Windows 10 Metro Apps now Work On Netbooks in Build 9879 Of Windows 10.

Andrea Borman

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I have always run both Windows 8 and 8.1 on a netbook as I don't own any big laptops. It is a well known fact that Metro Apps cannot run on netbooks because of the low screen resolution. Until now that is. I recently installed Windows 10 and upgraded to Build9879 and to my surprise all of the Metro Apps are working!

As you can see in my screenshots I am running Windows 10 on an HP Mini 201 netbook that was came with Windows 7 starter when I bought it. Now it runs Windows 10 and all of the Metro Apps are working for the first time. So it seems Microsoft have now changed it so that we can run Metro apps on a basic netbook and even older laptops which is a step in the right direction. Though I am not saying that they are better than the desktop software. I will leave that for you to decide.

 
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Well that PC you got s not exactly a netbook, it's more of a small laptop. It seems that Microsoft have updated the video or graphics hardware in Windows 10. So that Metro apps now work on netbooks but In Windows 8 you couldn't run them on a netbook. Then did read something about Metro apps now being desktop apps in 10 so maybe it's that. The only draw back is that you can only use the default apps that come with the OS. If you want to install new ones you have to switch to a Microsoft account which I don't want to do. As I have always had a local account.
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Does nobody care to comment? While I don't really like the Metro apps as I see no need for them. If we are going to have Windows 10. Then I think it's a good thing that Microsoft have now made it so that it is compatible with older hardware including netbooks. Something they should have done in Windows 8.
 
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Hi Andrea. It's nice to see you back. I know you have always been a fan of netbooks, but those get a little dated. Nevertheless, it is good to know that 10 works on the older devices.

Yesterday (Black Friday) I got myself a small PC that is similar to a netbook (see picture). It has a modern quadcore Atom processor, 11.6" screen and Windows 8.1 on a SSD. It is supposed to run 12 hours on battery. For $99 I could not resist to add it to my collection. Have not unpacked it yet.

 
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Well that PC you got s not exactly a netbook, it's more of a small laptop. It seems that Microsoft have updated the video or graphics hardware in Windows 10. So that Metro apps now work on netbooks but In Windows 8 you couldn't run them on a netbook. Then did read something about Metro apps now being desktop apps in 10 so maybe it's that. The only draw back is that you can only use the default apps that come with the OS. If you want to install new ones you have to switch to a Microsoft account which I don't want to do. As I have always had a local account.
 
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It's somewhat interesting that you can run MUI apps in W10 on your netbook without the need for registry changes. I ran Win 8.1 on my netbook (as did many others), including MUI apps, after making a change in the registry that allowed the netbook to use a slightly higher resolution. I remember trying to help you do that but it wouldn't work for you on your netbook for some reason.

I no longer have my netbook but I found that running MUI apps breathed new life into it. They are generally pretty simplistic and use less system resources so they worked well on the netbook.
 
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No you don't need to make any changes to the registry to run Metro or Modern apps as they are now called on Windows 10. It's only in this Build 9879 that you can run them. In previous builds of 10 you couldn't and they did not work in Windows 8 or 8.1. One of the changes in Windows 10 is that Metro apps can now be run from the desktop, maybe that's why they work on netbooks in this build.
 
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Hmm, I am using an old Acer One from the XP era, resolution 1024*600 and it is too small for at least the Store app and there are more not working.
To overcome that I connected a 2nd and larger screen 1280*1024.

But alas until now no avail:
1 apps started from the taskbar on the 2nd screen will pop up (and die) on the 1st screen
2 one screen projection mode to the 2nd screen: apps die like they are on the small screen
3 only one main screen to the 2nd and large screen: apps die..

But I must say, that old notebook is remarkably stable and fast!
 
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I've not tried it with Win 10 (Andrea says it's not needed) but on my old Acer Aspire One netbook, I twaeked the registry to be able to change the resolution so that Metro apps would run OK. It might work for you: Link Removed
 
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Thanks, I know that tweak, very useful.

However my suggestion to the MS feedback was to starting the app on the screen where it has been initiated.

(and I wondered whether Andrea's notebook has a larger screen than my good old Acer One)
 
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