Category list

Hands-On Experiments

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Hands-On Experiments

Even without access to the source code, much can be gleaned about Windows internals from available tools such as the kernel debugger. When a tool can be used to expose or demonstrate some aspect of Windows internal behavior, the steps for trying the tool yourself are listed in "Experiment" boxes. These appear throughout the book, and we encourage you to try these as you're reading—seeing visible proof of how Windows works internally will make much more of an impression on you than just reading about it will.

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Topics Not Covered

Windows is a large and complex operating system. This book doesn't cover everything relevant to Windows internals but instead focuses on the base system components . For example, this book doesn't describe COM+, the Windows distributed object-oriented programming infrastructure, or the .NET Framework, the foundation of the next generation of managed code applications.

Because this is an internals book and not a user , programming, or system administration book, it doesn't describe how to use, program, or configure Windows.

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A Warning and Caveat

Because this book describes undocumented behavior of the internal architecture and operation of the Windows operating system (such as internal kernel structures and functions), this content is subject to change between releases. (External interfaces, such as the Windows API, are not subject to incompatible changes.)

By "subject to change," we don't necessarily mean that details described in this book will change between releases, but you can't count on them not changing. Any software that uses these undocumented interfaces might not work on future releases of Windows. Even worse , software that runs in kernel mode (such as device drivers) and uses these undocumented interfaces might experience a system crash when running on a newer release of Windows.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this book. Should you run into any problems or issues, please refer to the sources listed below.

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Support

From the Authors

This book isn't perfect. No doubt it contains some inaccuracies, or possibly, we've omitted some topics we should have covered. If you find anything you think is incorrect, or if you believe we should have included material that isn't here, please feel free to send e-mail to windowsinternals@sysinternals.com. Updates and corrections will be posted on the page http://www.sysinternals.com/windowsinternals.

From Microsoft Press

Microsoft also provides corrections for books through the World Wide Web at the following address:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/support

To connect directly with the Microsoft Learning Knowledge Base and enter a query regarding an issue you might have encountered , go to http://www.microsoft.com/learning/support/search.asp.

In addition to sending feedback directly to the authors, if you have comments, questions, or ideas regarding the presentation or use of this book, you can send them to Microsoft using either of the following methods :

Postal Mail:

Microsoft Press

Attn: Windows Internals Editor

One Microsoft Way

Redmond, WA 98052-6399

E-mail:

mspinput@microsoft.com

Please note that product support isn't offered through the above mail addresses. For support information regarding Microsoft Windows, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windows. You can also call Standard Support at (425) 635-7011 weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Pacific time, or you can search Microsoft's Support Online at http://support.microsoft.com/support.

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Buy on amazon.com >>

Russinovich M., Solomon D.

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