FAQ
From ReactOS
What is ReactOS?
ReactOS (React Operating System) is a new OS based on the GNU license. ReactOS aims to achieve complete binary compatibility with both applications and device drivers meant for NT and XP operating systems. It is fully open-source.
Is ReactOS based on Microsoft Windows®?
No! ReactOS contains source code based on GPL (General Public License) and GPL compatible license.
Is ReactOS based on *nix or Linux?
No!! No!! ReactOS is not based on Linux. It's written from scratch.
Is ReactOS legal?
Yes. It's fully legal.
Developers have not looked at Windows® source code. They have used the public documentation of Windows® OSes. They have made several tests to understand how Windows® works. In fact, ReactOS does the same things Windows® does, but not exactly in the same way, because they haven't the same source code. All code in ReactOS is under the GNU GPL (General Public License).
Why isn't NTFS supported in ReactOS?
NTFS is very hard to implement. The only implementation that is near-complete is NTFS-3g (FUSE), which is not kernel-level.
Reasons are:
- NTFS is a very complex filesystem.
- It's not documented. For this reason it is more difficult to create an implementation. It doesn't assure full compatibility with Windows® in unusual circumstances nor with future versions of Windows®.
You can find exhaustive discussions in ReactOS Forum for further details.
NTFS may be implemented in future development stages of ReactOS. Please wait patiently.
What processors does ReactOS support?
ReactOS supports only processors with x86 architecture. ReactOS will also work with AMD x64 (AMD64) and Intel x64 (EM64T), however, it will not configure the processor for Long Mode (64-bit) execution. A Power PC port is being worked on, too. See Supported Hardware list for further details. More architectures will be added in future versions.
What are the minimum requirements?
- 32MB RAM (NOTE: ReactOS 0.2.8 asks 64 MB of memory for the installation)
- IDE hard disk
- FAT16/FAT32 boot partition (you can create a new partition during the install process)
- VGA compatibile graphic card
- PS/2 standard keyboard
- PS/2 mouse compatible or Microsoft Mouse serial compatible (Not USB for the moment)
NOTE:
- Don't forget ReactOS is still in an alpha state, meaning unsuitable for everyday use. We suggest to use the LiveCD, emulators or a virtual machine such as QEMU or VMware.
- If you find hardware incompatibilities, file a bug in Bugzilla.
Where can I download ReactOS?
There are three ways to get the latest Release of ReactOS:
- Go to the Download ReactOS page for information on latest releases.
- Refer to the Sourceforge project page and download it directly from there.
It doesn't matter which way you choose, you always get the same files. The only thing that could happen is that shortly after a release came out the Download ReactOS page aren't updated to the newest version yet. In this case go to the Sourceforge project page and download it directly from there.
The ReactOS GUI sucks! It's a Windows clone! Why don't you use another shell?
When ReactOS is more complete you will be free to use any other alternative shell. But the current one will always be the default one. Your moaning won't change anything...
Why does a certain application of mine not work under ReactOS?
ReactOS is in alpha stage and not recommended for everyday use. Many applications do not work (correctly) because many API calls simply haven't been implemented yet. This may be one of the reasons for the software not working.
How can I contribute to ReactOS?
Please see How to contribute to ReactOS.
When will ReactOS be done?
First you need to define what ReactOS should be capable of when it is to be considered done. Since this definition may vary greatly amongst people, this question cannot be completely answered. One thing is for sure: ReactOS will continue to be developed, as there will always be a need for improvements. For more information, visit the Roadmap page.
Developing ReactOS is no easy task. Currently a strong base for the Operating System is being created. The first step is to create a strong and stable kernel for ReactOS.
ReactOS doesn't want to only create a "clone" of the NT system, but also aims at improving the kernel to be more resource efficient and stable (as you probably know, Windows systems are not very "sharp" in the manner that they use hardware). So giving you a deadline, a date for the completion of ReactOS is illusive. The best way to keep in touch with us is to visit our website frequently, so you'll know what's going on with the project.
What's a kernel?
The kernel is the software platform that manages the hardware resources and assures the user that everything in the system works properly. It is an interface between the hardware and the software. It controls the input and output to the different peripherals (hard drive, floppy disk, etc.), manages the display and a lot of other things that the end-user doesn't even have to think about.
