Although the ReactOS project is in no rush to dethrone Windows as the desktop operating system of choice, this doesn’t mean that some real changes aren’t happening. Most recently two big changes got merged, the first pertaining to the separate boot- and live CD images that are now merged into a single image, and the second being a new PnP-aware ATA storage stack for ATA and AHCI devices, with NT6+ compatibility.
Although there is still a separate live CD for now, this first change means that testing and installing ReactOS becomes easier, and that the old-school text-based installer may soon be on its way out as well.
Having the new ATA storage stack in place will translate into much better compatibility with real hardware, including the ability to use more hardware to install on and boot from compared to the old UniATA driver.
Combined, these two changes should bring the ReactOS installation and usage experience a lot closer to that of Windows, as well as many Linux distros. If you had issues with the OS on real hardware, this might be just the right time to give it another shake and provide detailed feedback to the developers if any remaining issues are encountered.
Thanks to [jeditobe] for the tip.
On 0.4.15 for over a year now.
When one factors in the manufacturer, version numbers says absolutely nothing about technical superiority versus previous versions.
Consider: Microsoft’s windows OS is now at version 11…
The ReactOS ‘stable release’ schedule is very slow due to the way releases are being treated by the project, basically as checkpoints. Using the nightlies is the recommended way to use ROS and has been for pretty much forever.
And it’s still more practical to install Windows XP or 95 with KernelEx. Or use Wine in Linux if external hardware is not used.
Hi, there’s also One Core API for XP, which is a different kind of kernel extension.
For Vista, there’s Extended Kernel for Windows Vista. For Windows 7, there’s VxKex.
They allow running applications written for later Windows versions.
One Core API can run Python 3 and certain DirectX 10+ applications on XP, for example.
What’s good about ReactOS is that it is not tied to Microsoft.
Similarily to how Linux isn’t tied to Unix.
ReactOS also has no backdoors and doesn’t phone home (afaik).
It’s certainly worth a look for Windows NT/2000 fans.
Not as a replacement, but as an alternative.
Quarter of century late I’m afraid. Can you even buy 80-pin tape these days? 😂
Maybe if the ReactOS team works hard enough, they’ll reach Windows XP functionality around 2050.
We might accept 1/5 of a Century, AHCI support came with Windows Vista; XP did not have it natively.
In some ways that puts it ahead of XP.
Could be worse. Could be full of trackers and AI.
ATA includes SATA, which last time I checked is still highly relevant :)
i havent put an optical in a computer for about 15 years now. and i dont think ive booted off anything but an nvme drive since nvme became a thing. does reactos even do 64 bit yet? i have a feeling windows will self destruct before they got something you can use on a modern rig (modern = anything made in the last 10 years).
It is the storage system that I have been waiting on. The only piece critical for me at this point are the hardware drivers. Windows can pull from a massive base of drivers to match (sometimes badly) nearly any hardware because manufacturers target that system. ReactOS can use the same drivers, but has no current means to detect and download the least WRONG driver and make it work. This is the piece that will make it a practical option for native iron. Currently, I will still run it (mostly) as a virtual machine guest. But it does work for enough Windows applications in a virtual machine that I keep it updated in my toolbox.
Earth calling ReactOS: I have not had a CD/DVD in my computer or laptop for the last 8 years.
That’s unfortunate. Computer magazines in 2026 do still have cover DVDs (at least in my country).
IT related books in the bookstores still contain CDs/DVDs as companion medium.
Libraries still have archives full of physical media, waiting for you.
Audio CDs are still being sold. UHD Blu Ray discs come with UHD and a FHD disc..
Negative comments here are impressive. Forget it’s in alpha stage, forget it has a handful of developers, forget that people compare it to full fledge OS’s and forget how open source programs started e.g. Firefox 0.xx ..it was terrible yet now it rulez ..people are just a bit thick