How to install filter manager?

I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the help,
searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install the
filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for
.inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
installer.

The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an application
that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager IFS
Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter Manager
components on a machine for development until the version of the OS which
contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.

The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows Server
2003 SP1 Kit, is it?

Mark:

Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got from
the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that directory
has an example of an INF file.

Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The only
reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows install
packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
production use.

So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
required a small program to do it):

  1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is why
    you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER service
    using sc.

  2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically, this
    consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your driver:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
\Instances
DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
\Drivername Instance
Altitude =
Flags = 0

You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver. Try
email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.

It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really easy
to install/start/stop/uninstall.

HTH,
Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the help,
searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install the

filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for
.inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
installer.

The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an application
that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager IFS

Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter Manager
components on a machine for development until the version of the OS which
contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.

The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows Server
2003 SP1 Kit, is it?


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

A clarification: the Filter Manager IFS kit and the Windows 2003 IFS kit
are separate. However, the Filter Manager IFS kit contains everything in
the Windows 2003 IFS kit plus the minifilter stuff.

So if you have the Filter Manager IFS kit, that’s all you need.

Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ken Cross
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 4:10 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Mark:

Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got from
the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that directory
has an example of an INF file.

Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The only
reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows install
packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
production use.

So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
required a small program to do it):

  1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is why
    you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER service
    using sc.

  2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically, this
    consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your driver:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
\Instances
DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
\Drivername Instance
Altitude =
Flags = 0

You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver. Try
email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.

It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really easy
to install/start/stop/uninstall.

HTH,
Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the help,
searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install the

filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for
.inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
installer.

The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an application
that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager IFS

Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter Manager
components on a machine for development until the version of the OS which
contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.

The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows Server
2003 SP1 Kit, is it?


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

I’m still confused. How does the actual “Filter Manager” get loaded. I
know how to load my mini-filter.

“Ken Cross” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntfsd…
>A clarification: the Filter Manager IFS kit and the Windows 2003 IFS kit
> are separate. However, the Filter Manager IFS kit contains everything in
> the Windows 2003 IFS kit plus the minifilter stuff.
>
> So if you have the Filter Manager IFS kit, that’s all you need.
>
> Ken
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ken Cross
> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 4:10 PM
> To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
> Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?
>
> Mark:
>
> Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got from
> the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
> 3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that
> directory
> has an example of an INF file.
>
> Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The only
> reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
> they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows install
> packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
> production use.
>
> So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
> required a small program to do it):
>
> 1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is why
> you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER
> service
> using sc.
>
> 2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically, this
> consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your driver:
>
> HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
> \Instances
> DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
> \Drivername Instance
> Altitude =
> Flags = 0
>
>
> You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver.
> Try
> email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.
>
> It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really
> easy
> to install/start/stop/uninstall.
>
> HTH,
> Ken
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
> To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
> Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?
>
> I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
> Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the help,
> searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install
> the
>
> filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for
> .inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
> installer.
>
> The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
> FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an
> application
> that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager
> IFS
>
> Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter Manager
> components on a machine for development until the version of the OS which
> contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.
>
> The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows Server
> 2003 SP1 Kit, is it?
>
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
> https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
> https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>
>

The Filter Manager (fltmgr) should already be loaded if you’re running XP
with SP2, or Win2K with the (beta) security rollup, or Windows 2003 with
(beta) SP1.

Try “sc query fltmgr” for its status. If it’s not there, your system’s
broke.

Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 5:10 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: Re:[ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

I’m still confused. How does the actual “Filter Manager” get loaded. I
know how to load my mini-filter.

