X86 Emulator for Store or WP 8.1/10 on RT? - Windows RT Development and Hacking

So I've gotten to use the ported apps via jailbreaking my Surface RT. But one thing I haven't seen anyone do yet is put a true X86 emulator out. Has anyone looked into just making a full X86 emulator (maybe based around Wine since it works on ARM platforms both ARM and ARM64) metro app and putting it on the Windows 8.1 Store? I mean I can't imagine Microsoft would have a problem with that, especially since we'd be using open source software and it would be an app not even a what we have been doing in the past. I mean even if we made an app that required jailbreaking, that would be fantastic. In that case, we could use the sideloader app that was ported over. Also, what is happening with Windows Mobile 8.1 or even 10 on Windows RT 8.1 devices? Has anyone besides Black_blob got it working on their RT device? And if so, could someone post a tutorial of it? I'm hoping that this new thread will help clear up some of my own questions along with anyone else. I get that Microsoft killed off RT and have no plans to revive it (cough cough Windows 10S or Windows 10 on ARM). I know that I am assuming a lot by saying we could just port Wine over, as I have never created or ported anything in my life. I have a basic understanding of what goes into it. But I would be willing to do all I can to help bring something like an app emulator to life. I own 2 Surface RT's and I'm willing to do experiments with them.

Related

Why not merge Windows RT with WP. What differentiates Windows RT?

