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Surface RT hacked to run legacy x86 Windows programs

By Daniel Petrov

Published: Feb 22, 2013, 3:08 AM

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Surface RT hacked to run legacy x86 Windows programs

The entrepreneurial spirit over at XDA-Devs has managed to achieve another miracle - a beta tool has been making the rounds for about a month that lets you run legacy Windows apps on your Microsoft Surface RT tablet, rather than only apps from the Windows Store.

Don't get too excited, as for now you can't just fire up Photoshop or AutoCAD 2013 on the ARM-based slate, but the tool seems pretty handy anyways, at least for programs that are fairly light on resources like WinRAR or even games like Heroes of Might&Magic, which have been tested by the developer to work.

He encourages you to try his emulator and list in the thread what works and what doesn't, so he can get on it. The tool "emulates x86 instructions and passes Windows API calls to WinRT kernel with necessary modifications," and that's how running x86 apps on an ARM-based tablet is achieved. Naturally, your Surface RT needs to be jailbroken with a separate tool, and the other requirements are listed in the thread below.

source: XDA-Devs via RedmondPie

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.