[app port] RemoveDriveByLetter - Windows RT Development and Hacking

I don't like using touchscreen, trackpad or mouse often. So I ported this: https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/13839/How-to-Prepare-a-USB-Drive-for-Safe-Removal
Usage (from cmd.exe):
RemoveDriveByLetter.exe D:
Will attempt to safely remove the D: drive and report the result. Tested on Windows Surface RT running Windows 8.0. This binary is therefore not signed nor required to be under that circumstance.

Zero views, but anyway, here it is for Windows RT 8.1

Related

start menu

Is there a way i can add the start menu on my rt, I installed pokki my desktop running windows 8,but cant seem to install on my rt.
ha, nope sorry buddy! windows RT is completely different to windows 8, RT is using a ARM processor 'tegra 3' this means the software will have to be made for an arm CPU, that's why it won't work on your rt device. this is also why there is a marketplace for downloading all of your apps....
sorry.
ssfirme said:
Is there a way i can add the start menu on my rt, I installed pokki my desktop running windows 8,but cant seem to install on my rt.
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you can jailbreak your device using this and then run classic start menu from here. works perfectly on my surface rt
Dane, you're actually incorrect... there's a hack available (on this very site, even), commonly referred to as a "jailbreak", that allows running apps which aren't from the store, sideloaded, or from Microsoft on Windows RT. They still need to be compatible with ARM, as you say, but recent .NET apps work fine with no changes, and many C/C++ open-source apps have been recompiled.
Classic Start has been available on RT for a couple weeks now, using this method. Download the jailbreak hack, unzip it and run it, then follow the instructions. Download and install Classic Start following the instructions in the post linked from my thread, List of desktop apps for hacked RT devices, then restart Windows Explorer (or just log off and log on again) and you'll have a Start menu if you want it so badly (I don't get the fuss; on a tablet, the Start screen really is a better option IMO, but it's available).
Also, there is actually a work-in-progress hack to allow running unmodified x86 programs on RT as well, using dynamic recompilation from x86 to ARM code.
Why would you need a start menu on Rt?
You actually can... I've got 7-Zip, PuTTY, Gvim, MirandaIM, IKVM (and through it, Burp Suite and some other Java programs), Fiddler 4, Python 2.7, and some other "legacy" programs installed on my RT. I'm working on porting Chrome (it's a chrome-plated ***** of a project, if you'll excuse the terrible joke). I also temporarily install additional apps to test them out as people port them to RT. Finally, I've installed the Win86emu beta, which isn't a legacy program but is a desktop program; it's written especially for Windows RT and allows running (some) x86 legacy apps on RT directly and unmodified.
deeman said:
Why would you need a start menu on Rt?
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more of a want than need but it's a familarity thing, i'm sure.
Can I get GOM player or any good player working on RT which can support most extensions ??
mohitgalaxy3 said:
Can I get GOM player or any good player working on RT which can support most extensions ??
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Unrelated to this thread

[Q] Running Windbg/cdb on Surface RT Window 8.1 Preview

As was discussed here, you are no longer able to run the Arm debugging tools in Windows RT 8.1 Preview. I tried cdb version 6.2.9200.16398 and 6.3.9431.0 with no success.
According to Netham45, he was able to run cdb/Windbg but was unable to attach to csrss. I'm working on a jailbreak technique that involves modifying two DWORDs in a different, non-privileged process but without the ability to attach to another process in non-invasive mode and the ability to modify two DWORDs at a fixed location in the .data section, I won't be able to run my jailbreak in Windows RT 8.1 Preview.
As soon as I get this technique working in 8.1 Preview, I would be happy to share it.
FYI, the ARM debugging tools are now publicly available in the WDK 8.1 Preview
OK. I figured it out. You need to install the Windows 8.1 Preview WDK and do the following:
From an elevated command prompt: cd "%ProgramFiles(x86)%\Windows Kits\8.1\bin\arm\SecureBoot"
Run InstallKitsPolicy.cmd
Allow your Surface RT to reboot. When the machine reboots, follow the instructions on the screen. Use the Volume Down button to select Accept and install and then press the Windows button to accept the agreement terms.
You may now use cdb/Windbg (Windows RT 8.1 Preview versions) on your Surface RT.

