Windows Blue build 9364 teardown: Windows Blue SKUs, internal Blue references, and much more

[Darknight]

Source: Click Here

After a serious case of Windows Blue balls around the community lately, the public finally has its hands on a build of Windows Blue (rejoice!), thus completely validating its existence; however, apart from new features and apps that imply this is Windows Blue, there’s no branding in the build that specifically says “Windows Blue.”

As such, I set out to see if Microsoft had any actual references to “Blue” anywhere in this build, and what I ended up finding was a veritable cornucopia of Blue goodness!

First, I’ll start with all the interesting references I unearthed. Then, after all is said and done with the awesome references and my personal takes, I’m going to shower you with a list of every single file I found with a Windows Blue reference. (I promise I’m not insane; I’m just dedicated to the cause!)

Let me just tell you now that this was an incredibly laborious, all-day affair that — at times — made me want to rip my eyeballs out of my skull; especially when I dug through the registry and found not a single Windows Blue reference therein. In the end, though, this little endeavor was totally worth it.

So, without further ado, let’s get Started! (See what I did there?)

Windows Blue SKUs

Lucky for us, a few files in this build give us mentions of Blue for just about every Windows OS SKU known to man. The first file of note, WindowsProducts.adml, lists the follow:

• Windows Blue (Client)
• Windows Server Blue
• Windows RT Blue

Right there is definitive proof that Windows Server and Windows RT will also receive the Blue treatment, but let’s get a little more specific now, courtesy of comadmin.dll:

• Windows Blue Personal
• Windows Blue Professional
• Windows Blue Standard Server
• Windows Blue Enterprise Server
• Windows Blue Datacenter Server
• Windows Blue Web Server

(Update: As Mary Jo Foley just noted on ZDNet, Enterprise and Web SKUs of Windows Server were nixed from the Server lineup and replaced with Essentials and Foundation, so those two mentions are either placeholders or just old references updated to reflect Blue.)

Sans Windows Phone Blue, we now have a broad understanding of the scope of Windows-Blue-related releases. And last of note, a handful of files — mispace.mof, storagewmi.mfl, Storage.types.ps1xml, and others — have the following to offer in regards to Blue:

• “WinBlue Intermediate”, “WinBlue”, “Post WinBlue”

Basically, that’s Windows Blue in its forms before RTM, Windows Blue final, and the successor to Windows Blue, which is Windows 9. Nothing earth-shattering there, but I thought it was worth noting.

Microsoft’s Internal Windows Blue Portal

The file SkyDrivePagesTemplates.xml contains a fantastic reference to an internal Microsoft site that houses — amongst other things — Windows Blue feature documentation. Obviously, hyperlinking this link is merely for effect — and for any Microsoft folks who might be reading right now (I promise I won’t say a peep about this document if one of your email clients manages to send it my way. ).

http://windowsblue/docs/home/Windows%20Blue%20Feature%20Docs/User%20Experience%20(UEX)/Cloud%20Experience%20(CLX)/Stateless%20Device%20Experience/Storage%20Management%20Docs/SkyDrive%20Settings_redlines.pptx

Oh, what I wouldn’t give to be able to dig around in http://windowsblue/ for a few!

Windows Blue Bugs, To-dos, and More

As I pored my way through countless Windows Blue files, quite a number of them contained notes about bugs, to-dos, and more. Here’s a handful for your viewing pleasure:

• TextBaseStyle_Foreground.xaml – TODO: Make use ThemeResource markup extension. PS_WINBLUE(93718)
• SearchStyles.xaml – BLUETFS: 29227 – Replace with Immersive color; BLUETFS: 29772 – Clean this up and share styles if possible instead of this gigantic ListViewItem override; BLUETFS: 29772 – Clean this up and share styles if possible instead of this gigantic GridViewItem override.
• LocalResultsView.xaml – BLUETFS: 29227 – Specify Blue applicationviewstates
• Win32_Tpm.mof – // Added in Windows Blue
  [Description(""): ToInstance ToSubClass, Implemented: ToInstance ToSubClass] uint32 GetTcgLog([OUT] uint8 TcgLog[]);
  [Description(""): ToInstance ToSubClass, Implemented: ToInstance ToSubClass] uint32 IsKeyAttestationCapable([OUT] uint32 TestResult);
• SkyDrivePagesTemplates.xaml – TODO: blue bug 92047 use u:xid for text localization
• AppsDefaultsPageTemplates.xaml – TODO: there are a lot of margins and fonts that haven’t been defined yet. BLUE:105780
• AccountsUsersPageViewModel.xaml – TODO: BLUE:127501 – Need Better Template Styling for User Tile
• Windows.UI.Xaml.dll – TODO: BLUE 50218 – ThemeResource causes leak when used in defalt Style-level setter for HeaderBackgroundBrush or HeaderForegroundBrush; TFS_WINBLUE(83519) “Implement redlines for suggestions list” Cleanup and redline compliance for everything within x:Name=”SearchSuggestionPopup” is tracked as TFS 83519; FS_WINBLUE(64304) “Implement core IME candidate list”

And so on and so forth. As I noted earlier, I’m going to be including a list of every file I found references in, so you can go and have a field day digging through them yourself to find more of these mentions!

