Microsoft has quietly released a new variation of Windows 11. It is called "Windows 11 Validation OS", and is a console environment that allows IT Pros and system administrators to diagnose, mitigate, and fix various issues. So, it is something like a recovery environment.
It supports running Win32 apps, so it is not limited to built-in tools. The OS is freely available for download in form of an ISO file after you accept its license agreement on this website.
Here's how Microsoft describes is.
Microsoft Validation OS is a lightweight, fast, and customizable Windows 11-based operating system that you can use on the factory floor to diagnose, mitigate and repair hardware defects during Windows device manufacturing. Validation OS boots into a Command Line environment to increase reliability on the factory floor and supports running Win32 apps, smoothing the transition from early hardware bring-up to retail OS and apps development.
The official documentation includes several tutorials and manuals on how to use the OS, how to create a bootable media with it, and more. Here are a few links to check:
- Mount and customize a Validation OS image
- Setup a bootable Validation OS installation
- Validation OS feature packages reference
- Launching an app or command when Validation OS starts
- Debugging Apps in Validation OS
Since it is a very specific edition of Windows 11, Microsoft didn't announce it on any of its blogs or news platforms. Perhaps they notified vendors directly.
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Hello,
i just installed WinAero 1.4 on a W10 system. Unfortunately Kaspersky Internet Security identifies the program as Malware and removes it from the system!
There is nothing new. This happens to all tweakers, and had already happened to Winaero Tweaker.
So in the end, does this OS come only with the command prompt app or it has some other apps like how WinPE has? (WinPE and WinRE have the Classic Notepad app in it). And it has many fonts missing cause the titlebar buttons and scrollbar buttons are displayed in the same font as Command Prompt’s window (Titlebar itself is in System font). Also, that OS uses the classic theme instead of the Aero theme.
Checked the OS, almost nothing other than CMD is included. You can add optional components such as Basic .NET, Basic PowerShell and Diskpart support into this OS