New version of Metro Unlocker

[Valerio]

Hi! I've noticed that MetroFetro has updated his Metro Unlocker a few days ago and now it can unlock Immersive Internet Explorer in Windows 8 build 8056. I'm not sure whether this is the original 8056's Immersive IE or the 8102's one, ported to 8056, honestly I'm too lazy to compare the files. However, I've tested it and it works, here are some screens, nothing special at all, but still... You can get it at the description of his video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnipbrpjUDM

[Windows OS]

It's 8102's Immersive Browser, at least it uses 8102's "mieproxy.dll" file.

Offtopic Comment

Also, I kinda find it funny that he made this right after I've discussed some interesting details I've found about 8056's Immersive Browser (like how NTLite has detected it as disabled) on the BetaWiki Discord...

EDIT: If anyone's curious, here's its user agent:

[Valerio]

I should have know, of course only 8102's Immersive IE is gonna work with 8102's shsxs.dll it seems. Well, it's better than nothing after all. If I remember correctly Immersive IE isn't made of a lot of files, I remember mieproxy.dll, miexplore.exe and the .appx related files, so yes, this sounds just like 8102's Immersive IE backported to 8056.

[Windows OS]

I should have know, of course only 8102's Immersive IE is gonna work with 8102's shsxs.dll it seems.

Hold that thought, as I was able to track down the 8056 Immersive Browser files (they were in the WinSxS folder when I mounted the install.wim file with DISM). Once I've found them and replaced MU's 8102 files with the original 8056 ones, I installed a fresh copy of 8056 and ran my modified MU. And...







As you can see, 8056's Immersive Browser works just fine. If you gimme some time, I will be uploading a modified version of MetroUnlocker that actually uses 8056's Immersive Browser instead of 8102's. UPDATE: See my post below for my modified MU.

[Valerio]

That's insane! You did an awesome job. That Internet Explorer's tile color is basically the one from the build that was shown at the D9 conference. Sure, take your time and thanks for contributing to the revealing of more Windows 8 beta stuff.
EDIT: I've replaced by myself Metro Unlocker files and I got the original 8056's Immersive IE working too!

Offtopic Comment

By the way, at last I managed to find by myself too 8032's Immersive IE files, they were in the x86_microsoft-windows-immersivebrowser... folder, just like in 8056.

[Windows OS]

QUICK WARNING: I had absolutely NO luck on the AMD64 compile of 8056, when using both the 8056 Immersive Browser files and even MetroUnlocker's 8102 files. The Immersive Browser, at least for me, will always crash at launch. Your mileage might vary, however, so you could try it on AMD64, but I personally recommend the x86 compile, as both 8102's and 8056's Immersive Browser will work fine, at least for me.

I also generally recommend people wait for the new RP implementation currently in development. It works a whole lot better than MetroUnlocker and ESPECIALLY the MDL RP Enabler. I also recommend reading through the readme.txt file. It will give you a bit of insight into how MetroUnlocker works and why I personally feel like this.

But, enough talk, here it is: https://mega.nz/#!NU5XlIrT!T_2CgnRWVa65 ... zVLypgdNgY

[Valerio]

I made it work on the x86 compile of that build, but being honest, I did more of a quick and dirty work rather than a precise one, in fact on my second install I didn't manage to use 8056's Immersive IE. Anyway, thank you again very much! It will really be great when we'll finally have a better feature-unlocking system for Windows 8 betas one day.
EDIT: Just tried your version of Metro Unlocker, it worked, on x86.

[Windows OS]

UPDATE: I've found a solution to the AMD64 bug. You just needed to also copy the x86 "mieproxy.dll" file to the Internet Explorer directory in "Program Files (x86)".

How MetroFetro forgot to do this basic-ass thing... I have no idea, but that should get it working in AMD64. I might try to either do some deep modification to MU or write my own version of it, but just in case I don't, that's how you fix it.

BTW: Here's a screenshot showing the user-agent:

[Valerio]

Nice one! I think that after this little fix, we can somehow say that we have a decent, full unlocker for build 8056 for now... even tho it's a bit of a "frankestein" unlocker, but for now, it's surely better than nothing. I have also another idea for a fix, if I'm not wrong every time you create a new account, you get the Windows 8 8102's background in the Start screen... shouldn't the image files of 8102's background in shsxs.dll be replaced with blank ones? You can find the blank ones in 2000x1000 size in shsxs.dll itself (they're placeholders for the future Start screen backgrounds). This way we shound't get anymore the annoying 8102's background. Oh, another thing, I've noticed that if I remove 8056's timebomb with tokens.dat from checked 8250, after I use Metro Unlocker the timebomb string comes back in winver. How does this happen? Does Metro Unlocker interfere with timebomb?

[Windows OS]

I have also another idea for a fix, if I'm not wrong every time you create a new account, you get the Windows 8 8102's background in the Start screen... shouldn't the image files of 8102's background in shsxs.dll be replaced with blank ones? You can find the blank ones in 2000x1000 size in shsxs.dll itself (they're placeholders for the future Start screen backgrounds). This way we shound't get anymore the annoying 8102's background.

IIRC, the new RP in development will have a fix for this issue. In fact, the developer said that he might include a feature that will allow 8102's pattern to properly appear transparent on the start screen (think how the pattern looks in builds like 8148 and 8161, which does have the ability to change the accent color: https://www.betaarchive.com/imageupload ... .52414.png).

Oh, another thing, I've noticed that if I remove 8056's timebomb with tokens.dat from checked 8250, after I use Metro Unlocker the timebomb string comes back in winver. How does this happen? Does Metro Unlocker interfere with timebomb?

As MetroUnlocker disables the Software Protection Service, it reenables the timebomb, at least in 8056. AFAIK, there's no way to fix this while still using MetroUnlocker. The new RP will use a different implementation of it so it should not disable SPP.