Rufus 4.3 Beta is out with Windows in S mode installation, NTFS enforce for Linux, and more

Pete Batard, the creator of the Rufus app, has released a new preview version to try before it goes out to the stable channel. Release 4.3 is now available for download with several changes.

Notable improvements in Rufus 4.3 include the ability to enforce Windows installation in S Mode (the long-forgotten mode that limited app installation to the Microsoft Store), NTFS enforcing for Linux Mint LMDE, a fix for the bug preventing opening VHD images, and more. As a reminder, Rufus received VHD and ZIP64 support in version 4.2 released in July 2023.

Here is the complete changelog for Rufus 4.3 Beta:

• Add support for symlink preservation when NTFS is used
• Add an exception to enforce NTFS for Linux Mint's LMDE
• Add an expert feature to restrict a Windows installation to S Mode
• Fix persistence support for Debian 12 in BIOS mode
• Fix a regression that prevented the opening of .vhd images (#2309)
• Update UEFI:NTFS to report a more explicit error on bootmgrsecurity issues
• Improve the search for conflicting processes, by running it in a background thread
• Improve support for Slax Linux (#2336)

You can download Rufus 4.3 Beta from the app's GitHub repository or from the Neowin Software section. The latest stable release (installable and portable) is available on the official website. You can use Rufus on any PC running Windows 8 and newer, including Windows on ARM.

For those unfamiliar, Rufus is a great free utility for creating bootable media for installing Windows, Linux, or another operating system.

Although Windows users have the Media Creation Tool app, Rufus provides several extra features, such as the ability to easily bypass Windows 11's strict hardware requirements and online connection, copy regional settings, quickly create an offline account, and more. Rufus is also open-source and its developer encourages everyone to tinker with the app's source code.

Check out our guide detailing how to create a Windows 11 install media using Rufus.

Source