Since windows RT auto updates, what happens if you don't like 8.1 and don't want it?

Right now 8.1 is a preview but what happens when it is fully released? Will windows RT auto update to it even if we don't like 8.1 and want to stay on Windows 8 RT?
I know you can disable auto-updates by hacking the registry but Id rather not have to do that.
Any way to keep automatic updates but ensure your system never upgrades to 8.1?
Why? 8.1 works great.
ap3604 said:
Any way to keep automatic updates but ensure your system never upgrades to 8.1?
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Windows RT is supported by WSUS. I never tested it myself, but you can setup your device to get updates not from MS site but from your local WSUS server - and just don't approve there the updates you don't like.
And similar to earlier service packs - there would be an "8.1 blocker" (look for Win7 SP1 blocker here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=22464). As this is just a registry key - it may work on RT too.
Dane Reynolds said:
Why? 8.1 works great.
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One massive issue with 8.1 which is enough to keep a large user base from updating: jailbreak.
Once there is a jailbreak for 8.1 though, then your argument would be valid.
Not sure why you wouldn't want to run updates but so far Windows 8.1 rocks! Makes RT so much better.
SixSixSevenSeven said:
One massive issue with 8.1 which is enough to keep a large user base from updating: jailbreak.
Once there is a jailbreak for 8.1 though, then your argument would be valid.
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You talking about a jailbreak for 8.1 RT? Is so what type of stuff can you do with the jailbreak?
Dane Reynolds said:
Why? 8.1 works great.
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phantomlightgames said:
Not sure why you wouldn't want to run updates but so far Windows 8.1 rocks! Makes RT so much better.
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Not on the Asus Vivo RT it doesn't :silly:
8.1 really f#&@'s up the trackpad
Wow that's good to know.. I'm currently running it on a Dell T3500 desktop both Surface RT & Pro.
Are you sure it's not a driver issue. Maybe Asus have some updates available for track pad?
@Dane Reynolds: You new here? The Windows RT jailbreak has been a pretty big deal - especially on the RT Dev&Hacking sub-forum here - since its initial reveal over half a year ago. It removes the signing restrictions that Microsoft uses to lock out third-party desktop apps. With the jailbreak, you can:
1) Run .NET 4 (or later) desktop programs.
2) Run open-source Win32 desktop programs that were recompiled for RT (there's a list of them; check my sig).
3) Run a handful of programs specifically written for Windows RT tablets, including an x86 emulation layer.
4) Run various non-.NET legacy programs (some x86 through the emulation layer, some Java through IKVM, some Python through an incomplete port, Perl, Ruby, Lua, and a bunch of game engines).
5) Install third-party drivers (such as the open-source program Process Hacker uses).
Windows RT 8.1 breaks the method used to jailbreak RT 8.0. There are people working on getting it back - the OS is a hell of a lot more useful when you can run things like PuTTY and 7-Zip and even WebKit-based web browsers - but until them, most people that hang out around here are either dual-booting 8.0 and 8.1 (if they have enough space) or just sticking with 8.0.
GoodDayToDie said:
@Dane Reynolds: You new here?
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Nah, I've been here since RT was released, I heard about the jailbreak but was never interested, but the only reason I wasn't interested was I never found any fun stuff to do with the jailbreak.
Dane Reynolds said:
Nah, I've been here since RT was released, I heard about the jailbreak but was never interested, but the only reason I wasn't interested was I never found any fun stuff to do with the jailbreak.
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no fun stuff? Quakes 1, 2 and 3. Numerous other games, MAME I think.
Python.
.NET
FreeDownloadManager
a torrent client
An html5 browser other than IE (hopefully chromium or Firefox eventually)
PuTTY (would be an absolute must have for me)
Loads of other software many either useful or fun or both.
It really opens up the desktop side of RT
Damn, quake sounds fun and I could use chrome ... I kind of regret getting 8.1
