Job offer: Linux tool to create a valid Windows Registry hive file

[Martin v. Wittich]

Hi,

we are a software development company that develops and maintains a
Linux-based server solution called IServ, designed for use in schools.
We are in business since 2003, and there are currently about 370 schools
in Germany using IServ as their portal server.

One feature that we would like to integrate into our product is the
possibility to customize the ntconfig.pol file. This file, located on
the server's netlogon share, can deploy registry settings to Windows
clients - it is especially important because it can deploy
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE settings. This file is a binary registry hive. At the
moment, we have to create this file manually with poledit.exe.

We need a Linux program which can automatically generate this file.
1) It should read plain text files as input, for example an INF file.
2) The resulting policy file must work with Windows 2000 and XP x86
clients. It should be possible to easily test this by using the command
"Load Hive" in Regedit.
3) The preferred programming language is Perl, C/C++ is also OK. Other
languages should also be possible, but only after prior consultation
(just to make sure nobody comes up with Java ;) ).
4) The resulting source code should be released as open source, e.g.
under the GPL.

We would like the program being finished in one month. We will pay you
EUR 300 for it. If the program is very much work and you feel you need
more money, submit us an offer.

A Perl library to dump binary registry files to plain text:
http://search.cpan.org/~jmacfarla/Parse-Win32Registry-0.30/

Attachments:
ntconfig.pol - Our current policy. This must be generated automatically.
ntconfig.pol.dump - Plain text dump of that file, generated with
Parse::Win32Registry.
winnt.adm - Template to edit our policy file with poledit.exe.

Our homepage: http://iserv.eu (only in German, though)

-- 
Yours sincerely,

Martin v. Wittich

IServ
Falk & Ludwig GbR
Rebenring 33
38106 Braunschweig
Germany

Telephone: [phone]
E-Mail: martin.von.wittich(a)iserv.eu
Internet: http://www.iserv.eu

[Matthew Therault]

WTF IS THIS?

2008/11/19 Martin v. Wittich <martin.von.wittich(a)iserv.eu>

>   Hi,
>
>  we are a software development company that develops and maintains a
>  Linux-based server solution called IServ, designed for use in schools.
>  We are in business since 2003, and there are currently about 370 schools
>  in Germany using IServ as their portal server.
>
>  One feature that we would like to integrate into our product is the
>  possibility to customize the ntconfig.pol file. This file, located on
>  the server's netlogon share, can deploy registry settings to Windows
>  clients - it is especially important because it can deploy
>  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE settings. This file is a binary registry hive. At the
>  moment, we have to create this file manually with poledit.exe.
>
>  We need a Linux program which can automatically generate this file.
>  1) It should read plain text files as input, for example an INF file.
>  2) The resulting policy file must work with Windows 2000 and XP x86
>  clients. It should be possible to easily test this by using the command
>  "Load Hive" in Regedit.
>  3) The preferred programming language is Perl, C/C++ is also OK. Other
>  languages should also be possible, but only after prior consultation
>  (just to make sure nobody comes up with Java ;) ).
>  4) The resulting source code should be released as open source, e.g.
>  under the GPL.
>
>  We would like the program being finished in one month. We will pay you
>  EUR 300 for it. If the program is very much work and you feel you need
>  more money, submit us an offer.
>
>  A Perl library to dump binary registry files to plain text:
>
> http://search.cpan.org/~jmacfarla/Parse-Win32Registry-0.30/<http://searc…
>
>  Attachments:
>  ntconfig.pol - Our current policy. This must be generated automatically.
>  ntconfig.pol.dump - Plain text dump of that file, generated with
>  Parse::Win32Registry.
>  winnt.adm - Template to edit our policy file with poledit.exe.
>
>  Our homepage: http://iserv.eu (only in German, though)
>
>  --
>  Yours sincerely,
>
>  Martin v. Wittich
>
>  IServ
>  Falk & Ludwig GbR
>  Rebenring 33
>  38106 Braunschweig
>  Germany
>
>  Telephone: [phone]
>  E-Mail: martin.von.wittich(a)iserv.eu
>  Internet: http://www.iserv.eu
>
>  _______________________________________________
>  Ros-dev mailing list
>  Ros-dev(a)reactos.org
>  http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev
>  


-- 
Two men walk into a bar....... Third one ducks....

Think about it, it will come to you.  :P

[Aleksey Bragin]

Would you be more polite in a public reactos development oriented  
mailing list? And try to think at least some seconds before hitting  
"Send" button.

On Nov 19, 2008, at 8:51 PM, Matthew Therault wrote:

>   WTF IS THIS?
>

[Maya Posch]

I'd be willing to consider this as a project, preferably as part of my 
own software company (easier for taxes and such...). I'll leave it to 
the other devs to see what they want to do with it, though.

At any rate it seems like a legitimate offer to me.


