[WIP] Windows Vista Extended Kernel

[Megadeth58]

So i got an issue with firefox 78 and 79 where youtube simply won't play videos. And also an issue that ranges from 68 to 79 where the search bar doesn't work at all, but the browser will display pages fine.

Edit: From my experience, 64 seems to be the sweet spot, it renders youtube fine, and discord doesn't have weird scrollbars like it has with earlier versions

Edited July 19, 2020 by Megadeth58

[win32]

2 hours ago, Megadeth58 said:

So i got an issue with firefox 78 and 79 where youtube simply won't play videos. And also an issue that ranges from 68 to 79 where the search bar doesn't work at all, but the browser will display pages fine.

To fix that, you will have to copy kernel32.dll to system32 then delete it from the Firefox folder.

[WinClient5270]

Finally got around to trying this today (Firefox Quantum), and I must say this is simply amazing. I'm still in awe that this project even exists, after wishing for it for years. Thank you @win32 for all the work you're putting in. I will definitely have to make a video on this project soon.

[WinClient5270]

There is one little issue I'm running into with Firefox though. Vista's H.264/Windows Media Foundation codecs are not being fully utilized, and as such, videos on some sites like Twitter and Twitch do not work (although YouTube works fine):

According to the Video Codec Test Page here, my system supports all formats except for H.264/AAC & MPEG4.

FWIW, this was also an issue for me when using the (not officially supported) 64 bit build of Firefox 52 ESR x64 in Vista. I've tried every way I know how to get it to fully utilize Vista's system codecs, with no success. Perhaps someone here knows what's going on?

BTW this is being done with Firefox 64, if that is important.

Edited July 20, 2020 by WinClient5270

[win32]

9 minutes ago, WinClient5270 said:

There is one little issue I'm running into with Firefox though. Vista's H.264/Windows Media Foundation codecs are not being fully utilized, and as such, videos on some sites like Twitter and Twitch do not work (although YouTube works fine):

Yes, Widevine is also unable to find the MF files and Firefox 68/78 asks me to download the Media Feature Pack for N/KN versions of Windows. The mf.dll/mfplat.dll files are indeed less advanced than in 7 and above so perhaps I'll prioritize extending those files.

[Megadeth58]

I've also been trying to make a mod out of these files but i simply get a bsod at bootup. Any idea?

[greenhillmaniac]

5 hours ago, win32 said:

Yes, Widevine is also unable to find the MF files and Firefox 68/78 asks me to download the Media Feature Pack for N/KN versions of Windows. The mf.dll/mfplat.dll files are indeed less advanced than in 7 and above so perhaps I'll prioritize extending those files.

Windows 7 did get the update that ported a bunch of stuff from Windows 8, including DirectWrite and I think Media Foundation (though not sure on that last one).

[docR]

Can anyone confirm whether or not Windevine components work in Waterfox Classic? 

Also I noticed Firefox 64 seems to be the last rapid release version to download the address bar search engines without replacing kernel32 in system32. If anyone cares to test ESR 60.9, it has security advisories patched up to last September, nearly a near over 64 RR. https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/60.9.0esr/win64/

psa the update nags / unsupported messages in Quantum can be neutered with Enterprise Policy Generator https://www.ghacks.net/2018/05/21/enterprise-policy-generator-add-on-for-firefox/

Edited July 21, 2020 by docR

[VistaLover]

21 hours ago, WinClient5270 said:

There is one little issue I'm running into with Firefox though. Vista's H.264/Windows Media Foundation codecs are not being fully utilized
(snipped)
Perhaps someone here knows what's going on?

