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Post by anixx on Aug 23, 2024 3:34:25 GMT -8
Here is a website, created by Michael Maltsev, the author of Windhawk, that allows to search over files of older versions of Windows in the official Microsoft repository that contains also the debugging symbols used by many Windhawk mods.
One can search by filename, architecture and Windows version, and then download the needed file from the official MS site. It is very notable that one can download not only the debugging symbols, but also arbitrary Windows binary files.
Moreover, this can be done automatically by mods. In other words, if you know that to restore some removed Windows feature you need specific file from specific version of Windows, you can make a mod that automatically downloads the needed file, can put it either into Windows folder or (better) Windhawk data directory and redirect (via hooks) calls to that file. The files usually have unreadable names and extension ".blob" but in fact just copies of the usual Windows DLLs and executables.
The same way, automatically can be downloaded translations for said files in all languages.
Thus, we potentially can create mods that restore a lot of lost Windows functionality which we can restore by taking files from older versions of Windows, for instance, the network flyout or legacy winlogon, or Windows Mail, or Control Panel pages, etc.
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Post by enderboy on Aug 23, 2024 3:49:46 GMT -8
Here is a website, created by Michael Maltsev, the author of Windhawk, that allows to search over files of older versions of Windows in the official Microsoft repository that contains also the debugging symbols used by many Windhawk mods.
One can search by filename, architecture and Windows version, and then download the needed file from the official MS site. It is very notable that one can download not only the debugging symbols, but also arbitrary Windows binary files.
Moreover, this can be done automatically by mods. In other words, if you know that to restore some removed Windows feature you need specific file from specific version of Windows, you can make a mod that automatically downloads the needed file, can put it either into Windows folder or (better) Windhawk data directory and redirect (via hooks) calls to that file. The files usually have unreadable names and extension ".blob" but in fact just copies of the usual Windows DLLs and executables.
The same way, automatically can be downloaded translations for said files in all languages.
Thus, we potentially can create mods that restore a lot of lost Windows functionality which we can restore by taking files from older versions of Windows, for instance, the network flyout or legacy winlogon, or Windows Mail, or Control Panel pages, etc.
I don’t understand this, does this mean we can target an application and make it use an older version of a files while still keeping the new file in system32? |
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Post by OrthodoxWin32 on Aug 23, 2024 4:00:28 GMT -8
I don’t understand this, does this mean we can target an application and make it use an older version of a files while still keeping the new file in system32? Apparently yes, although it seems more complicated to set up than just downloading and replacing the system file. The advantage of this method would be to resist updates and dism scannow. |
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Post by anixx on Aug 23, 2024 4:00:33 GMT -8
I don’t understand this, does this mean we can target an application and make it use an older version of a files while still keeping the new file in system32? Yes, but also more. Restoring many features formerly removed from Windows. And this even does not break any Windows license, as EULA of a Windows version also covers the use of any components of older versions of Windows. The file downloads can be conducted by the mods the same way as they currently download the debugging symbols, even from the same repository. |
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Post by OrthodoxWin32 on Aug 23, 2024 4:04:10 GMT -8
I just saw two limitations to this site:
- Some files encounter an error when downloading
- There are no files dating from before Windows 10
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aldon
Freshman Member
Posts: 51
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Post by aldon on Aug 23, 2024 5:15:50 GMT -8
So maybe Windhawk mod to replace explorer.exe to older and proper one is also possible?  Hope so. |
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Post by anixx on Aug 23, 2024 5:31:59 GMT -8
So maybe Windhawk mod to replace explorer.exe to older and proper one is also possible?  Hope so. I also thought about this, but my experiments show that older explorer does not work on Win11 24H2, contrary to some claims. If we know the version of Explorer that works on 24H2, we could replace it with a Windhawk mod. |
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aldon
Freshman Member
Posts: 51
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Post by aldon on Aug 23, 2024 5:36:21 GMT -8
Yup. I've also tested and the only one which worked was explorer from W10.
But - there must be reason why those new builds are not loading. And I hope, with mighty Windhawk, this reason can be fixed...
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Post by anixx on Aug 23, 2024 6:22:41 GMT -8
Yup. I've also tested and the only one which worked was explorer from W10. From what build of W10? All that I tested did not work. |
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aldon
Freshman Member
Posts: 51
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Post by aldon on Aug 23, 2024 11:53:45 GMT -8
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aubymori
Sophomore Member
👅👅👅👅👅
Posts: 152 
OS: Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021
Theme: Windows 10 Default
CPU: Intel Core i5-9300H
RAM: 8GB
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 630 / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
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Post by aubymori on Aug 23, 2024 12:58:47 GMT -8
Here is a website, created by Michael Maltsev, the author of Windhawk, that allows to search over files of older versions of Windows in the official Microsoft repository that contains also the debugging symbols used by many Windhawk mods.
One can search by filename, architecture and Windows version, and then download the needed file from the official MS site. It is very notable that one can download not only the debugging symbols, but also arbitrary Windows binary files.
Moreover, this can be done automatically by mods. In other words, if you know that to restore some removed Windows feature you need specific file from specific version of Windows, you can make a mod that automatically downloads the needed file, can put it either into Windows folder or (better) Windhawk data directory and redirect (via hooks) calls to that file. The files usually have unreadable names and extension ".blob" but in fact just copies of the usual Windows DLLs and executables.
The same way, automatically can be downloaded translations for said files in all languages.
Thus, we potentially can create mods that restore a lot of lost Windows functionality which we can restore by taking files from older versions of Windows, for instance, the network flyout or legacy winlogon, or Windows Mail, or Control Panel pages, etc.
1. You can just make a ZIP with the old files and distribute that. 2. This has nothing before 10240, so it's practically worthless. 3. You can't download MUIs from it, so even if it did have pre-10240 files, it would still be worthless.
Not everything needs to be Windhawk.
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Post by anixx on Sept 9, 2024 5:29:10 GMT -8
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Post by Brawllux on Sept 9, 2024 5:38:02 GMT -8
They show up fine,but you cannot download any of them. |
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Post by anixx on Sept 9, 2024 7:02:10 GMT -8
They show up fine,but you cannot download any of them. Hmmm. Interesting. |
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Hope so.
Hope so.
