Interesting Windows XP Build 2495 Discoveries

[whistler2250]

Windows XP 2495 is known to have some interesting features such as the blue on white command prompt:

and TweakUI:

However I recently discovered a couple features not mentioned anywhere else such as Vi for Windows:

and a "wininfo.exe" in system32:


Any explanations?

[geminiman112]

However I recently discovered a couple features not mentioned anywhere else such as Vi for Windows:

This could be a pre-cursor (of sorts) to Powershell, as Powershell (or Monad as it was called at the time) began development in 2002, but that is just a theory. Maybe it was developed on spare time or as a test of the abilities of XP and Microsoft liked what they saw so they decided to flesh it out.

[TuneableSumo876]

Can't you just manually change the command prompt colors to blue and white in XP RTM?

[whistler2250]

Yes, you can, but the colors by default in this build are blue on white.

[AlphaBeta]

This could be a pre-cursor (of sorts) to Powershell, as Powershell (or Monad as it was called at the time) began development in 2002, but that is just a theory. Maybe it was developed on spare time or as a test of the abilities of XP and Microsoft liked what they saw so they decided to flesh it out.

Vi is a text editor, which is an absolutely different kind of software as compared to PowerShell.

[geminiman112]

This could be a pre-cursor (of sorts) to Powershell, as Powershell (or Monad as it was called at the time) began development in 2002, but that is just a theory. Maybe it was developed on spare time or as a test of the abilities of XP and Microsoft liked what they saw so they decided to flesh it out.

Vi is a text editor, which is an absolutely different kind of software as compared to PowerShell.

I know that. I am saying what I am saying because Vi was originally created for Unix. Powershell has a similar shell when compared to Unix-like operating systems. Thus, some of the components used to develop the port of Vi could have been utilized in some way, shape, or form when developing Powershell. Maybe the port of Vi inspired some elements of Powershell. Once again, this is mere speculation.

[whistler2250]

This could be a pre-cursor (of sorts) to Powershell, as Powershell (or Monad as it was called at the time) began development in 2002, but that is just a theory. Maybe it was developed on spare time or as a test of the abilities of XP and Microsoft liked what they saw so they decided to flesh it out.

Vi is a text editor, which is an absolutely different kind of software as compared to PowerShell.

I know that. I am saying what I am saying because Vi was originally created for Unix. Powershell has a similar shell when compared to Unix-like operating systems. Thus, some of the components used to develop the port of Vi could have been utilized in some way, shape, or form when developing Powershell. Maybe the port of Vi inspired some elements of Powershell. Once again, this is mere speculation.

Doubtful. I think it may be just some recompiled version made GNU Software, not by Microsoft. Keep the speculation down a little bit there.

[whistler2250]

I did look at the file properties and found it was made by Mortice Kern Systems Inc. as a "special build" for Microsoft with the MKS Toolkit for Win32 (what is that?). The copyright dates for it were 1993 and 1998, as well the build number being 6.1.0.288.

[whistler2250]

Plus, what in the world is this?

[geminiman112]

I did look at the file properties and found it was made by Mortice Kern Systems Inc. as a "special build" for Microsoft with the MKS Toolkit for Win32 (what is that?).

The MKS Toolkit is a program similar to CygWin in that it aims at providing a semblance of POSIX compatibility for porting and scripting in Windows. It is logical that this software was used by Mortice Kern Systems, as their parent company, PTC, developed said toolkit.

[whistler2250]

I did look at the file properties and found it was made by Mortice Kern Systems Inc. as a "special build" for Microsoft with the MKS Toolkit for Win32 (what is that?).

The MKS Toolkit is a program similar to CygWin in that it aims at providing a semblance of POSIX compatibility for porting and scripting in Windows. It is logical that this software was used by Mortice Kern Systems, as their parent company, PTC, developed said toolkit.

Why would Microsoft use such a product anyways? I remember embedded versions of Windows including a POSIX subsystem. Could this be a test of that?

[geminiman112]

I did look at the file properties and found it was made by Mortice Kern Systems Inc. as a "special build" for Microsoft with the MKS Toolkit for Win32 (what is that?).

The MKS Toolkit is a program similar to CygWin in that it aims at providing a semblance of POSIX compatibility for porting and scripting in Windows. It is logical that this software was used by Mortice Kern Systems, as their parent company, PTC, developed said toolkit.

Why would Microsoft use such a product anyways? I remember embedded versions of Windows including a POSIX subsystem. Could this be a test of that?

This is because the MKS Tookit was licensed by Microsoft for utilization in Microsoft's Windows Services for Unix. When this build was developed, Microsoft was still utilizing software from Mortice Kern Systems (as opposed to the Interix basing of later versions), so I would assume that it was to test Windows Services for Unix's compatibility on Windows XP, given that the most recent version at the time of WSfU was released during April 2000. They probably chose Vi for its ubiquity in the Unix and Unix-like community and for its simplicity. Hopefully that answers that.

P. S. They must have angered the Emacs development team.

[whistler2250]

I did look at the file properties and found it was made by Mortice Kern Systems Inc. as a "special build" for Microsoft with the MKS Toolkit for Win32 (what is that?).

The MKS Toolkit is a program similar to CygWin in that it aims at providing a semblance of POSIX compatibility for porting and scripting in Windows. It is logical that this software was used by Mortice Kern Systems, as their parent company, PTC, developed said toolkit.

