The OOBE shortcuts are no longer a secret, but there is more to it

Here we will explore Hotkeys mentioned in the Enderman video

3 min. read

Updated onMarch 7, 2024

updated onMarch 7, 2024

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Enderman, the software engineer and security researcher, recently published his findings on the Windows 11 OOBE (Out of Box Experience) source code in a YouTube video. The OOBE in the video is for the first Windows 11 24H2 build, 26040.

He mentioned that Windows 11 build 26040 brought us the old installer back, which was first featured with Windows 10 build 9780.

On the setup page, while selecting the setup option, there is a Previous Version of Setup option, which is confusing as Microsoft has labeled the old installer as the previous version, which is misleading. The reason is that both installers co-existed for some time and are suitable for different purposes.

Enderman couldn’t get the version to work, so he installed Windows 11 build 26052 (24H2) and discovered a few hidden functionalities inside the OOBE.

Most Windows users know that we can bring up Command Prompt by pressingShift+F10keys to bypass the need for an internet connection or a Microsoft account while in the OOBE. Let’s find out whatnew things he discovered:

This all seems too exciting and fun to play with; however, ability to customize OOBE on Windows 11 setup can open doors for cyber criminals as it would be easy for them to infect the Windows image before deployment.

Also, we at WR, always advise that no one should make changes to the original ISO image of an operating system, as this could harm their device and may make it susceptible to harmful things.

What do you think about it? Share your thoughts in the matter in the comments section below and let’s start a conversation.

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The OOBE shortcuts are no longer a secret, but there is more to it