“Ken Cross” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntfsd…
>A clarification: the Filter Manager IFS kit and the Windows 2003 IFS kit
> are separate. However, the Filter Manager IFS kit contains everything in
> the Windows 2003 IFS kit plus the minifilter stuff.
>
> So if you have the Filter Manager IFS kit, that’s all you need.
>
> Ken
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ken Cross
> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 4:10 PM
> To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
> Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?
>
> Mark:
>
> Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got from
> the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
> 3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that
> directory
> has an example of an INF file.
>
> Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The only
> reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
> they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows install
> packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
> production use.
>
> So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
> required a small program to do it):
>
> 1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is why
> you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER
> service
> using sc.
>
> 2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically, this
> consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your driver:
>
> HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
> \Instances
> DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
> \Drivername Instance
> Altitude =
> Flags = 0
>
>
> You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver.
> Try
> email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.
>
> It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really
> easy
> to install/start/stop/uninstall.
>
> HTH,
> Ken
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
> To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
> Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?
>
> I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
> Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the help,
> searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install
> the
>
> filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for
> .inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
> installer.
>
> The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
> FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an
> application
> that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager
> IFS
>
> Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter Manager
> components on a machine for development until the version of the OS which
> contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.
>
> The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows Server
> 2003 SP1 Kit, is it?
>
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
> https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
> https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>
>


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

Thanks mucho. I owe you another beer.

“Ken Cross” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntfsd…
> The Filter Manager (fltmgr) should already be loaded if you’re running XP
> with SP2, or Win2K with the (beta) security rollup, or Windows 2003 with
> (beta) SP1.
>
> Try “sc query fltmgr” for its status. If it’s not there, your system’s
> broke.
>
> Ken
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 5:10 PM
> To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
> Subject: Re:[ntfsd] How to install filter manager?
>
> I’m still confused. How does the actual “Filter Manager” get loaded. I
> know how to load my mini-filter.
>
> “Ken Cross” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntfsd…
>>A clarification: the Filter Manager IFS kit and the Windows 2003 IFS kit
>> are separate. However, the Filter Manager IFS kit contains everything in
>> the Windows 2003 IFS kit plus the minifilter stuff.
>>
>> So if you have the Filter Manager IFS kit, that’s all you need.
>>
>> Ken
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ken Cross
>> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 4:10 PM
>> To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
>> Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?
>>
>> Mark:
>>
>> Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got from
>> the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
>> 3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that
>> directory
>> has an example of an INF file.
>>
>> Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The
>> only
>> reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
>> they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows
>> install
>> packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
>> production use.
>>
>> So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
>> required a small program to do it):
>>
>> 1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is why
>> you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER
>> service
>> using sc.
>>
>> 2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically,
>> this
>> consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your driver:
>>
>> HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
>> \Instances
>> DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
>> \Drivername Instance
>> Altitude =
>> Flags = 0
>>
>>
>> You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver.
>> Try
>> email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.
>>
>> It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really
>> easy
>> to install/start/stop/uninstall.
>>
>> HTH,
>> Ken
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
>> Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
>> To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
>> Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?
>>
>> I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
>> Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the
>> help,
>> searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install
>> the
>>
>> filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for
>> .inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
>> installer.
>>
>> The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
>> FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an
>> application
>> that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager
>> IFS
>>
>> Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter Manager
>> components on a machine for development until the version of the OS which
>> contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.
>>
>> The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows Server
>> 2003 SP1 Kit, is it?
>>
>>
>>
>> —
>> Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
>> https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17
>>
>> You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>>
>>
>> —
>> Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
>> https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17
>>
>> You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
>> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>>
>>
>
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
> https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>
>

Ken,

The other reason to use .INF files is because at some point in the
future they will be mandatory and the only way to install a driver. It
is best to prepare now.

Neal Christiansen
Microsoft File System Filter Group Lead
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no
rights

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ken Cross
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 1:10 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Mark:

Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got
from
the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that
directory
has an example of an INF file.

Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The
only
reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows
install
packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
production use.

So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
required a small program to do it):

  1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is
    why
    you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER
    service
    using sc.

  2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically,
    this
    consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your
    driver:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
\Instances
DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
\Drivername Instance
Altitude =
Flags = 0

You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver.
Try
email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.

It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really
easy
to install/start/stop/uninstall.

HTH,
Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the
help,
searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install
the

filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for

.inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
installer.

The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an
application
that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager
IFS

Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter
Manager
components on a machine for development until the version of the OS
which
contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.

The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows
Server
2003 SP1 Kit, is it?


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

Neal:

Yes, you’ve mentioned before that an INF will be mandatory, but the
reasoning is fuzzy.

WHQL qualification isn’t available for filter drivers (yet), so that’s not
the reason.

