Windows File Protection (WFP) is a technology included in all Microsoft Windows operating systems beginning with Windows 2000 to prevent programs from replacing critical Windows system files. Protecting core system files files prevents problems such as DLL hell with programs and the operating system. Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 include it under the name of Windows File Protection, Windows Me includes it as System File Protection, whereas Windows Vista includes Windows Resource Protection which expands the technology to protect core registry keys and values and prevent potentially damaging system configuration changes. Microsoft Windows is the name of several families of proprietary software operating systems by Microsoft. ... An operating system (OS) is a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer. ... Windows 2000 (also referred to as Win2K) is a preemptible, interruptible, graphical and business-oriented operating system that was designed to work with either uniprocessor or symmetric multi-processor 32-bit Intel x86 computers. ... DLL hell is a colorful term given to any problem based on a difficulty in managing Dynamically Linked Libraries (DLLs) installed on a particular copy of an operating system. ... Windows XP is a line of proprietary operating systems developed by Microsoft for use on general-purpose computer systems, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, and media centers. ... Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft. ... Windows Millennium Edition, or Windows Me (IPA pronunciation: [miː], [ɛm iː]), is a hybrid 16-bit/32-bit graphical operating system released on September 14, 2000 by Microsoft. ... Windows Vista is a line of graphical operating systems used on personal computers, including home and business desktops, notebook computers, Tablet PCs, and media centers. ... The Registry Editor in Windows Vista By- Laxmikant Sharma, Retina-X, Jaipur, India. ...

When Windows File Protection is active, replacing or deleting a system file that has no file lock to prevent it from being overwritten, causes Windows to immediately and silently restore the original copy of the file. The original version of the file is restored from a cached folder which contains backup copies of these files. For the Windows NT family, the cached folder is located at %WinDir%System32Dllcache. Windows Me stores the cache at a different location. In computing, a file lock can be a mutex lock or a shared lock on a file. ...

Windows File Protection protects critical system files that are installed as part of Windows (for example, files with a .dll, .exe, .ocx, and .sys extension and some TrueType fonts). Windows File Protection uses the file signatures and catalog files that are generated by code signing to verify if protected system files are the correct versions. Replacement of protected system files is supported only through the following mechanisms: In computer science, a library is a collection of subprograms used to develop software. ... EXE is the common filename extension for denoting an executable file (a program) in the MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows, and OS/2 operating systems. ... TrueType is an outline font standard originally developed by Apple Computer in the late 1980s as a competitor to Adobes Type 1 fonts used in PostScript. ... Digitally signing executables proves the identity of the software vendor and guarantees that the code has not been altered or corrupted since it was created and signed External Links Code signing systems ...

• Windows Service Pack installation using Update.exe
• Hotfixes installed using Hotfix.exe or Update.exe
• Operating system upgrades using Winnt32.exe
• Windows Update

If a program uses a different method to replace protected files, Windows File Protection restores the original files. The Windows Installer adheres to Windows File Protection when installing critical system files and calls Windows File Protection with a request to install or replace the protected file instead of trying to install or replace a protected file itself. If Windows File Protection cannot automatically find the file in the cached folder, it searches the network path or prompts the user for the Windows installation disc to restore the appropriate version of the file. A Service Pack (more commonly, SP) is a software program that corrects known bugs, problems, or adds new features. ... A hotfix is a single, cumulative package that includes one or more files that are used to address a problem in a software product. ... Windows Update version 5 through Netscape Browser 8. ... Windows Installer setup for Nero - Burning ROM The Windows Installer (previously known as Microsoft Installer, codename Darwin) is an engine for the installation, maintenance, and removal of software on modern Microsoft Windows systems. ...

External links

• Overview of Windows File Protection
• Registry settings for Windows File Protection
• Whitepaper on Windows File Protection
• Overview of System File Protection (Windows Me)
• Windows Resource Protection in Windows Vista