I see the use for a jailbreak but I think it brings the OS backwards. These desktop apps aren't optimized for touch. I think building apps for the new interface is the way to go.
Funny; I get around fine using touch on the desktop (no, my fingers aren't even tiny). Well, except for typing. That sucks, Desktop or Metro. So, I have a Touch Cover, which makes typing a lot nicer. It also has a trackpad, so I only use touch when it's better than using a trackpad.
So, now I have a keyboard and pointing device, in addition to touch, for the device to be useful to me. Care to explain to me again why using apps which are amenable to all three input methods, instead of only one, "brings the OS backwards"? Because the way I see it, taking a multi-input device and excluding all those apps which aren't (over) optimized for a single form of input is a hell of a lot *more* backward...
Dane Reynolds said:
Damn, quake sounds fun and I could use chrome ... I kind of regret getting 8.1
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I love quake and doom, been playing through doom again on my PSP actually (CFW-PRO to effectively jailbreak the PSP, then there are 2 or 3 ports for PSP)
Chrome isnt out for RT yet. GoodDayToDie had a look, but its complicated. Kudos to him for taking a look anyway, but so far 1 guy on his own hasnt managed to do it. Firefox also has its own issues. We may or may not see them eventually though. The jailbreak would be the first step before you could run them though.
As for 8.1. Trig0r has 8.0 recoveries for the surface RT which you could use to downgrade. Hopefully someone will get 8.1 jailbroken soon too, but microsoft patched the exploit that was being used before.
Thanks, I might ask for a recovery as I love gaming, speaking of gaming i know the Surface's hardware isn't high enough to run games but i was wondering if Onlive would be releasing an app for RT.
That would actually be a legitimate use for OnLive... wasn't sure I'd ever see one of those.
Surface (Pro or RT) are fine for light gaming, or for running older games. The RT does actually have NVidia graphics, they're just really underpowered. The Pro has only Intel graphics, but the Intel GMA for the i5 might actually be more powerful than the RT's Tegra 3 (haven't checked). In any case, there are lots of games known to work (if not always at max resolution / quality) on the Pro, and the RT has a number of older games which have been ported over working fine, and some old x86 games that run in the dynamic recompilation engine also working (though so far as I know, none of those ones are 3D).
ap3604 said:
Not sure why you wouldn't want to run updates but so far Windows 8.1 rocks! Makes RT so much better.
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Click to collapse
Not on the Asus Vivo RT it doesn't :silly:
8.1 really f#&@'s up the trackpad
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Click to collapse
I own VivoTab RT 3g - no problems with trackpad in 8.1. Currently I have no major problems with 8.1 except for the blinking screen issue that is present in 8.0 too. Even VPN works fine, so I finally can connect to my workplace and read email with Outlook, use RDP or Citrix Receiver.

[Q] Windows via QEmu

Hi,
I know there are like 60billon topics about Windows RT running on the TF101 but this is different. (I think)
I was experimenting with QEmu on my Nexus 5 the other day and it run Windows 95 lightning fast, so it got me thinking: would it be (theoretically) possible to emulate Windows XP Tablet Edition/Windows 8 (not RT)/Ubuntu x86/any other x86 OS "almost navitely" on our TF101s? ie Android (or a super-stripped down version) starts up but straight after the boot screen it starts libSDL and emulates the OS of the users choice - or would the TF101 be just too slow (and would need a lot of overclocking) to run a x86 OS?
Just an idea - if anyone has anything to say; like if it's not possible/very slow or if anyone has any idea how - reply!

Windows Surface RT 8.1 general questions

Hi all,
Just bought a Windows Surface RT 8.1 off of someone thinking I could use this as a regular Windows PC. That was a mistake lol. I've been trying to figure out what the current state of jailbreaking/running x86 apps is since most of the jailbreaking articles and info is from 2013.
I was able to do this https://forum.xda-developers.com/wi...ent/windows-8-1-rt-jailbreak-exploit-t3226835
and boot into Test Mode. Does this allow for running ARM compiled apps?
Thanks.

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