The installation procedures detect whether the driver package itself is
signed and issues dire warnings if it’s not, so that’s not the reason.

The current installation mechanism for INFs (DIFx) is pretty ugly, extremely
fragile, and not very robust (the total information you’re given when
anything doesn’t work is “installation failed” – that’s it). I spent
*weeks* trying to “do it right”, and finally gave up after about the 10th
time I thought I had it done and yet another “installation failed” on some
configuration or other. (I must admit, though, that I haven’t checked for
updates to DIFx in a while.)

Regardless, if/when it becomes mandatory I will, of course, comply. But I’m
just wondering: Why?

Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Neal Christiansen
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 4:59 AM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Ken,

The other reason to use .INF files is because at some point in the
future they will be mandatory and the only way to install a driver. It
is best to prepare now.

Neal Christiansen
Microsoft File System Filter Group Lead
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no
rights

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ken Cross
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 1:10 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Mark:

Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got
from
the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that
directory
has an example of an INF file.

Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The
only
reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows
install
packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
production use.

So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
required a small program to do it):

  1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is
    why
    you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER
    service
    using sc.

  2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically,
    this
    consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your
    driver:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
\Instances
DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
\Drivername Instance
Altitude =
Flags = 0

You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver.
Try
email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.

It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really
easy
to install/start/stop/uninstall.

HTH,
Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the
help,
searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install
the

filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for

.inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
installer.

The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an
application
that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager
IFS

Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter
Manager
components on a machine for development until the version of the OS
which
contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.

The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows
Server
2003 SP1 Kit, is it?


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: unknown lmsubst tag argument: ‘’
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

Perhaps off topic and/or you already know this – but debugging an INF based
install is pretty straight forward (Though, I agree, imbedding one in an MSI
based installer is ugly). All debug output is written to
\SystemRoot\setupapi.log. The amount of detail is controlled by the registry
key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\LogLevel

Check out: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/install/setupapilog.mspx

/ted

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Cross [mailto:xxxxx@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 7:46 AM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Neal:

Yes, you’ve mentioned before that an INF will be mandatory, but the
reasoning is fuzzy.

WHQL qualification isn’t available for filter drivers (yet), so that’s not
the reason.

The installation procedures detect whether the driver package itself is
signed and issues dire warnings if it’s not, so that’s not the reason.

The current installation mechanism for INFs (DIFx) is pretty ugly, extremely
fragile, and not very robust (the total information you’re given when
anything doesn’t work is “installation failed” – that’s it). I spent
*weeks* trying to “do it right”, and finally gave up after about the 10th
time I thought I had it done and yet another “installation failed” on some
configuration or other. (I must admit, though, that I haven’t checked for
updates to DIFx in a while.)

Regardless, if/when it becomes mandatory I will, of course, comply. But I’m
just wondering: Why?

Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Neal Christiansen
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 4:59 AM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Ken,

The other reason to use .INF files is because at some point in the future
they will be mandatory and the only way to install a driver. It is best to
prepare now.

Neal Christiansen
Microsoft File System Filter Group Lead
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ken Cross
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 1:10 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Mark:

Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got from
the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that directory
has an example of an INF file.

Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The only
reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows install
packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
production use.

So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
required a small program to do it):

  1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is why
    you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER service
    using sc.

  2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically, this
    consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your
    driver:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
\Instances
DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
\Drivername Instance
Altitude =
Flags = 0

You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver. Try
email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.

It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really easy
to install/start/stop/uninstall.

HTH,
Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the
help,
searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install the

filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for

.inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
installer.

The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an application
that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager IFS

Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter Manager
components on a machine for development until the version of the OS which
contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.

The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows Server
2003 SP1 Kit, is it?


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net To unsubscribe
send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com To
unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: unknown lmsubst tag argument: ‘’
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@livevault.com To unsubscribe
send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

Believe me, I’ve done all that and more.

The fundamental problem is DIFx, which is required to install in an MSI.
It’s debug output is non-existent, just “installation failed”, with an error
code that is meaningless. As I said, maybe it’s improved since last fall –
I haven’t checked.

Plus, I use InstallShield, which adds another layer of complexity, although
that’s not MS’s problem.

