Emulating Windows 8 Build 8061 on QEMU

Patching files

HAL:

- HalpAcpiGetTable(HalpTimerLoaderBlock, 'TIGE', NULL, NULL);
+ HalpAcpiGetTable(HalpTimerLoaderBlock, 'TDTG', NULL, NULL);

HAL functions: HalpGitDiscover()

- NewTimer.Interrupt.Gsi = *((ULONG *)(Table + 52));
- NewTimer.Interrupt.Polarity = InterruptActiveLow;
- BYTE Flags = *((BYTE *)(Table + 62));
- if (Flags & 2)
- {
-     NewTimer.Interrupt.Polarity = InterruptActiveHigh;
- }
- NewTimer.Interrupt.Mode = (Flags & 1);
+ NewTimer.Interrupt.Gsi = *((ULONG *)(Table + 64));
+ NewTimer.Interrupt.Polarity = InterruptActiveHigh;
+ ULONG Flags = *((ULONG *)(Table + 68));
+ if (Flags & 2)
+ {
+     NewTimer.Interrupt.Polarity = InterruptActiveLow;
+ }
+ NewTimer.Interrupt.Mode = (Flags & 1);

Registry fix:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\ACPI]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\ACPI\PNP0D40]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\ACPI\PNP0D40\0]
"Capabilities"=dword:00000030
"ContainerID"="{00000000-0000-0000-ffff-ffffffffffff}"
"HardwareID"=hex(7):41,00,43,00,50,00,49,00,5c,00,50,00,4e,00,50,00,30,00,44,\
  00,34,00,30,00,00,00,2a,00,50,00,4e,00,50,00,30,00,44,00,34,00,30,00,00,00,\
  00,00
"ClassGUID"="{a0a588a4-c46f-4b37-b7ea-c82fe89870c6}"
"Service"="sdbus"
"DeviceDesc"="@sdbus.inf,%acpi\\pnp0d40.devicedesc%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller (compatible)"
"Driver"="{a0a588a4-c46f-4b37-b7ea-c82fe89870c6}\\0000"
"Mfg"="@sdbus.inf,%generic%;SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller Vendor"
"UINumberDescFormat"="@sdbus.inf,%SDBUSSlot%;SD Host Slot %1!u!"
"ConfigFlags"=dword:00000000

DWM:

DWORD CDwmAppHost::VerifyGraphicsCapabilities(MIL_CHANNEL hChannel, BOOL fIsBitmapRemoting, GraphicsCapabilities *pCaps)
{
	pCaps->fValidCompositionMode = 1;
	pCaps->dwDisabledEvent = 0;
	return 1;
}

Tips

• The original binaries for the ACPI, SD bus and partition management drivers, as well as binaries for the boot manager and boot loader can be used under emulation.
• Reapply the registry values outlined above after setup completes the second phase of setup to prevent an INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE bugcheck loop, as the respective driver enumerator is removed from the Windows registry during hardware detection. This issue only occurs once and will not recur in subsequent boots after reapplication.

Installation

Install the OS normally. Due to slowdowns on QEMU, installation can take a long time to complete.

Conclusion

If done correctly, you should have 8061 running on QEMU.