Why would Microsoft use such a product anyways? I remember embedded versions of Windows including a POSIX subsystem. Could this be a test of that?

This is because the MKS Tookit was licensed by Microsoft for utilization in Microsoft's Windows Services for Unix. When this build was developed, Microsoft was still utilizing software from Mortice Kern Systems (as opposed to the Interix basing of later versions), so I would assume that it was to test Windows Services for Unix's compatibility on Windows XP, given that the most recent version at the time of WSfU was released during April 2000. They probably chose Vi for its ubiquity in the Unix and Unix-like community and for its simplicity. Hopefully that answers that.

P. S. They must have angered the Emacs development team.

Interestingly enough, PTC STILL makes the MKS Toolkit to this day.
They even have their own website: https://www.ptc.com/developer-tools/mks-toolkit.

[geminiman112]

Also, here is some information on wininfo.exe: http://www.savilltech.com/wininfo.html

EDIT: I just discovered that Sachs Marine Aquarium is used as a screensaver. It's a bit odd that an official Microsoft product contains so much third-party software.

EDIT 2: I scavenged the hard drive and found five files of note. Amongst them were the three MIDI files found on Windows 7: onestop.mid, town.mid, and flourish.mid. It's very interesting that these files existed eight years before most of us were able to discover them. There was also an interest "Drumkit Test" MIDI file. The other file of note was a twelve second long edited video of a young boy playing in a playground. I don't know if it can be found in the final release of XP.

[whistler2250]

Also, here is some information on wininfo.exe: http://www.savilltech.com/wininfo.html

EDIT: I just discovered that Sachs Marine Aquarium is used as a screensaver. It's a bit odd that an official Microsoft product contains so much third-party software.

EDIT 2: I scavenged the hard drive and found five files of note. Amongst them were the three MIDI files found on Windows 7: onestop.mid, town.mid, and flourish.mid. It's very interesting that these files existed eight years before most of us were able to discover them. There was also an interest "Drumkit Test" MIDI file. The other file of note was a twelve second long edited video of a young boy playing in a playground. I don't know if it can be found in the final release of XP.

The wininfo version found in the build is version 2.3, where as version 2.4 is the most recent version on the website that you just linked to. I listened to the drum kit test file, and there's nothing to interesting about it, but I'm pretty sure it isn't in the final version. As for the young boy on the playground video, that's in the final version of XP as well Windows ME (Since they both come bundled with Windows Movie Maker, and that video was a piece of sample video to play around with).

EDIT: I think whoever leaked this build may have added that software on top of the authentic Microsoft version. A bit like with 2531 (though not as heavily modified)!

[Windows Thunderstruck]

That webfldrs.msi file is rather mysterious
It's was there in 2000 but removed in the final version of XP
Drumkit test is not in the final either

[jimmsta]

IIRC, these tools were included with the Windows SDK and DDK. Nothing too strange to see in a non-RTM build of a pre-release product.

[whistler2250]

That webfldrs.msi file is in the final release of XP and pre-reset Longhorn builds
It's been there since 2000 but removed in Vista
Drumkit test is not in the final either

Yes, but it seems to be a test UI of some sorts.

[geminiman112]

EDIT: I think whoever leaked this build may have added that software on top of the authentic Microsoft version. A bit like with 2531 (though not as heavily modified)!

While I do think that Vi was probably in there originally (and possibly wininfo.exe), it is highly doubtful in mind that Sachs Marine Aquarium would be included. Good point.

[whistler2250]

I think we'll either have to find the unaltered build, or do what gus33000 did; try to get it too be as original as possible.

[geminiman112]

I think we'll either have to find the unaltered build, or do what gus33000 did; try to get it too be as original as possible.

That's funny because I know a former Microsoft employee who worked there when this build was developed. He showed me just two days ago some of his Microsoft Technet CDs. He told me that as soon as he organized his old CDs, he'd figure out what I could take. I highly doubt it, but who knows, this build could be in there. Let's cross our fingers.

[whistler2250]

I think we'll either have to find the unaltered build, or do what gus33000 did; try to get it too be as original as possible.

That's funny because I know a former Microsoft employee who worked there when this build was developed. He showed me just two days ago some of his Microsoft Technet CDs. He told me that as soon as he organized his old CDs, he'd figure out what I could take. I highly doubt it, but who knows, this build could be in there. Let's cross our fingers.

If the build is in there, then do a full archive of the cd and pm me the download link. I'll compare the files and see if the current known version is indeed legit.

[geminiman112]

I think we'll either have to find the unaltered build, or do what gus33000 did; try to get it too be as original as possible.

That's funny because I know a former Microsoft employee who worked there when this build was developed. He showed me just two days ago some of his Microsoft Technet CDs. He told me that as soon as he organized his old CDs, he'd figure out what I could take. I highly doubt it, but who knows, this build could be in there. Let's cross our fingers.

If the build is in there, then do a full archive of the cd and pm me the download link. I'll compare the files and see if the current known version is indeed legit.

I'll just contact mrpijey. If anybody's curious, the one CD that I can confirm is in his collection is an orange and white Microsoft Technet CD with black text. It is written on it that it is from "Spring 2002" and that it was a "Service Pack."

[whistler2250]

Could you send me a picture?

[DiskingRound]

wininfo.exe seems to be the old version of System Informations in modern versions of Windows. I could be wrong though.