[ros-dev] ReactOS and MS XP compatability

[Lonnie Cumberland]

Greetings All,

I have been reviewing ReactOS on the website and wiki to get a better feel
for the project, which I must say is very impressive.

>  From what I have read, it seems that ReactOS is
> initially shooting for a 
drop-in replacement for WindowsXP and beyond which raised a
question for
me. The site also seems to suggest, for the most part and with the
exception of a few core ReactOS files (ie. kernel plus a couple of others),
that ReactOS should be 100% compatible with WindowsXP.

With this in mind, I wondered this. If I had an old licensed Windows XP
disk, which I do, then shouldn't it be possible to use the base core
ReactOS files (ie. the minimalist ReactOS configuration like in my previous
inquiry to the mailing list) and then use the WindowsXP subsystem core
files?

I guess what I was wondering, not to detract from the true developments of
ReactOS which I like a lot, is would the WindowsXP system files function
the same with the ReactOS kernel, and minimal files that were listed by
Alex in a previous email.

reeldr (ntldr)
ntoskrnl
hal
bootvid
kdcom
fastfat
ramdisk
kbdclass
i8042prt
ntdll
smss

What I am getting at, is a development that is still forming, but the idea
is to utilize ReactOS to allow for the development of a Super Sandbox
system that is run in a specialize VM, and which would allow for each
application to be run in their own ReactOS VM. Although I am still playing
with the idea a lot, it is forming in such a way that would totally isolate
each application in a separate VM that is composed of super minimal ReactOS
kernel running.

Just playing with ideas that I have had for a while, but at the moment, I
am still learning about ReactOS so that I will be able to contribute to it
soon.

Thanks and have a great day,
Lonnie