Maya


Martin v. Wittich wrote:
>   Hi,
>  
>  we are a software development company that develops and maintains a
>  Linux-based server solution called IServ, designed for use in schools.
>  We are in business since 2003, and there are currently about 370 schools
>  in Germany using IServ as their portal server.
>  
>  One feature that we would like to integrate into our product is the
>  possibility to customize the ntconfig.pol file. This file, located on
>  the server's netlogon share, can deploy registry settings to Windows
>  clients - it is especially important because it can deploy
>  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE settings. This file is a binary registry hive. At the
>  moment, we have to create this file manually with poledit.exe.
>  
>  We need a Linux program which can automatically generate this file.
>  1) It should read plain text files as input, for example an INF file.
>  2) The resulting policy file must work with Windows 2000 and XP x86
>  clients. It should be possible to easily test this by using the command
>  "Load Hive" in Regedit.
>  3) The preferred programming language is Perl, C/C++ is also OK. Other
>  languages should also be possible, but only after prior consultation
>  (just to make sure nobody comes up with Java ;) ).
>  4) The resulting source code should be released as open source, e.g.
>  under the GPL.
>  
>  We would like the program being finished in one month. We will pay you
>  EUR 300 for it. If the program is very much work and you feel you need
>  more money, submit us an offer.
>  
>  A Perl library to dump binary registry files to plain text:
>  http://search.cpan.org/~jmacfarla/Parse-Win32Registry-0.30/
>  
>  Attachments:
>  ntconfig.pol - Our current policy. This must be generated automatically.
>  ntconfig.pol.dump - Plain text dump of that file, generated with
>  Parse::Win32Registry.
>  winnt.adm - Template to edit our policy file with poledit.exe.
>  
>  Our homepage: http://iserv.eu (only in German, though)
>  
>  
>  
>  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  
>  _______________________________________________
>  Ros-dev mailing list
>  Ros-dev(a)reactos.org
>  http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev

[Alex Ionescu]

So basically they just want mkhive...

It's free money guys.

On 19-Nov-08, at 1:44 PM, Maya Posch wrote:

>   I'd be willing to consider this as a project,
> preferably as part of my
>  own software company (easier for taxes and such...). I'll leave it to
>  the other devs to see what they want to do with it, though.
>
>  At any rate it seems like a legitimate offer to me.
>
>
>  Maya
>
>
>  Martin v. Wittich wrote:
> >   Hi,
> >
> >  we are a software development company that develops and maintains a
> >  Linux-based server solution called IServ, designed for use in  
> >  schools.
> >  We are in business since 2003, and there are currently about 370  
> >  schools
> >  in Germany using IServ as their portal server.
> >
> >  One feature that we would like to integrate into our product is the
> >  possibility to customize the ntconfig.pol file. This file, located on
> >  the server's netlogon share, can deploy registry settings to Windows
> >  clients - it is especially important because it can deploy
> >  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE settings. This file is a binary registry hive.  
> >  At the
> >  moment, we have to create this file manually with poledit.exe.
> >
> >  We need a Linux program which can automatically generate this file.
> >  1) It should read plain text files as input, for example an INF file.
> >  2) The resulting policy file must work with Windows 2000 and XP x86
> >  clients. It should be possible to easily test this by using the  
> >  command
> >  "Load Hive" in Regedit.
> >  3) The preferred programming language is Perl, C/C++ is also OK.  
> >  Other
> >  languages should also be possible, but only after prior consultation
> >  (just to make sure nobody comes up with Java ;) ).
> >  4) The resulting source code should be released as open source, e.g.
> >  under the GPL.
> >
> >  We would like the program being finished in one month. We will pay  
> >  you
> >  EUR 300 for it. If the program is very much work and you feel you  
> >  need
> >  more money, submit us an offer.
> >
> >  A Perl library to dump binary registry files to plain text:
> >  http://search.cpan.org/~jmacfarla/Parse-Win32Registry-0.30/
> >
> >  Attachments:
> >  ntconfig.pol - Our current policy. This must be generated  
> >  automatically.
> >  ntconfig.pol.dump - Plain text dump of that file, generated with
> >  Parse::Win32Registry.
> >  winnt.adm - Template to edit our policy file with poledit.exe.
> >
> >  Our homepage: http://iserv.eu (only in German, though)
> >
> >
> >
> >  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >  _______________________________________________
> >  Ros-dev mailing list
> >  Ros-dev(a)reactos.org
> >  http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev 
>  _______________________________________________
>  Ros-dev mailing list
>  Ros-dev(a)reactos.org
>  http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev 
Best regards,
Alex Ionescu

[Matthias Kupfer]

Hi,

I would like to do this, if there is no other (experienced) developer 
interested in. An additional information for interested developers, you can't 
simply use the cmlib, because W2K use the old hive format - in other words 
cmlib-created hives can't be read in W2K systems...

Matthias

-- 
Matthias Kupfer          Telefon [phone]
Wilhelm-Firl-Straße 21   Mobil [phone]
09122 Chemnitz

[Filip Navara]

No, W2K didn't use the really old hive format (1.0). The actual
details are described in the Windows Internals book, but I believe
Fast Indexes were already present in NT 5 and that's the only new
feature we use.

