ReactOS 0.4.5 Open-Source Windows-Compatible OS Launches with Many Improvements

[CrAKeN]

 

ReactOS 0.4.5 released

 

The development team behind ReactOS, an open source project attempting to create a free computer operating system that's 100% compatible with Windows binaries, announced the release of ReactOS 0.4.5.

 

ReactOS 0.4.5 is a maintenance update that adds numerous changes and improvements over the previous point release. The kernel has been updated in this version to improve the FreeLoader and UEFI booting, as well as the Plug and Play modules, adding support for more computers to boot ReactOS without issues.

 

The Memory Manager and Common Cache areas of the kernel were improved as well in ReactOS, which no longer becomes unbootable when creating a system partition, and now avoids attempts to reinstall a driver during reboot when a previous attempt already failed.

 

Taking about drivers, ReactOS 0.4.5 includes various fixes and speedups for the FAT32 driver, addresses a BSoD (Blue Screen of Death) that occurred when changing floppy drives, correctly reports processors to the system, and patches some USB leaks.

 

Theming improvements, reworked and improved commands and utilities

 

To improve theming, ReactOS 0.4.5 adds some major enhancements to the comctl32 and uxtheme components. It also includes some fixes to the Winsock 2 DLL so that apps won't crash so often, and introduces a basic NTLM implementation to the secur32 component.

 

A bunch of commands and utilities were reworked or improved in this release of ReactOS. For example, the "at" command was implemented and the "tree" command reworked, but the font and even viewers, as well as the scheduler service have been greatly improved. Check the changelog attached below for more details.

 

Various apps were added into RAPPS, which as finally replaced in ReactOS 0.4.5. Other than that, it looks like support for Asian fonts was implemented into the console properties dialog, and various components updated, including FreeType 2.7.1, zlib 1.2.11, libpng 1.6.28, libjpeg 9b, libtiff 4.0.7, uniata 0.46e3, ACPICA 20170303, mbedTLS 2.4.0, Wine Staging 2.2, and mkisofs schily-2017-02-16.

 

ReactOS 0.4.5 also includes a handful of improvements to the Win32 subsystem and the shell, improving the Start Menu, the Folder Options dialog, etc. You can download ReactOS 0.4.5 if you want to install the operating system on a new computer, but if you're using ReactOS 0.4.4 or a previous release, you can simply update your installation.

 

Changelog

 

Spoiler

Kernel:

-Some fixes in FreeLoader.
-More work towards UEFI booting.
-Fixes in Plug and Play modules, enabling more computers to boot ReactOS without conflicts.
-Fixed unbootable system after creating system partition.
-System avoids attempts to reinstall a driver on reboot when a previous attempt has already failed.
-Minor fixes in Common Cache and Memory Manager.

 

Win32 subsystem:

-Some drawing fixes.
-Enabled versioned classes and fixed their usage for theming work.
-Fixed some minor bugs.
-Partly fixed hanging system when apps hang.
-Implemented exclude update region and fill window.
-Some fixes to gdi32. More to come.
-Rewritten font selection code. Fixed various font issues. Improved font substitute. Fixed enumerating and many issues for Asian fonts.
-Some minor improvements in spooler.
-Many fixes in tests.

 

Drivers:

-Some fixes in FAT32 driver. Various speed ups.
-Fixed BSoD when changing floppy drives.
-Processors are properly reported to system.
-Fixed some USB leaks.

 

Shell:

-Fixed dragging items to the icons of My Documents, Recycle Bin or any drive.
-Some minor drag and drop fixes.
-Implemented some more commands.
-Improved Folder Options dialog.
-Some fixes to Start Menu.
-Fixed redrawing Desktop when resized.
-Implemented power and volume icons in system tray.
-Fixes to font handling in explorer.
-Many fixes to taskbar size.

 

System DLLs:

-Some minor fixes in userenv.
-Added connection from shim engine to ntdll for application compatibility.
-Work on low-level DirectX components.
-Added option to use OpenGL or another graphics stack.

 

User-mode DLLs:

-Major comctl32 and uxtheme work to improve theming:

 Fixed various drawing and painting issues.
 Fixed user elements (e.g boxes, buttons, menus, bars...) when themed.
 Fixed non-Latin character issues when themes enabled.
 Enabled versioned classes, and version 5/6.
 Improved support for msstyles.
 Implemented various methods.
 Fixed tab background with themes.

-Some more apphelp work.
-Some fixes to Winsock 2 DLL to fix app crashes.
-Added basic NTLM implementation to secur32.

 

Commands and utilities:

-"tree" command reworked.
-"at" command implemented.
-Scheduler service improved.
-Event Viewer rewritten and vastly accerelated.
-Font viewer was improved.
-Added various apps into RAPPS.
-RAPPS has been finally replaced.
-Added Asian font support into console properties dialog.

 

Tasks:

-Fixes in many modules based on Coverity.
-FreeType updated to 2.7.1.
-zlib updated to 1.2.11.
-libpng updated to 1.6.28.
-libjpeg updated to 9b.
-libtiff updated to 4.0.7.
-uniata updated to 0.46e3. This fixed some disk corruption and detection issues.
-ACPICA updated to 20170303.
-mbedTLS updated to 2.4.0.
-Synced user mode DLLs with Wine Staging 2.2.
-Some fonts added.
-mkisofs updated to schily-2017-02-16.
-Added lots of tests related to theming.

 

Source

[debebee]

Be wary of this apps installer... esp if you want it on a multiboot system...

? Once deleted the Partition Table and wiped my Windows OS ?

 

 

[straycat19]

1 hour ago, teodz1984 said:

Be wary of this apps installer... esp if you want it on a multiboot system...

? Once deleted the Partition Table and wiped my Windows OS ?

 

 

 

You say that like it's a bad thing. 

[stylemessiah]

Ill give the ReactOs geeks this, theyre persisent...

 

But really, this will be a usble OS when your childrens children are old enough

 

The blurb, coming from people whos aim to get away from Microsoft propietary code is odd....they are'

committing the same terrible mistake Microsoft has:

 

To improve theming, ReactOS 0.4.5 adds some major enhancements to the comctl32 and uxtheme components

 

Exactly the issue over at Microsoft for ages...bloody gui focussed and not functionality focussed...

 

The theres:

 

includes some fixes to the Winsock 2 DLL so that apps won't crash so often

 

Oh yes please, i like instability, thats what progress is like in 2017...ahem, its also a problem at Microsoft, because: well see previous comment - trying to make things pretty (according to the 12 year olds desigtning MS guis these days)