of the dropping of (ancient) 16-bit apps.

I can't imagine it being the Business licence itself; Its just an enablement. Possibly something set in there by his org.

When you created the local account, did you also try to run it there? Have you seen if you can get away with it on another Win11 system that's not Business and hasn't been connected to a tenant?

The end user joining AzureAD pushed the version. So long as that user is attached and the system thinks it is associated to an AD, it will stay as Business. Only by eliminating all connected AzureAD instances will you shake that. And to gamble on the end user NOT to do it again is likely with how aggressive Microsoft is to convert away from a local account.

One note: If you bumble into the tool that converts AzureAD accounts back to Local, DON'T use it. It caused all sorts of grief. HOWEVER as soon as it was done, popped the computer back to Pro.

I'm leaning moreso on something with the AzureAD config.

I would say "The dev has to know" considering it would be often used in AD workplaces.

 

[callthatgirl]

Just today saw this when I was adding a new email account to Outlook. I was like WTAF is this???

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

When running the installer, do you right click and run as admin?
Is the 365 user account that is signed in.....given local admin rights? (done in Azure admin, devices)

Even an OLD installer for Applied Epic online....I don't get any error installing it, when you run it it reaches out and pulls down the latest components.

 

[Sky-Knight]

The only time I've seen this specific error, is when I'm trying to install x86 or AMD64 software on an ARM based platform.

 

[frase]

I had the exact issue just the other day. I checked for S Mode, though wasnt on, it stated I needed to upgrade to Win11 Pro it was Home that was installed.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Event logs. The actual error message and not a blue box is going to be listed in the application section of event viewer. Then you aren’t guessing so much.