SUBSIM Radio Room Forums



SUBSIM: The Web's #1 resource for all submarine & naval simulations since 1997

Go Back   SUBSIM Radio Room Forums > General > General Topics > PC Hardware/Software forum
Forget password? Reset here

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 04-29-18, 07:03 AM   #1
Skybird
Soaring
 
Skybird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: the mental asylum named Germany
Posts: 40,336
Downloads: 9
Uploads: 0


Default New OS in development: ReactOS. Anyone having experience with it?

^

https://www.reactos.org/

Quote:
Imagine running your favorite Windows applications and drivers in an open-source environment you can trust. That's ReactOS. Not just an Open but also a Free operating system. - This is not Linux mimicking Windows.
__________________
If you feel nuts, consult an expert.
Skybird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-18, 07:25 AM   #2
Reece
CINC Pacific Fleet
 
Reece's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Down Under
Posts: 32,563
Downloads: 171
Uploads: 0
Default

Now this sounds really cool.
__________________

Sub captains go down with their ship!
Reece is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-18, 07:36 AM   #3
Skybird
Soaring
 
Skybird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: the mental asylum named Germany
Posts: 40,336
Downloads: 9
Uploads: 0


Default

LiveCD available. Will test it later.
__________________
If you feel nuts, consult an expert.
Skybird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-18, 08:00 AM   #4
Reece
CINC Pacific Fleet
 
Reece's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Down Under
Posts: 32,563
Downloads: 171
Uploads: 0
Default

That would be great, look forward to your opinion/review.
__________________

Sub captains go down with their ship!
Reece is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-18, 09:47 AM   #5
Skybird
Soaring
 
Skybird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: the mental asylum named Germany
Posts: 40,336
Downloads: 9
Uploads: 0


Default

I wonder whether it really is set to ever become an alternative for the ordinary user. Its been around since the early 00-years and apparently is not as advanced and sophisticated like Linux. The aim of it seems to be getting the best in the Windows NT kernel to allow old proprietary software beign used by modern users today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReactOS

Still, I would prefer to get feedback from somebody knowing it before investing the time myself of trying oput a lifeCD . I have become a lazy dog these years.
__________________
If you feel nuts, consult an expert.
Skybird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-29-18, 09:43 PM   #6
Reece
CINC Pacific Fleet
 
Reece's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Down Under
Posts: 32,563
Downloads: 171
Uploads: 0
Default

If it can play most of the ham radio apps I use on XP it would be great, most of these will not work on Win 10 or Linux, wonder if it is 64 bit?
__________________

Sub captains go down with their ship!
Reece is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-18, 06:16 AM   #7
Skybird
Soaring
 
Skybird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: the mental asylum named Germany
Posts: 40,336
Downloads: 9
Uploads: 0


Default

No, 32 Bit it says somewhere. The whole thing seems to be an old, but ongoing Russian project, getting a basis that is practically compatible to the standard in Windows NT (before XP). It indeed looks like an emulated W98 surface.
__________________
If you feel nuts, consult an expert.
Skybird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-18, 07:58 AM   #8
Skybird
Soaring
 
Skybird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: the mental asylum named Germany
Posts: 40,336
Downloads: 9
Uploads: 0


Default

The LiveCD I created, does not boot on neither my Linux laptop (two years old) , nor on my W10 tower PC (half a year old). It starts with something that strongly reminds of old Windows procedures, but then comes a blue screen.

I can only assume that it is due to drivers for this quite new hardware and latest Intel CPU, 8th and 7th generations.

I do not mind enough to try a full installation on y third, older laptop which i have also on Linux, as a backup in case of my main Linux laptop gets hickups and goes into maintenance.

Sorry, no feedback from me, then.
__________________
If you feel nuts, consult an expert.
Skybird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-18, 08:04 AM   #9
Reece
CINC Pacific Fleet
 
Reece's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Down Under
Posts: 32,563
Downloads: 171
Uploads: 0
Default

Cripes, W98 is a bit too old, they should have worked on XP SP3.
__________________

Sub captains go down with their ship!
Reece is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-18, 11:18 AM   #10
Skybird
Soaring
 
Skybird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: the mental asylum named Germany
Posts: 40,336
Downloads: 9
Uploads: 0


Default

Got it running on a very old Samsung R509 notebook, 32 Bit, that is a dual core T3200 CPU. Nine or ten years old, I think.

It looks indeed like Windows, but is quite spartan and somewhat rudimentary. Not much software comes with it. I stayed stable for the half an hour I looked at it, but I needed to use the touchpad, the mouse was not recognised. Possible that it would be if installing drivers separately.

I wonder somewhat what the purpose of this OS should be. Looks more like an experiment to see whether they can reverse-engineer Windows, but if they need two decades to get this far only, then I think the future of this project is in doubt.

I did not care to see whether some simple software could be installed. Probably not really, since I was using the LiveCD environment only.
__________________
If you feel nuts, consult an expert.
Skybird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-18, 09:23 PM   #11
BarracudaUAK
Captain
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 520
Downloads: 31
Uploads: 0


Default

I've used it before, installed it into a Virtual Machine on my Athlon X2 5600 when I was running Fedora 20, that was 0.3.something.
I also recall booting it off of the Live-DVD.

I tried again running my FX8350 when I had Fedora 23 or 24, again in a Virtual Machine.


Based on everything I've read...

ReactOS is a "binary clone" of Windows XP.


I did install Command and Conquer "The First Decade" collection.

The launcher program would install and run.
The games would install, but complained about the lack of a "GPU", and as a result, would not launch.

Which is not surprising. As I set the Virtual Machine to emulate a basic PCI/VESA-type video card. Since the CPU can only do software rendering.

I would need to check again.
First, by installing one of my older ATI HD6750s, then setup a GPU-passthrough.
(HD6750 did have Win-XP drivers, I don't think my R7/R9s have XP drivers.)
Heads up: to do this, you need 2 video cards/keyboards/mice, or make your "host" machine "headless" (i.e. no monitor).

I grabbed a 0.4.something a while back, I think I'll give it another try, as soon as I have time to setup the VM software.

I wouldn't expect ReactOS to recognize any hardware that XP does not.
If it is a "clone" of an older OS, then I would expect it to behave like the older OS.

Barracuda

P.S. I do recall reading about an older W95/98 clone. Then switching to working on ReactOS, which is XP.
Keep in mind, to "write" the code "different" from Windows XP, but keep it functioning the same at the Binary (compiled) level, is not easy.
BarracudaUAK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-18, 06:08 AM   #12
Skybird
Soaring
 
Skybird's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: the mental asylum named Germany
Posts: 40,336
Downloads: 9
Uploads: 0


Default

Well, it sounds as if this is no viable option for the ordinary household user.

But then, one could argue that W10 with all its problems and big holes and messed up patches isn't that either.

And the hardware key problems with Intel CPUs' lack of security by design, no matter what OS is running on them, persists anyway.
__________________
If you feel nuts, consult an expert.
Skybird is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-18, 07:01 PM   #13
BarracudaUAK
Captain
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 520
Downloads: 31
Uploads: 0


Default

In order to use hardware, you would need to install the drivers.
Same as XP.

I need to pull my old Athlon XP 2500 out of storage, and give this a go with some older hardware that was available when XP was "NEW".

I have no idea where I put it... This may take a while.

Meanwhile I keep testing with a VM.

Barracuda
BarracudaUAK is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1995- 2024 Subsim®
"Subsim" is a registered trademark, all rights reserved.