LiberNT fork of ReactOS targets Windows 11 24H2 compatibility with ARM64 focus

The LiberNT project has emerged as a significant fork of ReactOS, diverging from the original codebase with substantial architectural changes. It targets Windows 11 version 24H2 compatibility rather than older Windows versions, with particular emphasis on ARM64 systems including Raspberry Pi 3 and 5. The developers have replaced core ReactOS components including the memory manager and cache manager, and added modern hardware drivers for NVMe, USB xHCI, and SD bus. Early builds are available as raw disk images, VHD files, and bootable ISOs, though the project explicitly warns these are experimental.

What's new in LiberNT versus ReactOS

• NVS: New memory manager and kernel pool implementation replacing ReactOS components
• New cache manager: Developers claim improved benchmark results over original ReactOS implementation
• Storage and I/O: New NTFS driver, updated StorPort with NVMe support, USB xHCI and SD bus drivers
• Graphics stack: Work in progress on Windows Display Driver Model and Desktop Window Manager
• Architecture support: ARM64 (primary focus for SBCs/embedded), x86-64, 32-bit x86; RISC-V 64-bit and PowerPC ports underway
• Application compatibility: WoW64 on 64-bit targets; FEX emulator for x86 apps on ARM64; ARM64EC support planned
• Raspberry Pi: Single ARM64 image boots on Pi 3, Pi 5, and QEMU ARM64 VMs; includes display, networking, and audio drivers

Why it matters

LiberNT represents a notable divergence in the open-source Windows-compatible OS space, with its modern target and ARM64 focus potentially making it more relevant for contemporary hardware than ReactOS. However, with only five compatibility database entries and explicit experimental status, practical utility remains limited for now.