Microsoft quietly updates official lightweight Windows 11 Validation OS ISOs for 24H2

Microsoft has again quietly updated its Validation OS ISOs. In case you are not familiar with it, Validation OS is an official lightweight variant of Windows and it is designed for hardware vendors to test, validate and repair hardware defects.

Here is how the tech giant itself describes Validation OS:

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.

Microsoft first released Validation OS back in June of 2022 and followed it up in July 2023 with updated ISOs.

German site Deskmodder noticed that Microsoft has again released Validation OS with newer ISOs and this time they are based on build 26100.1, which was released in April of 2024 and is the RTM (release to manufacturing) build of the upcoming Windows 11 version 24H2.

It is noteworthy that the 2024 feature update for Windows 11 is already generally available under KB5039239 though it is only aimed at Copilot+ PCs. Since then, Microsoft has also released its first Patch Tuesday update for under KB5040435 for such devices alongside the regular Patches for Windows 10 (KB5040427 / KB5040430 / KB5040434 / KB5040448) and Windows 11 21H2/ 22H2 / 23H2 (KB5040442 / KB5040431).

You can find more details and resources about Validation OS at these links:

• 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

If you want to try it out, Microsoft Validation OS is available for download as a Windows Image (.WIM) file at this link for both ARM64 and AMD64 architectures.

Source

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