Exploring Windows 10X RTM: How to Deploy, Navigate, and Experience the New OS

Win10X RTM Overview

At Build 2019 Microsoft announced a new operating system resembling Windows 10 but with a dual‑screen interface, a drawer‑style launcher and a refreshed UI. The project was delayed, the Surface Neo device disappeared, and later a leaked VHDX image (Build 20279) surfaced, which appears to be the RTM version.

1. Virtual Machine Deployment

The leaked image is a VHDX file for Hyper‑V. The host OS must be Windows 10 Professional or Enterprise with BIOS virtualization enabled.

Note: The OS cannot be Home or Education edition; BIOS must have VT‑x/VT‑d or AMD‑V enabled.

1. Install Hyper‑V – Enable Hyper‑V via “Turn Windows features on or off” and restart.

2. Create a VM – Use the Hyper‑V manager, choose Generation 2, allocate at least 8 GB RAM, select the Default Switch for networking, and attach the downloaded VHDX as an existing virtual hard disk.

3. Start the VM – Connect and power on; the first boot shows a new Windows 10X animation and then a configuration wizard.

Win10X RTM: Login and Desktop

2. Hands‑On Experience

1. Fresh Setup Wizard – The wizard is visually clean, using modern animations and flat design. Local offline accounts are not supported; users must sign in with a Microsoft account.

2. Single‑Screen Layout – Unlike the earlier dual‑screen preview, the RTM runs on a single screen, indicating Microsoft’s shift toward stability over experimental hardware.

3. Centered Taskbar – The taskbar is centered, showing the Start button, TaskView, and opened apps. It cannot be resized by dragging, but three size options are available in Settings, and a subtle animation appears when apps are opened or closed.

4. New Start Menu – The menu features rounded corners, a top‑placed search bar, and icons instead of tiles. The “Show all” button reveals the full app list. No tile‑pinning; apps can only be pinned to the taskbar.

5. Redesigned Action Center – The Action Center separates notifications from quick actions, adds a mini volume slider, and introduces a “>” button for deeper settings. Some traditional tray items (date, calendar, task manager) are missing.

6. UWP‑Based File Explorer – Explorer uses OneDrive as the primary storage backend; local file management is absent. It offers icon and list views, hidden‑by‑default command bar, and right‑click context actions, but lacks forward/back navigation.

7. Split‑Screen – Applications run full‑screen but can be snapped to half‑screen by dragging to the screen edge, similar to Windows 10.

8. Alt+Tab / Win+Tab – Both shortcuts work, but Alt+Tab cycles through apps while Win+Tab shows a static overview with a “Focus Close” option. Virtual desktops are not supported.

9. No Win32 App Support – Attempts to run Win32 applications fail. However, a secondary, more feature‑rich Explorer appears with a search bar, thumbnail view, and additional shortcuts, likely a preview of a future component.

10. Anti‑Theft Mode – The Settings panel includes an “Anti‑theft Protection” option to prevent malicious resets after device loss.

11. Power Controls – Power‑off and restart commands are moved to the Action Center, with new shutdown animations.

12. Built‑in Apps – Most default apps are similar to Windows 10, with minor UI tweaks (e.g., Clock, Weather, Maps, Remote Desktop).

Conclusion

Windows 10X delivers a striking visual redesign and a mobile‑first approach, sacrificing local accounts, Win32 compatibility, and some traditional desktop features. It appears positioned as a companion to Windows 10 rather than a direct replacement, showcasing Fluent Design and hinting at future convergence between the two OS lines.