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Long time reader, first poster.

We use Thin Clients in the company and while they serve a role I have always wondered can we not enable the File Based Write Filter that makes a thin client (device using windows embedded 7 or IoT) so powerful on Windows 10 Pro devices.

The cost of a thin client is roughly the same of that of an entry-mid level device (we currently buy HP MT42 and HP T520) however the specs are much lower than you would find on a full fledged PC/laptop.

So my goal of this project is to find a way to write protect a standard Windows 10 Pro device such that it functions like a thin client. We would need the ability to lock and unlock the device, requiring a reboot to do so.

Here is where I am at:

  1. Found this post and looks like it can be done.

I can say that its actually possible, in the Windows 10 Pro Anniversary Update, to use UWF. I have tested.

The only "thing" is that the uwfmgr.exe is intentinally crippled (e.g. disabled), but if you use the WMI interface, or another uwfmgr.exe, it will work flawlessly. Note that the external uwfmgr.exe does not need to be placed in system32 folder, it can reside anywhere.

To install UWF, press Win+R, type Control, press enter. Then navigate to Programs, and then Enable/Disable Windows features. Then scroll down to Device-Lockdown, and check UWF.

  1. I have enabled the feature in Windows 10 pro and even found a UWFMGR.EXE file from an IoT device I have and placed it on the Win 10 device.

  2. Here is where I'm stuck, the UWFMGR.EXE file doesn't do anything when run in CMD or double clicked. Also, I don't see the green/red lock in the taskbar.

I am looking for anyone who know a good deal about Microsoft's Microsoft Windows Embedded Unified Write Filter and how it works.

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  • Does it show anything when you run "uwfmgr get-config" in CMD? Mar 22, 2017 at 6:29

1 Answer 1

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I had the same issue and after banging my head for days, i solved it by downloading the latest ISO of Windows 10 Enterprise and enabled the feature via below command (Run as Administrator):

DISM.exe /Online /enable-Feature /FeatureName:client-UnifiedWriteFilter

and all worked fine after that. Otherwise you can refer to this forum link

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