[Intro]
I get a lot of different types of ideas in PM and requests to consider builds of different content, ...
... but to be honest, most of the builds you send are not very different from each other
But this person who I sent this assembly in a personal, I was very interested.
I already saw a review on YouTube on this, but this is not enough for me.
I want to see what she's like; what exactly is it based on, what programs are used there and point out the errors that exist in this ...
something.
We all know very well what Windows 7 looks like. We even looked at the history of its development (or at least tried to do so) in past videos.
There were a lot of attempts to repeat the design of Windows 7 in other operating systems - the original system was so very popular ...
... and most of them (editor's note - redesigning the interface) have ever hunted.
Initially, I did not want to review this build, but after 5928 hours of deep thought, I nevertheless decided to do it.
Therefore, I suggest that we no longer “pull the cat by the tail” and let's finally start watching this world-class creation.
The assembly ISO file itself is hosted on Google Drive and weighs 3 gigabytes, but the project description is, as it were, on Archive.org.
The author of the project is probably a user with the nickname (or name) Ojas, again, if you rely on data from the Archive.org website.
Well, we follow the link and download the archive with the image.
It's time to launch.
There is no loading screen in this build...
Ah, stop.
He is. *chuckles a little*
It's just that the logo on the loading screen has overtaken one "art film" (russian meme)
The installer in this build has been changed and made in the style of Windows 7, even the copyright in the installer has been changed to 2009.
But if you press Shift+F10, the open command line tells us that Windows PE version 6.2 and build number 8176 is running here.
It seems to me, or it is a little strange to take Windows PE from the beta version of Windows 8, why the default one did not like - I do not understand, but I do not see the point in poking around at this point.
You can start the installation.
You know, I'm really impressed with how detailed the Windows 7 installer style has been restored.
For this, of course, respect to the author.
Although most likely the installer from Windows 8.1 is used here, which is hinted at by the date of change and creation of the setup.exe file - November 21, 2014.
So, let's install this.
Everything is absolutely familiar here - the same installation steps and the same percentages.
During the first reboot, we again see the boot screen without the logo, and then before us appears...
The setup step from Windows 7 and the fast blinking of 10 command prompt windows.
And while the command line windows appeared, I noticed that the theme from Windows 7 had already been applied there, which is not very pleasing to the eye.
After all these settings, we see something like an OOBE.
Here we are asked to enter the name of the future account and its password.
And on the back there is a background from Windows 7.
I really like the care for the user provided by the author of the build: ...
...I can skip the initial setup and just look at the background by simply clicking on it.
Well, of course, it obviously wasn't originally intended, because the background here is bolted to a separate full-screen window.
However, for the author's efforts to get closer to the original OOBE, let's give ...
But seriously, then a strong four. And we continue.
After entering the name, we again glimpse a bunch of command lines and move on to the step of configuring the update system.
It's just like in Windows 7 - we are offered a choice of what to do with the Update Center: leave it as it is, or turn it off for a long time.
Funny thing is that the ability to invoke the CMD by pressing Shift+F10 is blocked here.
And it feels like we're in the account after all ...
some account... that was already pre-created
and on which the OOBE is based
but they simply didn’t tell us about it, but who knows :)
Well, the OOBE design is surprisingly well done.
I thought it would be worse.
Complete the OOBE and... we are told that the system will reboot in one minute.
hey, wtf?
Why do I have to reboot after going through OOBE? Why can't it all be applied at once?
The human-friendly lock and welcome screen is replaced here with its console version.
We log in and we see the full desktop from Windows 7 and...
...a section from the Windows 8 era. *laughs*
May I ask what I downloaded anyway?
*laughter*
Seriously, we are simply told here that a new network has been discovered and whether or not this computer can be shown to other computers that are connected to the same network.
I'm very kind today, so I let you show my computer to my kitchen microwave and my white kettle.
You can't complain about the interface, the same minimize windows button, the same font, but there are still some issues: ...
If we click on the "Connections to the Internet" button, why am I shown a layer of Windows 8 networks?
I think something like this from Windows 10 would look much better
What are the two blank icons that don't click, but one of them then just disappears?
Well, there's also the Start button a little lower, but that's just something else as a simple nag.
Let's move on to the Start Menu and programs.
And here everything is perfect.
The menu here is structured almost as in the original.
