virtual drive

NTDEV
1

I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.

Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.

Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used
as a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for
FS filter drivers)?

Thanks in advance.

–
Roman Kudinov

mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru

2

Full storage port driver - or disk class driver - over a file.

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

----- Original Message -----
From: “Roman”
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 2:42 PM
Subject: [ntdev] virtual drive

> I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
> from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
> will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.
>
> Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
> use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.
>
> Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used
> as a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for
> FS filter drivers)?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> –
> Roman Kudinov
>
>
> mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@storagecraft.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

3

Check out the file disk sample at
http://www.acc.umu.se/~bosse/ (not mine)

Regards,

Daniel

“Roman” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
> I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
> from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
> will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.
>
> Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
> use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.
>
> Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used
> as a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for
> FS filter drivers)?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> –
> Roman Kudinov
>
>
> mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru
>
>

4

The only cross-platform storage driver (9x and NT) is a miniport, and
even that’s a little dodgey - win9x sends some odd things that NT
doesn’t.

For Win2k and beyond I’d think about building a disk class driver. I
*think* the ramdisk sample is in the DDK and that’s probably your best
starting point.

-p

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Roman
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 3:43 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] virtual drive

I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.

Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.

Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used as
a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for FS
filter drivers)?

Thanks in advance.

–
Roman Kudinov

mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

5

Filedisk was stolen from me and Bosse put his name on my code and GPL’d it.
Do not support this sort of thievery by promoting his distribution.

Jamey

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Daniel Terhell
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 7:55 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: Re:[ntdev] virtual drive

Check out the file disk sample at
http://www.acc.umu.se/~bosse/ (not mine)

Regards,

Daniel

“Roman” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
> I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
> from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
> will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.
>
> Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
> use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.
>
> Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used
> as a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for
> FS filter drivers)?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> –
> Roman Kudinov
>
>
> mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru
>
>

—
Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

6

Yes, a class driver will work if you are not concerned about it breaking
between service packs and updates of the OS. Otherwise, a SCSI type driver
is the way to go.

Jamey

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Peter Wieland
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 8:22 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

The only cross-platform storage driver (9x and NT) is a miniport, and
even that’s a little dodgey - win9x sends some odd things that NT
doesn’t.

For Win2k and beyond I’d think about building a disk class driver. I
*think* the ramdisk sample is in the DDK and that’s probably your best
starting point.

-p

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Roman
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 3:43 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] virtual drive

I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.

Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.

Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used as
a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for FS
filter drivers)?

Thanks in advance.

–
Roman Kudinov

mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

7

Why would it break between service packs?

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Jamey Kirby
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 9:03 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

Yes, a class driver will work if you are not concerned about it breaking
between service packs and updates of the OS. Otherwise, a SCSI type
driver is the way to go.

Jamey

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Peter Wieland
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 8:22 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

The only cross-platform storage driver (9x and NT) is a miniport, and
even that’s a little dodgey - win9x sends some odd things that NT
doesn’t.

For Win2k and beyond I’d think about building a disk class driver. I
*think* the ramdisk sample is in the DDK and that’s probably your best
starting point.

-p

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Roman
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 3:43 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] virtual drive

I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.

Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.

Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used as
a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for FS
filter drivers)?

Thanks in advance.

–
Roman Kudinov

mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

8

Because of an improbable IOCTL change. We have such a driver since NT4 and major changes (new geometry IOCTLs support) had to be done only after XP release. There were also issues with visibility in exploder but it was be solved in user mode. The last changes I had to do were related to USB flash drives support (automatic dismount after unplug and the same caching policy as parent volume). Generally, I’m pretty satisfied with this solution and we have one binary for all OSes since NT4 to w2k3. Note for virtual hardware there is no need for real PnP support and NT4 DDK ramdisk is better place to start. It may depend on user needs; we have user mode part which allows to mount/dismount drives and there is no need for persistent or automatic mount by OS.

As for w9x, similar solution can be used. We use VSD VxD but I can’t recomment this way. There is a lot of undocumented stuff and many problems with reentrancy and possible deadlocks had to be solved. Definitively difficult way because of crappy OS parody. For OP: w9x are hopefully dead now so avoid them if you can. Even if miniport driver is used, w9x support will take more time than it deserves. IMO it doesn’t deserve any time. There is no usable VSD example in the DDK but you can search google for scramdisk which is virtual encryption driver with sources. Sources are written horrible way and there is a lot of problems (well, I saw it many years before, maybe it was improved) but you can see general idea there.

