Windows 95/4.00.224

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Windows 95 Build 224
Kernel version	Windows 9x 4.00
CPU architecture	x86
Edition	n/a
BIOS date	28th October 1994

Windows 95 Build 224 is a Beta 2 build of Windows 95, compiled on 28th October 1994. It was released on Fall COMDEX 1994.

Checked/debug problems

This build exists in both free and checked/debug versions, and its SDK is available to download. However the checked/debug version had issues in booting using checked USER.EXE. To fix it the free USER.EXE needs to replace the checked USER.EXE to boot it.

Some information about why Windows won't boot using checked USER.EXE after lot of kernel-debugging onto it:

• The free USER32.DLL, when loading the Segment 21h from USER.EXE, which has the "Debug Windows 4.00.224" string. It checks for a word inside the segment to ensure it's valid. Which should have value 0EAAh, but unfortunately the value taken is 6763 ("gc" from a string). Hence it'll lead to invalid paging of the segment. By that, Windows will show the BSOD.
• After changing the pointer to correct position, you'll be able to see the GUI with the watermark "Debug Windows" in right-bottom. But again hWnd pointers are done inside the same segment. Hence EXPLORER.EXE will fail to load and will show error screen, or "Invalid hWnd" into the kernel debugger. However, setting the hWnd into debugger to 0 will let it able to run explorer.exe, with some issues again (Including time in taskbar).

External links

• Description of Microsoft Chicago
• Windows 95 #4.00.224 on the The Collection Book