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DIM blocked by "Smart App Control" on Win 11

gwalla_2536c3a4a6gwalla_2536c3a4a6 Posts: 10
in Technical Help (nuts n bolts)

DIM just updated itself yesterday. Today I bought some assets through the Daz Store, tried to install them, and got a message saying that it was blocked by Smart App Control, which I'd never heard of. Trying to open DIM directly got similar results. Smart App Control is apparently a security feature that checks if an app is signed in some way, and totally blocks the app if it is not, with no way to override or whitelist.

Comments

  • richardandtracyrichardandtracy Posts: 7,368
    edited January 28

    Are you using your PC in 'S' Mode? That's the mode that only allows 'apps' (what a horrible word) from the Microsoft store. It's supposed to protect you from corrupted, damaging or infected files & features, but it really olny enforces a monopoly on downloading programs from the Microsoft App store, like Google Play Store for Android and Apple Store for the Apple stuff.. 

    If your PC is in 'S' Mode, then probably the only way to gain access is to break out of S Mode. I fear I don't know how to do it. My wife had it on her PC and stuck with S Mode until the motherboard & SSD died, got those bits replaced by a repair place, and they were constitutionally opposed to the MS Monopoly and broke it out of S mode before returning it.

    I can relate a ridiculous story about S Mode. My wife had her laptop in S mode (as I mentioned above), and found she couldn't load an old installation CD of MS Office she bought years ago, the installation .exe file was blocked by 'S' Mode as the program wasn't from the App store... It appears Microsoft doesn't even think Microsoft software is safe and free of damaging features.

    Regards,

    Richard

    Post edited by richardandtracy on
  • BejaymacBejaymac Posts: 1,964
    edited January 28

    Actually SAC is an extra layer of security in W11 that uses "Microsoft's AI to block malicious, untrusted, or potentially unwanted apps from running".

    Google how to stop it blocking programs.

    Post edited by Bejaymac on
  • Mitch SamsMitch Sams Posts: 4

    FWIW, I opened a ticket with DAZ. I think the best solution is for them to sign their application with a valid signature. Hopefully, they'll agree.

  • TSasha SmithTSasha Smith Posts: 27,383

    I was coming to ask about this DIM error.

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  • gwalla_2536c3a4a6gwalla_2536c3a4a6 Posts: 10

    Bejaymac said:

    Actually SAC is an extra layer of security in W11 that uses "Microsoft's AI to block malicious, untrusted, or potentially unwanted apps from running".

    Google how to stop it blocking programs.

    AI? Ugh, I thought I'd disabled all that garbage.

    OK. Disabled it, and DIM works fine now. When you switch it off in Settings, it first pops up a big scary dialog about how you can't turn it back on without cleanly reinstalling Windows, but who cares? The last thing I need is overgrown autocomplete blocking random programs.

  • Pickle RendererPickle Renderer Posts: 272

    May I also note a story running I saw earlier:  "Microsoft’s first Windows 11 updates of January 2026 have caused significant, widespread issues, forcing the company to issue multiple out-of-band emergency patches. Reported problems include severe boot failures, computers failing to shut down or sleep, and application crashes (OneDrive, Dropbox, Outlook)"

     

    I hope they haven't started 2026 as they mean to continue it.  The problems you have after Windows update might not be your or your machine config's fault.  It's probably Microsoft's for sloppy testing. 

     

  • TSasha SmithTSasha Smith Posts: 27,383

    I uninstalled it and reinstalled it, it worked until it automatisch updated.

  • Mitch SamsMitch Sams Posts: 4

    It looks like DAZ fixed it. Just download the new version of DIM.

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