Best regards,

Michal Vodicka
UPEK, Inc.
[xxxxx@upek.com, http:://www.upek.com]

From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com[SMTP:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] on behalf of Peter Wieland[SMTP:xxxxx@windows.microsoft.com]
Reply To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 6:11 PM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

Why would it break between service packs?

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Jamey Kirby
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 9:03 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

Yes, a class driver will work if you are not concerned about it breaking
between service packs and updates of the OS. Otherwise, a SCSI type
driver is the way to go.

Jamey

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Peter Wieland
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 8:22 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

The only cross-platform storage driver (9x and NT) is a miniport, and
even that’s a little dodgey - win9x sends some odd things that NT
doesn’t.

For Win2k and beyond I’d think about building a disk class driver. I
*think* the ramdisk sample is in the DDK and that’s probably your best
starting point.

-p

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Roman
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 3:43 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] virtual drive

I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.

Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.

Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used as
a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for FS
filter drivers)?

Thanks in advance.

–
Roman Kudinov

mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at>
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

9

MS is notorious for changing class interfaces. In my class diriver, it
worked on NT 4 and did not work on 2K. I patched it for 2K and it did
not work on XP…

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Peter Wieland
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 9:11 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

Why would it break between service packs?

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Jamey Kirby
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 9:03 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

Yes, a class driver will work if you are not concerned about it breaking
between service packs and updates of the OS. Otherwise, a SCSI type
driver is the way to go.

Jamey

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Peter Wieland
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 8:22 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] virtual drive

The only cross-platform storage driver (9x and NT) is a miniport, and
even that’s a little dodgey - win9x sends some odd things that NT
doesn’t.

For Win2k and beyond I’d think about building a disk class driver. I
*think* the ramdisk sample is in the DDK and that’s probably your best
starting point.

-p

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Roman
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 3:43 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] virtual drive

I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.

Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.

Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used as
a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for FS
filter drivers)?

Thanks in advance.

–
Roman Kudinov

mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

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

10

Thanks for telling me, I didn’t know.

/Daniel

“Jamey Kirby” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
> Filedisk was stolen from me and Bosse put his name on my code and GPL’d
it.
> Do not support this sort of thievery by promoting his distribution.
>
> Jamey
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
> [mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of Daniel Terhell
> Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 7:55 AM
> To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
> Subject: Re:[ntdev] virtual drive
>
> Check out the file disk sample at
> http://www.acc.umu.se/~bosse/ (not mine)
>
> Regards,
>
> Daniel
>
> “Roman” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
> > I need a virtual drive to be visible from any file browser (not only
> > from MS Explorer) like a separate voluem. Actual sector-by-sector data
> > will be stored in an image file on a hard drive.
> >
> > Could you advise what type of a driver I need to develop? I’d like to
> > use the WDM architecture because I need this for Win9x and Win2k+ OSes.
> >
> > Are there any code examples on Internet or in DDK which could be used
> > as a good starting point (something similar to filyspy or sfilter for
> > FS filter drivers)?
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > –
> > Roman Kudinov
> >
> >
> > mailto:xxxxx@rbcmail.ru
> >
> >
>
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
> http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@storagecraft.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com
>
>

11

>

“Jamey Kirby” wrote in message news:xxxxx@ntdev…
>
>>Filedisk was stolen from me and Bosse put his name on my code and GPL’d
>
> it.
>
>>Do not support this sort of thievery by promoting his distribution.
>>
>>Jamey
>>

Members of the community shouldn’t stand for theivery. Did you do
anything about this?

We had a “stolen” software incident, but more minor. Somebody who
licensed an eval version of one of our kits disabled the eval checks and
vilolated the license by using it as the basis for a commercial product.
We chased this piece of shit to the ends of the earth (or at least to
Peru, which, when viewed from the United States, is very close) and
spent a “considerable sum of money” making his life unpleasant. This
included shutting down his internet presence (more than once) in the
United States, and securing a default judgement against him by the
Peruvian courts.

In the end, it cost us more to chase this llama’s ass than we would have
grossed from the sale of the kit. But, on the other hand, you must
aggressively defend your intellectual property or be content to lose it.

Maybe we need a “wall of shame”…

And, please: Nobody start discussing WinMX or napster or equating this
with the music business.

Peter
OSR