Thanks anyhow.
Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ted Hess
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 10:17 AM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Perhaps off topic and/or you already know this – but debugging an INF based
install is pretty straight forward (Though, I agree, imbedding one in an MSI
based installer is ugly). All debug output is written to
\SystemRoot\setupapi.log. The amount of detail is controlled by the registry
key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\LogLevel

Check out: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/install/setupapilog.mspx

/ted

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Cross [mailto:xxxxx@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 7:46 AM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Neal:

Yes, you’ve mentioned before that an INF will be mandatory, but the
reasoning is fuzzy.

WHQL qualification isn’t available for filter drivers (yet), so that’s not
the reason.

The installation procedures detect whether the driver package itself is
signed and issues dire warnings if it’s not, so that’s not the reason.

The current installation mechanism for INFs (DIFx) is pretty ugly, extremely
fragile, and not very robust (the total information you’re given when
anything doesn’t work is “installation failed” – that’s it). I spent
*weeks* trying to “do it right”, and finally gave up after about the 10th
time I thought I had it done and yet another “installation failed” on some
configuration or other. (I must admit, though, that I haven’t checked for
updates to DIFx in a while.)

Regardless, if/when it becomes mandatory I will, of course, comply. But I’m
just wondering: Why?

Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Neal Christiansen
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 4:59 AM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Ken,

The other reason to use .INF files is because at some point in the future
they will be mandatory and the only way to install a driver. It is best to
prepare now.

Neal Christiansen
Microsoft File System Filter Group Lead
This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Ken Cross
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 1:10 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

Mark:

Yes, they are separate. If you copied them from the IFS kit you got from
the Filter Manager Beta site, you should have a
3790.1414\src\filesys\minifilter directory. The “minispy” in that directory
has an example of an INF file.

Having said that, I have totally abandoned INFs for minifilters. The only
reason I got from MS to require them is so “the system can verify that
they’re signed properly”. However, using INFs in standard Windows install
packages is a HUGE pain. The DIFx stuff just seems too fragile for
production use.

So how do you install it? Well, I perform 2 simple steps (although it
required a small program to do it):

  1. Create the service for the driver using CreateService(). This is why
    you need a program – you can’t create a SERVICE_FILE_SYSTEM_DRIVER service
    using sc.

  2. Create the registry entries required for minifilters. Basically, this
    consists of a couple entries under the main registry key for your
    driver:

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Drivername
\Instances
DefaultInstance = “Drivername Instance”
\Drivername Instance
Altitude =
Flags = 0

You need to request Microsoft to allocate an altitude for your driver. Try
email to xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com to request this.

It’s a nuisance to do it the first time but once you do, it is really easy
to install/start/stop/uninstall.

HTH,
Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Mark Hahn
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 3:46 PM
To: Windows File Systems Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntfsd] How to install filter manager?

I’ve developed a mini-filter and now I’m ready to test it. I have the
Windows Server 2003 SP1 IFS Development Kit. I’ve gone through the
help,
searched osr-online, and googled, but I cannot figure out how to install the

filter manager in my test PC. I searched my entire 3790.1414 folder for

.inf files and .exe files for anything resembling a filter manager
installer.

The closest I’ve come to any mention of this is this quote from the
FilterDriverDeveloperGuide.doc: “Everything needed to build an application
that uses the minifilter architecture can be found in the Filter Manager IFS

Kit. This includes: … An install package to install the Filter Manager
components on a machine for development until the version of the OS which
contains the Filter Manager is released by Microsoft”.

The “Filter Manager IFS Kit” isn’t a separate kit from the Windows Server
2003 SP1 Kit, is it?


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net To unsubscribe
send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com To
unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: unknown lmsubst tag argument: ‘’
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@livevault.com To unsubscribe
send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com


Questions? First check the IFS FAQ at
https://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=17

You are currently subscribed to ntfsd as: xxxxx@comcast.net
To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

> Regardless, if/when it becomes mandatory I will, of course, comply.

I agree.

I would better write a screenful of C code which will register my FS filter in
the registry and be called from InstallShield custom action, then to ever study
DIFx framework (absolutely unnecessary knowledge for me for now).

Same is true on PnP class coinstallers.

Maxim Shatskih, Windows DDK MVP
StorageCraft Corporation
xxxxx@storagecraft.com
http://www.storagecraft.com