At first I was interested in the Windows RT Surface because it offers the Office suite. Then I started thinking, what does Windows RT offer that WP8 doesn't? They share the same kernel. But RT is limited to Metroized apps and you cannot use it as a phone. Why have two limited platforms? Merge them into one. I want a "one in all" pocketable device with Powerpoint, Word and Excel, that does the Nokia Drive, and, in a future iteration has a Windows Pureview camera.
Gadgety said:
At first I was interested in the Windows RT Surface because it offers the Office suite. Then I started thinking, what does Windows RT offer that WP8 doesn't? They share the same kernel. But RT is limited to Metroized apps and you cannot use it as a phone. Why have two limited platforms? Merge them into one. I want a "one in all" pocketable device with Powerpoint, Word and Excel, that does the Nokia Drive, and, in a future iteration has a Windows Pureview camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How are you going to pocket a 10 inch tablet?
RT is like android and iOS. Price is like your desktop windows. There is a world of difference. RT wont run PC apps, only metro apps. I expect the pro will run metro apps so the all in one you want is the Pro.
That's what I've been scratching my head over. I mean, come on! What's difference between WinRT and WP8?! I'm concluding that WinRT is is basically WP8 with price of Windows 8. Just pure marketing gimmick.
groaner said:
There is a world of difference. RT wont run PC apps, only metro apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your post is off-topic. The OP is comparing WinRT v WP8 and not WinRT v Windows 8.
Gadgety said:
At first I was interested in the Windows RT Surface because it offers the Office suite. Then I started thinking, what does Windows RT offer that WP8 doesn't? They share the same kernel. But RT is limited to Metroized apps and you cannot use it as a phone. Why have two limited platforms? Merge them into one. I want a "one in all" pocketable device with Powerpoint, Word and Excel, that does the Nokia Drive, and, in a future iteration has a Windows Pureview camera.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
windows mobile was suppose to be that merger back in 2005 but that failed horribly
maybe someone will make an app for windows8 that will provide voip calling
daAppu said:
That's what I've been scratching my head over. I mean, come on! What's difference between WinRT and WP8?! I'm concluding that WinRT is is basically WP8 with price of Windows 8. Just pure marketing gimmick.
Your post is off-topic. The OP is comparing WinRT v WP8 and not WinRT v Windows 8.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Doh. My bad.. I was thinking of Windows pro 8 not phone 8
Bie!
RT is slimmer and consumes less operational power. It will be limited to Metro apps.
W8 requires more computing power and is more bulky than the previously mentioned. It will have the ability to run both Metro apps and standard windows compatible programs.
Windows phone 8 not windows pro 8
Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2
part of the confusion is OP's fault for using "Windows RT" and then "WP" which can be seen as both Windows Phone 8 and Windows Pro 8.
anyway I guess windows phone 8 won't have a desktop but I haven't looked at any of the windows phone 8 stuff yet.
daAppu said:
That's what I've been scratching my head over. I mean, come on! What's difference between WinRT and WP8?! I'm concluding that WinRT is is basically WP8 with price of Windows 8. Just pure marketing gimmick.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other than the totally different UI? I think they still have some differences and it's only the kernel that's the same right now.
I guess with W9/WP9 those differences will also go away and it really would be just a UI that works better on a smaller device.
The licensing costs for OEMs would still be different somehow. It's too expensive anyway. They're overcharging for the winrt license and then they also make 20-30% of sales on their app store (which with windows devices could end up being a lot more than the license)
nbates66 said:
part of the confusion is OP's fault for using "Windows RT" and then "WP" which can be seen as both Windows Phone 8 and Windows Pro 8.
anyway I guess windows phone 8 won't have a desktop but I haven't looked at any of the windows phone 8 stuff yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks to all for replies. I thought Windows Phone 8 is (officially?) abbreviated WP8 while Windows 8 is abbreviated W8. I've never seen Windows 8 as WP anywhere else. WP can now be read as Windows Phone and Windows Pro!?
However I recognize the confusion, and rather than take that blame you want to attribute to me, I wonder if this is more further confusion created by Microsoft. Windows Phone --> WPH
Basically I wonder why they don't launch one OS to serves both phones and tablets? It seems RT and the WPH OS could be merged beyond just the kernel. The RT seems to have essentially everything except the phone functionality... Would generate more interesting integrated devices. How about a 7'' RT with phone ability, for example.
WinRT WILL have the desktop, unlike Windows Phone 8. It WILL do almost everything that Windows 8 can and more - except it won't run x86/x64 compiled programs, but will have device encryption instead of drive encryption. To see what Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT are capable of find the Microsoft comparison table in one of their public announcements.
Stop speculating, find the facts.
As pointed out already, the differences would be different, even if they seem very close as os
I would add, also, that the WP had to call the module, which certainly will not have the tablet with Windows 8 RT (up to Skype, but also through non-cellular data network
So bottom line, WinRT is in the middle of WP8 and W8?
With the lack of Metro apps as of right now, I'm a little bit worried that if I buy a WinRT Surface that I will be having a hard time finding quality apps, does anyone agree?
xinn3r said:
So bottom line, WinRT is in the middle of WP8 and W8?
With the lack of Metro apps as of right now, I'm a little bit worried that if I buy a WinRT Surface that I will be having a hard time finding quality apps, does anyone agree?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. There are big and small differences. For the average person, having a Windows RT device means they can't run their normal Windows programs and IT departments won't be able to integrate Windows RT devices with their Active Directory forests like they will be able to do with Windows 8 Pro machines, but they'll be able to make Metro apps available (or install them on) to Windows Phone 8 and at the very least Windows 9 Pro machines, possibly Windows RT, this part is a bit vague.
With 100,000 apps there are plenty to choose from ! How many apps on Play and the App Store are just rewrites by another wannabe rich dev copying someone elses idea ? Or a paid version and a free version and HD version and a HD free version with limited content ? When I first got my Android phone, there were only around 100,000 apps to iOS's nearly 400,000 and now Android has well over 600,000 less than 2 years on! MS are trying to make it easy for iOS and Android Devs to port their apps, which will hopefully encourage app growth.
With the same Metro Apps being available on Windows Phone 8, Windows RT and Windows 8 (and backwards compatible with Windows Phone 7 if the developer so chooses!) I can't see a problem. The unifying of Windows starts now people, before the iOS/OS X eventual merger in 2-3 years time and imo better than Android. Stop pissing into the wind, speculating and do some actual research on the subject.
A year ago the argument FOR wp7 was "I don't need all those apps, my os has facebook baked in."
Now, the idea that wp8 can share apps with w8 might be getting devs interested ?
Ill bet the devs are waiting to see the w8 app store functioning before they sink money into the platform.
Windows RT has a Desktop.
They are essentially the same thing, but then again so is Windows 8 and Windows RT, they just run on different architectures.
There are lots of differences, Windows RT is semi mobile whiles windows phone is fully fledged mobile OS but I suspect they will merge it in the future.Windows 9 and Wp9
But the main reason I suspect they didn't do it was because of the apps
Windows phone even though it has 120,000 apps after 2 years and is struggling to get apps, Windows 8 already has some 9,000 apps.The shear reason that Windows 8 and Windows RT can both run Metro apps means WIndows RT it will get developer attention, that wouldn't have happened if they went with Windows Phone /WIndows RT .
---------- Post added at 01:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:08 AM ----------
I don't get the compaints with lack of apps... they are doing the best they can in terms of getting apps. Just last week there were 5000 apps, by Friday there were over 9000 apps already. Its not ideal but they are doing a tremendous job..
http://www.neowin.net/news/report-over-9000-windows-8-apps-for-launch-day