Windows Blue EULAs and Licenses

There’s a whole slew of rtf files in this build that contain EULA information for various SKUs and their flavors (VL, OEM, etc.). For example:

• EULAID:WinBlue_MQ_2_PS_V_en-us
• EULAID:WinBlue_MQ_2_PWMC_R_en-us
• EULAID:WinBlue_MQ_2_PS_O_en-us
• EULAID:WinBlue_MQ_1_LP_R_en-us
• EULAID:WinBlue_MQ_1_LIP_R_en-us

The most interesting ones of note, however, are lipeula.rtf and lpeula.rtf. Their contents are the same, but they just go to show even more the types of placeholders that are often present in pre-release builds (I’m pasting the contents as they’re formatted in the document):

Windows Blue Version and GUID/SupportedOS ID

MICROSOFT SOFTWARE LICENSE PLACEHOLDER
WINDOWS BLUE AND SERVER V NEXT PLACEHOLDER
THIS IS A PLACEHOLDER ONLY FOR FUTURE WINDOWS BLUE AND SERVER VNEXT PRE-RELEASE OR RTM LICENSE.

To keep app and driver compatibility on the up-and-up, Microsoft has graced Windows Blue with a version number of 6.3. And, for all of you app developers out there who want to give this build a spin, I found a few files (msiexec.exe, ieetwcollector, and iexplore.exe) that included Windows Blue’s SupportedOS ID in their manifests:

<supportedOS Id=”{1f676c76-80e1-4239-95bb-83d0f6d0da78}”/>

I suppose Microsoft could change it by the time RTM rolls around, but I thought it might be worth a mention for someone out there. Last of note, UpgradeMatrix.xml contains an interesting version range to dictate various upgrade scenarios:

<Range name=”winblue” minVersion=”6.2.9300.*” minSPVersion=”0.0″ maxVersion=”6.3.9364.0″/>

Oh, and let’s not forget the build string, for those who are interested:

9364.0.x86fre.fbl_partner_out13.130315-2105

Windows Blue Teardown Conclusion

Well, I set out to find Windows Blue references in this build, and that’s exactly what I did! As you can see, there’s a LOT more than meets the eye in this build (as is often the case with leaked pre-releases builds), and something tells me that these references to Windows Blue aren’t the only jewels lying in wait in this build. If I find any that aren’t discovered elsewhere beforehand, then I’ll be sure to bring you the scoop!

And now, as promised, an exhaustive list of every file I could find in build 9364 that mentions Windows Blue. I was going to list the specific references in each of these files, but my brain is fried from doing all the research, writing, and formatting for all of this, so you’re just going to have to dig in and get your hands dirty with some Windows Blue!

Files in build 9364 that reference Windows Blue:

