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Windows 11 Validation OS: first impressions


TSNH

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I've tried out a new edition of Windows 11 called Validation OS intended for debugging purposes. You can it download for free from Microsoft: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/validation-os-overview

Installation: The ISO file, that you can download is not bootable and contains the .wim image of the operation system and optional components, that can be integrated with the image using DISM (I installed all of them): https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/validation-os-mount-and-customize. The image can be deployed into a hard disk using Windows PE. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/validation-os-boot

The installation definitely isn't user-friendly, but it's expected for a system designed for IT professionals.

First impressions:

Although VOS is based on Windows 11, it uses an incomplete classic theme:

obraz.thumb.png.dba2d5f0b635a4066ec0ad09214f2a31.png

Diskpart.exe is broken so this OS can't be used as a partition manager launched from USB drive:

obraz.png.c55b05a8dd54b4b3948a38a30ab04bdf.png

Quote

Validation OS boots into a Command Line environment to increase reliability on the factory floor and supports running Win32 apps

Maybe it does, but I haven't found a single application, that is compatible with it. I tried various programs, including those, that work in Windows PE: 7-zip, Winfile, Pale Moon browser, Vmware tools installer. None of them launched, except for Vmware tools installer, which showed a splash screen and immediately closed :) Console applications are likely to work better, but I don't put my hopes high as VOS can't even handle it's own Diskpart.

The cd command is also buggy: It doesn't work for directories located on CD/DVD drives (You can however still access content on CD/DVD using direct paths):

obraz.png.67778df8ba62d8e62703c1514f5f6a46.png

In conclusion, Windows 11 Validation OS is hardly usable in its current state. I can't think of a single task, that it can perform better, than Windows PE

Edited by TSNH
cd bug
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On 6/17/2022 at 6:04 PM, TSNH said:

Although VOS is based on Windows 11, it uses an incomplete classic theme:

This happens because that OS ships with only two fonts (System and Lucida Console). The Scrollbar buttons and the Titlebar buttons are supposed to render using the Marlett font which is not present in Windows 11 validation OS (But is on Windows Preinstallation Environment/Windows Recovery Environment) and as a result, they're rendered using the same font used in the console window (Lucida Console) which reveals up certain numbers and lowercase latin letters. Titlebars are rendered using System font.

On 6/17/2022 at 6:04 PM, TSNH said:

Maybe it does, but I haven't found a single application, that is compatible with it. I tried various programs, including those, that work in Windows PE: 7-zip, Winfile, Pale Moon browser, Vmware tools installer. None of them launched, except for Vmware tools installer, which showed a splash screen and immediately closed :) Console applications are likely to work better, but I don't put my hopes high as VOS can't even handle it's own Diskpart.

When you try to launch those apps you mentioned, they don't launch or they show an error window that says that the app is not compatible? Also, that OS ships with other apps or only with the command prompt? Also, most of the apps such as notepad that can be found at Windows PE are also missing in Windows Validation OS

 

Also, my experience on that OS thought that:

  • Most apps didn't worked (Most Console variants of them loaded properly, with a few exceptions such as the Nircmd Console version which did not worked at all, giving the inability to capture screenshots of the OS). Some apps did caused the cursor to become busy (Such as Mozilla Firefox) but did not launch actually. Some refuse to launch, including registry editor (From the primary SSD drive of course)
  • Basic Diskpart support is available by adding the Disk Management addon. You can use it to view the disk partitions for instance.
  • Command Prompt's Settings could not be changed (And as such you're stuck with black background color and green text color in CMD)
  • Closing CMD will cause a new one to appear
  • CTRL+ALT+Delete shows an error but closing it returns to CMD
  • I can access my laptop's drives using the dir command (The more modular tree command does not appear to work) or using direct paths (Primary Drive was assigned to letter D: while Data ones to E:)
  • If Multiple windows are open and Alt+Tab keyboard combination is used, the classic ones is shown, just like Windows PE
  • Aero Snap works like Windows 7 to 8.1 and is shown without translucent effects
  • Due to a lot of missing resources, it falls back to a broken classic theme (Lack of Aero.msstyles, Marlett font). Text is shown using the System Font in most cases.

More info may come once I found more testing on my side, those are fine for now

Edited by HM100
Adding my first Windows VOS experience
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5 hours ago, Sergiaws said:

I have two questions. 1. Has it the audio enabled? Will the narrator and similar software speak or produce audio?

2. What loads when you open it? The explorer or the cmd?

1. Narrator will not work. Not sure about Audio as I couldn't hear any sound in that OS

2. CMD is opened. But when you close it, another instance is opened automatically

5 hours ago, Sergiaws said:

Forgot something. Would it work on legacy Bios and old computers?

Not sure about it yet?

Edited by HM100
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On 6/26/2022 at 8:05 PM, Sergiaws said:

Forgot something. Would it work on legacy Bios and old computers?

Yes, it worked for me in Vmware in legacy mode. You have to use MBR disk, create primary ntfs partition, install the .wim there and create a bootloader using

"bcdboot [path to windows folder] /s [path to where you want to crate bootloader] /f BIOS"

I used the same partition for both bootloader and Windows files

When installing in Vmware Keep in mind, that this OS has no SCSI driver, so choose SATA connection

Edited by TSNH
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Also, WIN+L causes Validation OS to lock up with the mouse cursor only appearing in the black screen without any window present (Such as CMD) with the only way to exit the OS is to long-press the Power Button which is what I usually do to exit Validation OS. Also, I haven't found a way to capture screenshots from Validation OS without using a VM

And I have managed to run the following non-console apps from Windows 11 in Validation OS without issues, to further prove that Win32 apps that are not console-based can run on that OS (The commands you have to type are bold and green for 1sy Party apps while for 3rd Party Apps are bold and red):

  • Windows Font Viewer (Only viewing support is available)  "D:/Windows/System32/fontview.exe" lucon.ttf
  • System Information (Some functions cause the app to be non-functional such as the about box because a lot of needed features are missing and can also act as a list of running applications for Validation OS)  "D:/Windows/System32/msinfo32.exe"
  • Windows Features (Runs but nothing to enable/disable)  "D:/Windows/System32/OptionalFeatures.exe"
  • Printer User Interface (Fully Functional but stub anyways)  "D:/Windows/System32/printui.exe"
  • File Signature Verification (Only Advanced is not working)  "D:/Windows/System32/sigverif.exe"
  • Driver Verifier Manager (Fully Works)  "D:/Windows/System32/verifiergui.exe"
  • CrystalDiskMark (Interface must be set to English or else it bug out, with Greek it would not show Greek characters)  "D:/Program Files\CrystalDiskMark8\DiskMark64.exe"

You can try these under Validation OS to prove that Win32 apps can run in it. Currently, only 6 apps found in the System32 folder of the main OS drive ran without issues.

Also, three fonts can be found at Validation OS: System, Terminal and Lucida Console. Adding just the Marlett font into the VOS Image will make the OS display more badly as most areas will be shown in the Marlett font.

Last but not least, unlike the 64-bit WinPE, you can run 32-bit apps on the 64-bit Validation OS (VOS does not come in 32-bit variant but comes in either 64-bit in either AMD64 or ARM64 architecture). Calculator from Windows XP did run under Validation OS (And ran even without any optional component installed) but not under Windows PE.

Edited by HM100
First 3rd party Win32 app launched in VOS + 32-bit app support in VOS
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