Vista SP2's WMF patented decoders (h264/aac), which are installed via the Platform Update Supplement (PUS, KB2117917), have filenames (H.264 decoder is in mfh264dec.dll, the AAC decoder is in mfheaacdec.dll) different to the respective patented decoders already present in Win7 OEM; starting from Firefox 53.0a1, the Mozilla devs have completely removed any support for Vista's WMF decoders, so while e.g. Firefox Quantum 68 may launch under Vista SP2 64-bit with this Extended Kernel (which simply satisfies kernel functions missing in vanilla Vista SP2), it is not instructed in code to search for mfh264dec.dll / mfheaacdec.dll; it does try to locate decoders present in Win7+ (since it properly targets those OSes), but, of course, fails...

The only way to tackle this serious shortcoming is if you recompile from source, having first reverted those changesets responsible for disabling Vista's WMF decoders...

Related Bugzilla bug:

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1324183

(and my relevant comment

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1324183#c15

which, needless to say, caused a stir with those damn developers...)

Edited July 21, 2020 by VistaLover

[VistaLover]

20 hours ago, win32 said:

Widevine is also unable to find the MF files

The last WidevineCDM version that was Vista SP2 compatible was 4_10_1196_0 ; that version was deprecated by Widevine licence servers last August 2019; newer versions, like the currently sanctioned 4_10_1440_18, 4_10_1582_1, 4_10_1582_2 & 4_10_1610_0, have been compiled and optimised by Google (the owners of WV) to target Win7+

Up until Aug 13th 2019, I was able to use the Spotify Web Player in 360 Extreme Explorer v12, until v4_10_1196_0 could no longer acquire decryption licences... The newer Widevine DLLs have a missing function in my Vista SP2 32-bit:

If the Extended Kernel satisfies that missing function, then web services requiring the WV CDM should be usable in a Chrome-type browser, which comes with bundled patented decoders; Firefox, for the reasons I outlined earlier, won't be a choice...

FWIW, all this ExtdKernel talk here is wayyyy beyond my level of expertise and, since I'm on 32-bit Home Premium install, will remain for me just a reading topic of high interest... (hopefully, in the not so distant future, a pre-compiled "installer"/"package" will be made available for simple Vista lovers, although I understand the redistribution limitations that'll come with such an endeavour...)

Best wishes!

[win32]

14 minutes ago, VistaLover said:

 

If the Extended Kernel satisfies that missing function, then web services requiring the WV CDM should be usable in a Chrome-type browser, which comes with bundled patented decoders; Firefox, for the reasons I outlined earlier, won't be a choice...

FWIW, all this ExtdKernel talk here is wayyyy beyond my level of expertise and, since I'm on 32-bit Home Premium install, will remain for me just a reading topic of high interest... (hopefully, in the not so distant future, a pre-compiled "installer"/"package" will be made available for simple Vista lovers, although I understand the redistribution limitations that'll come with such an endeavour...)

Yes, TryAcquireSRWLockExclusive is present in the x64 kernel and will be in the x86 one. Thanks for explaining the decoder issue in detail as well; that part of Media Foundation was one I hadn't picked up on, especially with regards to the changes between Vista and 7.

I could see the creation of a basic installer/script that dispatches a *.local folder with my files to a selected program folder with the program name indicated by the user. This could also check for the DLL redirection reg key; if not present, it could offer to apply it then prompt a reboot.

But it would be difficult to have a solution for the replacement of system files as it would compete with the ESU updates that are still offered on a monthly basis and thus the files in those updates would continuously replace mine.

Edited July 21, 2020 by win32

[Megadeth58]

Latest opera seems to throw an error related to SHAssocEnumHandlerForProtocolByApplication.

[win32]

2 hours ago, Megadeth58 said:

Latest opera seems to throw an error related to SHAssocEnumHandlerForProtocolByApplication.

shell32, right? I'll get to that soon.

[Megadeth58]

10 hours ago, win32 said:

shell32, right? I'll get to that soon.

Yep, shell32.

[yoltboy01]

I followed your instructions, however when I open Export Table Tester, it doesnt show K32... there is basically nothing new to the kernel, although I added all of the non zero code starting at 000BCF50. Im currently on 6.0.6002.18005 (installed every update till EOL). What should I do?