Visual Studio and SQL Server on Surface

Hi all. Im sure that Surface is powerful device.I am a developer and I use VS and SQL server.I'm asking to you guys that surface can work well? I mean,for instance,Im working on a project on my desktop with these programs,can I be able to run my project in surface perfectly?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
I'm almost sure that you won't be able to use those on the RT ARM version (AFAIK there aren't even ARM versions of VS and MSSQL, at the moment).
Also, Visual Studio is something badly heavy... so I doubt that they will compile it for the ARM tablet.
About the x86 Surface, well, it's an Core i5, 64bits! There will run almost everything.
If it works on any windows 8 i5 laptop, it will work in surface pro. Avoid surface RT like the plague though.
phailyoor said:
If it works on any windows 8 i5 laptop, it will work in surface pro. Avoid surface RT like the plague though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe in the future there might be an Visual Studio Express addition for Windows RT.
They managed to port entire kernal from x86 to ARM and VS is a x86.
But the biggest problem is probably legacy DLLs and realy old stuff, that is probably not ported to new core OS.
That means, Microsoft needs to figure out, how to enable ARM desktop development without those old stuff.
I think this is the primary reason, why Windows RT desktop isn't opened for 3rd party developers.
They probably rewrote only specific DLLs to ARM, just enough to make Office work.
I wish, but however seems very unlikely! Personally wouldn't want to use a tablet to code on anyways. but would be fun for little things!
eternalseal12 said:
Hi all. Im sure that Surface is powerful device.I am a developer and I use VS and SQL server.I'm asking to you guys that surface can work well? I mean,for instance,Im working on a project on my desktop with these programs,can I be able to run my project in surface perfectly?
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well you can use visual studio for windows 8, and then compile it for ARM, using the remote debugger which you install on windows RT. But it can only develop metro apps.
The only way to use VS and MS SQL on Surface RT at the moment is via Remote Desktop
Surface Pro will run everything (though of course it's thicker, heavier, and won't last as long on battery).
I use RemoteApps for SQL Server Management Server, IIS, and more. It works beautifully.
I haven't tried Visual Studio yet.
Thank you OP. I wanted to ask the same question. In addition to that, does the W8 RT have an emulator to mount .img's? If so, you can use the 2008 Visual Studios image file. it works well with my android tab

Possibility of dual booting android and windows xp on our device

hi there the possibilities for our device is endless it is definitely possible for our to dual boot windows xp and android with our device maybe we could make it run on our armv7 processor if someone is able to do this project i can help
aaronjasper49 said:
hi there the possibilities for our device is endless it is definitely possible for our to dual boot windows xp and android with our device maybe we could make it run on our armv7 processor if someone is able to do this project i can help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Windows XP ? Impossible not going to happen, not worth the effort.
Windows 8 RT, Possible, not worth the effort..
Recommendation: If you need or really want to have both, buy a Lenovo or Dell WIndows 8.1 tablet for less than $200 and you will be much happier.
Development Level: Lazy N00b
aaronjasper49 said:
hi there the possibilities for our device is endless it is definitely possible for our to dual boot windows xp and android with our device maybe we could make it run on our armv7 processor if someone is able to do this project i can help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you want to Dualboot Windows XP and Android ?
May I know which device you've ?
One thing is sure, YOU CANT DO THAT ON A TAB
Many members including myself got idea of running Windows 8 x86 on Tab 3 10.1 since it have a 32Bits kernel, but nothing happened.
Never
I think this will never happen, because of mainly two things:
1. No drivers available, you would have to write them all cause there are no preconfigured ones.
2. Windows is closed source.
You would need to be a Dev at Samsung, otherwise you will never have an insight into the specific hardware of those devices. Samsung but also Intel (in case of the 10.1) don't publish most of their documents.
No.
hey,
if you want to really understand what windows xp will be like run it through an emulator.
now, don't get me wrong, i loved windows xp, hated everything before it hated everything after it.
apple is bull****.
Linux is beautiful.
Android is commerce riddled slop and needs to die a horrible flamey cinematic death accompanied by bad lighting
and a third rate orchestra trying to play anything while being fed into the woodchipper of your choice.
anyway the point outside of my ranting is, maybe yes but seriously no.
as soon as i figure out how to get a decent lightweight linux distro running on this thing then i might be able to
get wine going. better to get a windows-able tablet pc and dual-boot android x86.
m