Here you have the standard games, XPS Viewer, and the classic Windows Update; ...
...old photo viewer, Windows Media Player from 2013 and Task Manager.
They even brought back the "Getting Started" page, and I wonder if anyone has seriously used it?
And you think that's all there is to the programs?
No, what about Windows Media Center and desktop gadget support?
Only personally I do not understand the point of gadgets in 2023, but come on.
And… umm, is it normal that when I want to drag the gadget selection window, it immediately moves to the upper left corner?
Looking at the list of gadgets, I'm surprised to see copyrights from the late 2010s on them.
What about themes?
Everything is as usual - the Windows 7 themes are in place, there are no thematic sound schemes here.
There is no stock classic theme either.
Now it seems to me that now is the time to show one of the funniest things here.
If we take a careful look at the control panel, we see that there is no item for adjusting the screen and its resolution.
So what to do?
It's easy, right-click on the desktop, choose "Screen Resolution" and there you go.
In front of us is the screen configuration window from the old Windows NT.
No comments.
As you might have noticed before, you could notice the Tweaks folder in the list of programs on the Start menu...
... and the small bat-files in it, which adjust the size of the taskbar.
But why it was done, you'll find out later.
But now it's time to talk about what it's all made of, and in general, what the insides are.
In this build, the beta version of Windows 8 is used as Windows PE, namely, in case anyone has forgotten, NT 6.2 build 8176.
But how does an already installed system identify itself?
If you open winver, we see that it identifies itself as Windows 7 Enterprise with kernel version NT 6.1 and build number 7746.
And it is reported everywhere: in the system properties, in the command line, in msinfo32, but AIDA64 puts everything in its place
We are strongly and clearly informed that we are facing the very classic Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, or Windows 10 1709.
You may ask me: if this is a full-fledged Windows 10, then where are the UWP apps? are they hidden somewhere very much?
No, the UWP applications are not hidden here - they are deleted out.
If the standard package has the Clock app, Settings and the Windows Store, then this miracle will not have anything like that at all, also the system will ask "how do I open it".
And when you open the Settings app, the UWP platform will initialize and the window will show up, but it all crashes right away.
Even later it is accompanied by the "The directory name is invalid" error.
And that's why there are tweaks in the Start menu, which enable some functionality or adjust some settings, ...
...which the classic Control Panel in Windows 10 simply does not have
The perfect design theme is provided by some downloaded theme for Windows 10 in the style of Windows 7, but still spiced up with another theme using the WindowBlinds program.
The StartIsBack program with a corresponding skin serves as the Start menu here.
The AutoHotKey script blocks the Win+Tab and Ctrl+Shift+Esc key combinations.
Now, I think it's time to test some software here.
Let's say I wanted to install a browser, not just one, but two.
They will be Firefox and Google Chrome.
One problem with both Firefox and Chrome: the window control buttons in these applications do not work correctly, ...
...and WindowBlinds tries to put its own theme on top of that, which only complicates the experience even more.
Audio players almost work here, office too.
But you know, I did not stop at software and testing on a virtual machine.
I decided to run this creation on my main computer.
I will not present this computer in detail, as I've talked about it before, ...
...so you should very likely have at least some idea of this PC, and if anyone doesn't know, ...
...I'll tell you briefly: Intel Core i7-10750H and 8 GB RAM.
And system work on this computer, and in principle it is not surprising - Windows 10 is so "under the hood".
The screen resolution seems to be in 1080p, the sound seems to be available.
But WiFi adapter was not found, but this was easily solved by connecting an Ethernet cable.
But I could not install the video card driver. I tried both versions: for Windows 10 and Windows 7 versions; ...
...Game Ready version and Studio Drivers.
In the end, Nvidia tells me the same thing - your system is unknown, the installation will not continue.
I don't even know what to say here. In principle, fair enough.
What can be said in the end?
Honestly, it's hard to say: the author seems to have tried, but there seem to be a lot of mistakes.
I understand that this build is unlikely to be used by anyone on serious grounds, although I may be naturally wrong about that.
But as an attempt to redesign the interface of the system in the style of Windows 7, it is quite normal, even if it has some flaws.
However, most of these builds have one small disadvantage
Open a CMD and type sfc /scannow.
Reboot the system and some of the modified files are restored to their original state.
Basically, there's nothing more to say.
I suggest you like the video if you like it
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See you later!