Their change the file folder icon, they should move past the dumb behavior of having to refresh the screen after changing it, after changing it they should have it refresh automatically, shouldn't have to waste time manually refreshing, that's the point of changing it so don't double the work.

Strangely, in my 0.4.10 test in a Gen-1 VM (Hyper-V), running control sysdm.cpl brings up the system properties as expected, but then clicking around is useless. I can send a ctrl-alt-del to it and launch the task manager, but once there, no clicking is possible. I can move the mouse pointer, but can't click things.

If I open the Control Panel and choose System there, it's just fine. As someone used to using commands instead of mouse clicks to get to certain places, I find it more than a little annoying.

I've used the ReactOS boot disk to make sure the hardware inside the laptop is functioning.

Video from 2 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUDm3ow9wWw

This issue was finally fixed yesterday: Regression: it is not possible to delete any file or folder via the context menu. So that is good news. It was in the Wine code, some of which is used and synched with ReactOS.
The release versions like 0.4.10 were patched with a hackfix for this, but the daily builds did not get that treatment.

Could reactos dlls, exe, etc. be used as drop in replacements for windows xp/7 to slowing make windows open source piece meal?

What I do know is:
- Some ReactOS dlls are tested by the developers by using them inside Windows, preferably Windows Server 2003.
- I have read about some people experimenting with combining parts of ReactOS with Windows. One example is using the ReactOS GUI in MS Hyper-V server https://reactos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16533. But there are more examples in the forums there.

When experimenting with a frankensteined Windows/ReactOS, you cannot expect the usual devs to consider any bugs that appear. Some bugs may be interesting for improving the interfacing, others just a waste of time and effort.

Noticed this today: Since 19th of august the ReactOS development branch was merged with the reworked USB stack. That it is a long awaited merge. Before it was recommended to disable all USB hardware in BIOS etc., maybe soon it can actually use some USB devices?

ReactOS 0.4.12 has been released on the 23rd.
The announcement is here: https://reactos.org/project-news/reactos-0412-released
Seemingly there is support for Midi music in this one.

gerwin wrote:

Seemingly there is support for Midi music in this one.

Just tested a midi synth: Timidity++. Added it manually to the audio devices registry entries. It works, I hear music 😀
Similar report here: https://jira.reactos.org/browse/CORE-8806

gerwin wrote:

ReactOS 0.4.12 has been released on the 23rd.

Tried it in a 1st gen VM with 128MB and a 1GB hard drive and it starts but then the screen goes black. Guess I could try it in an old OptiPlex 7010 I have sitting there.

Good luck with that.
Here are some relevant pages: https://www.reactos.org/wiki/Supported_Hardware

For real hardware avoid the 'old USB stack' or disable USB entirely. AFAIK release 4.12 still has the old USB stack.
Maybe use Release Candidate 4.13 for this instead of 4.12: Link is here: https://reactos.org/wiki/Tests_for_0.4.13
Also there is the daily Development build, currently versioned for future 4.14.

With Virtualbox it is rather easy to install ReactOS. No surprises there.

gerwin wrote:

Good luck with that.
Here are some relevant pages: https://www.reactos.org/wiki/Supported_Hardware

Under the "See Also", following the link to "Virtualization software", it does list Hyper-V as supported. But maybe VirtualBox might work better (just have to mess around with my settings and put my VMs offline to use VirtualBox).

For real hardware avoid the 'old USB stack' or disable USB entirely. AFAIK release 4.12 still has the old USB stack.
Maybe use Release Candidate 4.13 for this instead of 4.12: Link is here: https://reactos.org/wiki/Tests_for_0.4.13

Good to know. I may try that in my Hyper-V as well.

Edit 19NOV2019 1732hrs UTC: 0.4.13 also a no-go at this (Hyper-V) station.

ReactOS 0.4.13 was released on the 10th.

https://reactos.org/project-news/reactos-0413-released/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL3aBHQlQcw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2ROoTHKorI

Nice progress today in the commit log for the development version, concerning the previously crappy audio under Virtualbox. At least I hope I can use the word 'previously' there. One can test it, when a new automated development build is up, like within 24 hours.

https://git.reactos.org/?p=reactos.git;a=log
https://git.reactos.org/?p=reactos.git;a=comm … 9317113071b0817

Joachim Henze - 14 Sep 2020 - [WDMAUD.DRV] Workaround multiple issues with AC97 driver from rapps […]
Show full quote

Joachim Henze - 14 Sep 2020 - [WDMAUD.DRV] Workaround multiple issues with AC97 driver from rapps

By taking alternative code-paths in WdmAud and bypassing Sysaudio.

This relies on the patch 0.4.15-dev-765-g
b8e936a57b4770e133772cf2dd66f30671a1524b

It fixes the following bugs/regressions:
-CORE-13202 Unhandled exception from wdmaud.drv when recording sound in Scratch 1.4 leads to app-crash
-CORE-13488 A deadlock in "DiabloII" character selection screen and "The Lion King II"
-CORE-8726/CORE-9986/CORE-16564 AC97 driver is now working in the same session where driver was installed, no reboot-orgies needed anymore
-CORE-9981 almost 100% fixed, DosBox + Commander Keen6 properly plays music instead of garbled output,
same improvement for ScummVM 2.0 with Monkey Island 2

The playback is not yet *entirely* perfect, still a few hiccups now and then, but
by orders of magnitude better than before.

gerwin wrote on 2020-09-14, 16:25:

Nice progress today in the commit log for the development version, concerning the previously crappy audio under Virtualbox. At least I hope I can use the word 'previously' there.

Nope. it did not work out. The commit was reverted. Good as well, since it broke the Timidity driver for one. Better luck next time...