Quick Hands-On with Windows 10X Emulator Build 19578

This week, Microsoft released a much-improved version of its Windows 10X emulator. Now, anyone can try it out—well, assuming you have Windows 10 Pro, as you need Hyper-V. But it’s still horribly slow and incredibly buggy, making it impossible to accurately assess the system’s ability to run legacy desktop apps.

That said, it is much improved. With the previous emulator image, I was unable to sign-in to my Microsoft account, but I did sign-in via an app and get my Microsoft account propagated throughout the OS and into the Edge web browser. That provides a slightly more customized experience, which is nice, but it also gives me a better idea of how this thing compares to what Microsoft is now calling Windows 10 desktop. For example, I can now access my recent documents right from the new Start.

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What I’d really like to do, of course, is use Windows 10X in a standard landscape single-screen configuration. But when I try to select that, the emulator balks. In lieu of that, here are a few quick observations.

A new UWP File Explorer app is provided instead of the old-school desktop version.

Desktop applications get the standard three window buttons—Minimize, Maximize/Restore, and Close—but I couldn’t get Notepad to run in a floating window.

UWP applications—and, curiously, the new Edge—have only two window buttons, Minimize and Close.

I could, however, get Notepad to span both screens. Which is silly, but makes sense.

More soon.

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Conversation 15 comments

  • lvthunder

    Premium Member
    11 March, 2020 - 12:38 pm

    <p>Are you sure floating apps are going to be supported in this initial version of 10X?</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      12 March, 2020 - 7:30 am

      No, not sure at all.

  • sevenacids

    11 March, 2020 - 1:55 pm

    <p>Centered task bar icons on the host machine?</p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      11 March, 2020 - 2:54 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#530428">In reply to sevenacids:</a></em></blockquote><p>It's one of those little utilities that you can install. I think Paul talked about it on Windows Weekly last week.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      12 March, 2020 - 7:30 am

  • dnationsr

    Premium Member
    11 March, 2020 - 2:08 pm

    <p>i don't like it because it is not full screen</p>

  • Mikael Koskinen

    Premium Member
    11 March, 2020 - 2:09 pm

    <p>Regarding the requirements for the emulator, having Hyper-v installed and working isn't enough: you actually have to have CPU made by Intel. AMD's Ryzen/Threadripper won't work (for now). T<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">he emulator's release notes also mention this but I somehow missed this and was left wondering why I wasn't able to run the thing, even though Hyper-v is happily up and running on the same system. This is from the docs: </span><span style="color: rgb(23, 23, 23); background-color: rgb(226, 218, 241);">AMD processors are not supported at this time. Nested virtualization is required to run Windows 10X in the emulator and Windows does not yet support this on AMD processors. Stay tuned!</span></p><p><br></p><p>This has something to do with Hyper-v's nested virtualization feature only supporting Intel CPU's. Here's the UserVoice regarding this: <a href="https://windowsserver.uservoice.com/forums/295047-general-feedback/suggestions/31734808-nested-virtualization-for-amd-epyc-and-ryzen&quot; target="_blank">https://windowsserver.uservoice.com/forums/295047-general-feedback/suggestions/31734808-nested-virtualization-for-amd-epyc-and-ryzen</a></p&gt;

    • IanYates82

      Premium Member
      11 March, 2020 - 9:25 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#530432">In reply to MikaelKoskinen:</a></em></blockquote><p>I didn't realise they only supported nested virtualisation on Intel CPUs for the moment. That's a big oversight I hope they rectify soon. I'll go vote up the User Voice link – thanks!</p>

      • IanYates82

        Premium Member
        11 March, 2020 - 9:26 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#530503">In reply to IanYates82:</a></em></blockquote><p>"Bruce" from Microsoft at least chimed in during the chat over at User Voice to indicate MS were working on it and to check insider builds throughout the year.</p>

  • red77star

    11 March, 2020 - 2:36 pm

    <p>DOA</p>

    • r2d22

      12 March, 2020 - 3:10 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#530438">In reply to red77star:</a></em></blockquote><p>your source?</p>

      • red77star

        12 March, 2020 - 9:26 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#530539">In reply to r2d22:</a></em></blockquote><p>Me, my logic and my 35 years experience with OS, Networking and Programming.</p>

        • paradyne

          12 March, 2020 - 9:10 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#530562">In reply to red77star:</a></em></blockquote><p>"my 35 years experience" &lt;- This is our problem, we're too old. This is for the young people. I bet like me you don't understand what the hell snapchat and tiktok are either and thought they would be DOA. But they seem to be popular.</p>

  • Dan1986ist

    Premium Member
    13 March, 2020 - 10:56 am

    <p>The new Files UWP Preview in Windows 10X can also be installed on regular Windows 10 via the Microsoft Store for those who want test it outside of an emulator.</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      14 March, 2020 - 8:58 am

      Yes. I guess the big deal here is that it is the default in 10X and may be the only choice.

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