I want to test ReactOS without risking my existing hardware/installations. Can I test ReactOS another way?
Yes, you can test ReactOS on virtual hardware.
You can test it in QEMU, for which there are official packages available on the download page. This way, you can start ReactOS in a window without leaving your operating system. However, because QEMU is an emulator, ReactOS will run much slower than it would if it were running on actual hardware. Using the KQEMU module (QEMU with virtualization) will increase the speed substantially. A tutorial for QEMU along with KQEMU accelerator module can be found here QEMU and KQEMU
Other virtual machines/x86 emulators should be able to run ReactOS as well, and ReactOS is known to run in at least Bochs, VMware, VirtualPC (although it has issues sometimes) and QEMU. If you know of other virtual machines that support it, please send an e-mail to the ros-dev mailing list.
Why ReactOS? Why clone Microsoft Windows®?
The 9X family of Microsoft Windows® is based on DOS, and shares many of its weaknesses, which is the primary reason why Microsoft Windows® has such a bad name. The Microsoft Windows® NT family of Windows®, however, has a solid design. Not everything is perfect, but without access to the source code, there is no way to fix it, so a compatible operating system must be built from the ground up.
Some of the reasons for making a clone of Windows® are the same as the reasons for developing Linux, which is an open-source UNIX® clone. In short, Linux is a great operating system, but it is not the answer for everyone. There are a lot of people who like Microsoft Windows®, and are unable to switch to Linux for various reasons.
For example, Linux is often not attractive to large scale businesses who have spent valuable financial resources on licenses, support staff, and training employees. Often the software that the employees are familiar with is only available for Windows®. In some cases there is no Linux equivalent available, and in nearly all cases any change would require retraining of the employees and support staff. Thus, it is not necessarily Windows® itself that is the issue for business, but more often it is the application software the business relies on that locks them into Windows®. ReactOS will be the first operating system alternative that allows businesses to continue using all of their existing Windows-based applications that they have licensed. There is also very little retraining of employees required due to the consistent appearance and functionality of ReactOS to Windows. Now businesses will be able to change the operating system without having to change all of the application software they have invested in. This results in a much smaller commitment from businesses whereby a complete operating system change can be made with no real change to their overall application infrastructure.
Finally, having open source code available gives both individuals and businesses the power and freedom to expand the functionality of the operating system to meet their needs. This is not an option with Windows®.
Why don't you help develop Wine/Linux instead?
This is a very common question, so it's placed in this FAQ also (and the technical answer is given in the Developer FAQ).
ReactOS works very closely with Wine, and thus both projects actually benefit from each other. We have several developers in both the Wine and ReactOS projects that work on cross-compatibility issues between the two projects.
It is our view that Linux + Wine can never be a full replacement for Microsoft Windows®. ReactOS has the potential for a much higher degree of compatibility - especially for Microsoft Windows® drivers - which Wine does not address.
Don't you think that ReactOS is just another vaporware OS like many others which will be unsuccessful?
No. We, the developers and testers really believe in what we do and we are working very hard to make it happen -- The ReactOS project is not a 2 or 3 man project. A lot of volunteers work at it because they believe that this project is worth the time they invest in it. They use their talent, their time and their knowledge to create and improve the project that started from scratch.
The whole thing started in 1996 when Yannik Majoris and some others people had the idea of producing an NT-like OS. At that time, the FreeWin95 project had created a lot of interest, but the development of the project was slow. In January 1998, they decided that the project should either take the serious way or die.
In February 1998, the project was renamed "ReactOS". Since then the project has never stopped improving or gaining popularity.
Why not let my employer host your site for free?
Thanks for the offer, but no, thanks. Things may change within your organization and then we'd be either politely asked to start paying X amount or go elsewhere. With our current setup, we have direct access to the machine, bandwidth is not a problem, although the hardware does need improvement (if you wish to donate hardware for this cause, contact one of the ReactOS coordinators).
I need a free operating system along the lines of ReactOS, but one that is fully usable right now. Which one should I use?
Many GNU/Linux distributions are focused on being easy to use for existing Windows® users and still very powerful. We would suggest consulting the Linux Distribution Chooser to find one right for you. Many of them, such as SuSE, feature live CDs like ReactOS does so you can test them out without modifying your system.