• C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
• C:\Windows\LocalResultsView.xaml
• C:\Windows\SearchStyles.xaml
• C:\Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel\SystemSettings\AccountsUsersPageViewModel.xaml
• C:\Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel\SystemSettings\View\AppsDefaultsPageTemplates.xaml
• C:\Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel\SystemSettings\View\SearchPageTemplates.xaml
• C:\Windows\ImmersiveControlPanel\SystemSettings\View\SkyDrivePagesTemplates.xaml
• C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\ControlPanelDisplay.admx
• C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\SettingSync.admx
• C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\StartMenu.admx
• C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\Windows.admx
• C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US\Windows.adml
• C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions\en-US\WindowsProducts.adml
• C:\Windows\servicing\Editions\UpgradeMatrix.xml
• C:\Windows\System32\d3d10level9.dll
• C:\Windows\System32\ieetwcollector.exe
• C:\Windows\System32\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\msiexec.exe
• C:\Windows\System32\SkyDriveSessions.dll
• C:\Windows\System32\SyncEngine.dll
• C:\Windows\System32\Telemetry.dll
• C:\Windows\System32\Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
• C:\Windows\System32\Com\comadmin.dll
• C:\Windows\System32\en-US\lipeula.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\en-US\lpeula.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\en-US\Licenses\_Default\Professional\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\en-US\Licenses\OEM\Professional\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\en-US\Licenses\Volume\Professional\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\Licenses\neutral\_Default\Professional\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\Licenses\neutral\OEM\Professional\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\Licenses\neutral\Volume\Professional\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\System32\SystemSettingsAdminFlowUI\DateTimePage.xaml
• C:\Windows\System32\wbem\mispace.mof
• C:\Windows\System32\wbem\Win32_Tpm.mof
• C:\Windows\System32\wbem\en-US\storagewmi.mfl
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\Backup\x86_microsoft-windows-d..wmanager-compositor_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_a4c1622335df24d6.manifest
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\Backup\x86_microsoft-windows-directui_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_563502d8e51735cc_windows.ui.xaml.dll_9c9d9ec9
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\Manifests\x86_microsoft-windows-d..wmanager-compositor_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_a4c1622335df24d6.manifest
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\Manifests\x86_microsoft-windows-e..nsiblestorageengine_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_a280839101f62d25.manifest
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\Manifests\x86_microsoft-windows-twinui_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_12e686dcafe25ffb.manifest
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-c..plus-admin-comadmin_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_d0a03e60b58274db\comadmin.dll
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-c..rolpaneldisplay-adm_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_09459649a5bcf803\ControlPanelDisplay.admx
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-directui_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_563502d8e51735cc\Windows.UI.Xaml.dll
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-directx-d3d10level9_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_829d7bde9613ccfa\d3d10level9.dll
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-e..ons-professionalwmc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_b086e09adb3f383f\UpgradeMatrix.xml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-editions-professional_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_7bbbb87210e584a6\UpgradeMatrix.xml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-g..-admfiles.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_fe1357e45169d231\Windows.adml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-g..-admfiles.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_fe1357e45169d231\WindowsProducts.adml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-i..etexplorer-optional_31bf3856ad364e35_11.0.9364.0_none_d44c8e5d7d8fd02e\iexplore.exe
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-ie-ieetwcollector_31bf3856ad364e35_11.0.9364.0_none_feacc8dbd290d032\ieetwcollector.exe
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-installer-executable_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_e8c083f87c9b18fe\msiexec.exe
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..efault-professional_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_3a2a771fd3afc746\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..fessional.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_3e8f4342cc0dd701\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..fessional.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_9363f902ac6d2e41\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..fessional.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_fcceb46c4fb329e8\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..-lpksetup.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_9bc731e13a5c194c\lipeula.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..-lpksetup.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_9bc731e13a5c194c\lpeula.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..se-oem-professional_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_0970959f69ecdabe\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..sionalwmc.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_1289b83f51ece85a\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..ult-professionalwmc_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_094db526d655ca07\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-l..volume-professional_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_c6f2473aed07ec11\license.rtf
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-s..ementwmi-powershell_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_8888fefb7e3542b4\Storage.types.ps1xml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-s..gementwmi.resources_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_en-us_18e65bed3f84904b\storagewmi.mfl
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-s..settings-adminflows_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_fc1d12298074fe50\DateTimePage.xaml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-shell-grouppolicy_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_b4f9b8dfe7571669\SettingSync.admx
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-shell-grouppolicy_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_b4f9b8dfe7571669\StartMenu.admx
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-skydrive-sessions_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_233181e1e4ac8daa\SkyDriveSessions.dll
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-skydrive-syncengine_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_cc4564524b96e48a\SyncEngine.dll
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-skydrive-telemetry_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_22f2f32c23687716\Telemetry.dll
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-smspaceprovider_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_6ffe7d07b5cb0cee\mispace.mof
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-systemsettings_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_0ee9ebf0effb3a77\AccountsUsersPageViewModel.xaml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-systemsettings_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_0ee9ebf0effb3a77\AppsDefaultsPageTemplates.xaml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-systemsettings_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_0ee9ebf0effb3a77\SearchPageTemplates.xaml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-systemsettings_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_0ee9ebf0effb3a77\SkyDrivePagesTemplates.xaml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-tpm-driver-wmi_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_0ecc1d8cb6c4fccb\Win32_Tpm.mof
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-ui-search_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_9450485f19832d3a\LocalResultsView.xaml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-ui-search_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_9450485f19832d3a\SearchStyles.xaml
• C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-ui-search_31bf3856ad364e35_6.3.9364.0_none_9450485f19832d3a\TextBaseStyle_Foreground.xaml
• C:\Windows\XAMLTemplates\TextBaseStyle_Foreground.xaml

[dcs18]

Just a little tip - when publishing news, try to add the source. ;)

[Darknight]

ok fro nxt time sure

[DKT27]

Moved to Software News.

[tetro305]

source: http://msftkitchen.com/windows-blue-build-9364-teardown

[LiLmEgZ]

Right there is definitive proof that Windows Server and Windows RT will also receive the Blue treatment, but let’s get a little more specific now, courtesy of comadmin.dll:

• Windows Blue Personal
• Windows Blue Professional
• Windows Blue Standard Server
• Windows Blue Enterprise Server
• Windows Blue Datacenter Server
• Windows Blue Web Server

Looks like Micro$haft just wanting more money for Windows Blue.... seems to be Windows 8.5....