Questions about ARM based laptops running Windows 10

[gisus]

Hello.
I'm referring to the devices like HP Envy X2 and ASUS Nova-GO...
1. How do the OS files managed, are they protected like a smart phone? If yes, will they be reset to factory after a system restore?
2. Does the x86 emulation function purely software or rely on CPU?
3. Can we install other OS on those laptops?
4. Can we install this Windows on other ARM devices?
Thanks.

[stj]

i doubt there is x86 emulation - that would take serious cpu power.

and NO, you cant install it on other arm devices for the same reason you cant swap firmware between phones or tablets.
the o.s. needs to be compiled with the right drivers and secondary bootloader.

[rsjsouza]

There is a x86 emulation done on software closely linked to the underlying hardware. The page below talks a bit about it:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/porting/apps-on-arm-x86-emulation

[stj]

so it's not an emulator, it's a jit recompiler.
i doubt it works as well as they claim - specially when they use words like "magical experience" and "rich ecosystem"
that's straight-up marketing department bullshit-speak.

[bd139]

They're hoping the x86 emulation sucks enough to force people to build UWP applications.

[Miyuki]

Sadly you cannot trust in future support. they can kill your device any time 

As I used to have windows based phone from time of Windows Mobile 2003
And I still have Nokia 735

It used to be great phone when was new. Everything worked as I want and was fast
Now every update something stop to work. Web browsing is getting worse and worse, I cant even connect to Facebook now and that navigation what used to be great is now pretty jerky at least you can choose from 3 paths
It is sad end of one promising platform

[stj]

i only get devices that i can root, install TWRP onto and find different firmware for,
i'm not falling into that type of trap again, i have a useless ASUS tablet with a locked down x86 system in it - never again.

[james_s]

These devices don't run Windows in a traditional sense, they run an operating system that is called Windows has the Windows Mobile UI but it is otherwise completely incompatible with traditional Windows software.

I'm not sure what they were thinking, the whole reason anyone runs Windows is because of the huge library of "legacy" x86 software. If you can't run that then it's not Windows and calling it such only confuses users.

[stj]

they where thinking to con people - that is the only reason they would call it "windows10" when it used to have a the distinctive name "windows CE"

[NiHaoMike]

I'm not sure what they were thinking, the whole reason anyone runs Windows is because of the huge library of "legacy" x86 software. If you can't run that then it's not Windows and calling it such only confuses users.

I remember how badly Windows CE/Mobile/Phone failed. Even back then, Linux had way more apps available.

[Miyuki]

I remember how badly Windows CE/Mobile/Phone failed. Even back then, Linux had way more apps available.

Sad thing is they dont support even apps from one version of Windows to newer one, it kill it totaly, CE > Win 7 throw all apps to trash and same happen when they upgraded to Win 10 
Discontinue compatibility every few years is something unique in modern history and kill that few apps that was there

[BillB]

Speaking as one of the four people on the planet who purchased a WinRT device...

Just walk away.

[james_s]

It's really too bad there isn't a straightforward way to run Linux on the device. They do have quite a nice display as I recall.