AOW on Windows RT?

Hi,
I'm pretty sure you all heard of "Project Astoria" aka Android on Windows (AOW). That Project is pretty much as dead as Windows RT is. But fortunately AOW is an ARM compiled project. So i wanted to ask, how hard do you guys think is it to port it to Windows RT?
AOW itself is pretty much nothing more than a service running on Windows. I'm sure it's not that hard to run it, but I would think adding apps (to the startscreen) and launching them is way more complicated?!
Would be interesting to hear some thoughts about that.
Insignificant said:
Hi,
I'm pretty sure you all heard of "Project Astoria" aka Android on Windows (AOW). That Project is pretty much as dead as Windows RT is. But fortunately AOW is an ARM compiled project. So i wanted to ask, how hard do you guys think is it to port it to Windows RT?
AOW itself is pretty much nothing more than a service running on Windows. I'm sure it's not that hard to run it, but I would think adding apps (to the startscreen) and launching them is way more complicated?!
Would be interesting to hear some thoughts about that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I'm looking at the right thing, AOW is for windows phone. To get it to work (even if we could port it to RT) we'd need to recompile all the libraries necessary, some of which are WP8 specific. It would be simpler to just code our own android emulator for RT and running apps that way. If we go that far though, we may as well go all the way and port VirtualBox to get x86 emulation as well.
Insignificant said:
Hi,
I'm pretty sure you all heard of "Project Astoria" aka Android on Windows (AOW). That Project is pretty much as dead as Windows RT is. But fortunately AOW is an ARM compiled project. So i wanted to ask, how hard do you guys think is it to port it to Windows RT?
AOW itself is pretty much nothing more than a service running on Windows. I'm sure it's not that hard to run it, but I would think adding apps (to the startscreen) and launching them is way more complicated?!
Would be interesting to hear some thoughts about that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Trivial if you can get the Win10 kernel running with RT8.1 userspace. Will crash otherwise without flipping two bytes in the kernel (ARM state support instead of only Thumb2) and that is blocked by Secure Boot.

Windows 10 Mobile on Shield Tablet.

Where would somebody get an image for Windows 10 Mobile if they wanted to try to install it on the Shield? Been curious about this, and not a fan of Android as much as I thought, but don't like Apple.
Nowhere. Someone would had to make a ROM with Windows 10 and I don't think that there were any ports of Windows on ARM for anything other than HTC HD2 few years ago.
Modeltrainman said:
Where would somebody get an image for Windows 10 Mobile if they wanted to try to install it on the Shield? Been curious about this, and not a fan of Android as much as I thought, but don't like Apple.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not possible. Anyway Windows 10 Mobile is dead and boring to use compared to Android.
Modeltrainman said:
Where would somebody get an image for Windows 10 Mobile if they wanted to try to install it on the Shield?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Much too difficult and complex. It would require not only porting Win10, but also the drivers/firmware to make it work with the Shield's specific hardware. Which don't exist, so you would have to do that from scratch? Getting it to work would probably take hundreds of hours, if ever. Plus, Windows is closed source, so it's probably not even legal to port it.
Much easier to just buy a WIn10 device, if that is what you want.

Categories

Resources