Best regards,
Filip Navara

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 7:57 PM, Matthias Kupfer <mkupfer(a)reactos.org> wrote:
>   Hi,
>
>  I would like to do this, if there is no other (experienced) developer
>  interested in. An additional information for interested developers, you can't
>  simply use the cmlib, because W2K use the old hive format - in other words
>  cmlib-created hives can't be read in W2K systems...
>
>  Matthias
>
>  --
>  Matthias Kupfer          Telefon [phone]
>  Wilhelm-Firl-Straße 21   Mobil [phone]
>  09122 Chemnitz
>
>  _______________________________________________
>  Ros-dev mailing list
>  Ros-dev(a)reactos.org
>  http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev

[gedmurphy]

Filip is having trouble sending mails to ros-dev. He asked me to forward this on his
behalf.

Matthias Kupfer wrote:
 
>   I would like to do this, if there is no other
> (experienced) developer 
>  interested in. An additional information for interested developers, 
>  you can't simply use the cmlib, because W2K use the old hive format -
>  in other words cmlib-created hives can't be read in W2K systems... 

There was several hive format versions. For me the "old format" is
the one that was used in pre NT4 version and that's the only one
that couldn't be accessed by cmlib. As far as I know the "fast
indexes" were added in W2K and that's really the only new feature
that mkhive generates, so there's no reason why the hives wouldn't
be Windows 2000 compatible.
 
We talked about the mkhive issues with Aleksey, Alex and Ged in the
past and the conclusion was that the only missing thing is generating
of security descriptors. It shouldn't be hard to do.
 
The harder part is testing though. The best way to test the hives
is to use the regedit Load Hive function and attached kernel
debugger with breakpoint on the hive loading function.
 
Best regards,
Filip Navara

[Matthias Kupfer]

Hello again,

Ged Murphy wrote on behalf of Filip:

>   There was several hive format versions. For me the
> "old format" is
>  the one that was used in pre NT4 version and that's the only one
>  that couldn't be accessed by cmlib. As far as I know the "fast
>  indexes" were added in W2K and that's really the only new feature
>  that mkhive generates, so there's no reason why the hives wouldn't
>  be Windows 2000 compatible. 
Christoph told me that they already tried to use cmlib to generate the hives 
and it didn't work, but I have no detailed information.

>   The harder part is testing though. The best way to
> test the hives
>  is to use the regedit Load Hive function and attached kernel
>  debugger with breakpoint on the hive loading function. 
It seems that there are some developers for this job, so I would reject my 
offer...

Matthias

-- 
Matthias Kupfer          Telefon [phone]
Wilhelm-Firl-Straße 21   Mobil [phone]
09122 Chemnitz

[Martin v. Wittich]

>   Christoph told me that they already tried to use cmlib
> to generate the hives 
>  and it didn't work, but I have no detailed information. 
Not exactly cmlib, because we're not very experienced with C. We have
tinkered a bit with pyhive and got it running on x86 with help from IRC,
but as we essentially don't know anything about Windows internals, we
gave up on figuring out why the resulting hives wouldn't load in Windows.

-- 
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Martin v. Wittich

IServ
Falk & Ludwig GbR
Rebenring 33
38106 Braunschweig

Telefon: [phone]
E-Mail: martin.von.wittich(a)iserv.eu
Internet: http://www.iserv.eu

[gedmurphy]

Have a look at mkhive in the reactos /tools folder.
This does exactly what you need, reading inf files and building a resulting
hive.

The only problem to this being usable for you right away, is the fact that
the resulting hive can't be read by the NT kernel.
However, as Filip stated, adding security attributes should fix this.

Ged.

-----Original Message-----
From: ros-dev-bounces(a)reactos.org [mailto:[e-mail]] On
Behalf Of Martin v. Wittich
Sent: 20 November 2008 13:04
To: ReactOS Development List
Subject: Re: [ros-dev] Job offer: Linux tool to create a valid Windows
Registry hive file

>   Christoph told me that they already tried to use cmlib
> to generate the 
hives 
>   and it didn't work, but I have no detailed
> information. 
Not exactly cmlib, because we're not very experienced with C. We have
tinkered a bit with pyhive and got it running on x86 with help from IRC,
but as we essentially don't know anything about Windows internals, we
gave up on figuring out why the resulting hives wouldn't load in Windows.

-- 
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Martin v. Wittich

IServ
Falk & Ludwig GbR
Rebenring 33
38106 Braunschweig

Telefon: [phone]
E-Mail: martin.von.wittich(a)iserv.eu
Internet: http://www.iserv.eu
_______________________________________________
Ros-dev mailing list
Ros-dev(a)reactos.org
http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev

[Martin v. Wittich]

gedmurphy wrote:
>   Have a look at mkhive in the reactos /tools folder.
>  This does exactly what you need, reading inf files and building a resulting
>  hive.
>  
>  The only problem to this being usable for you right away, is the fact that
>  the resulting hive can't be read by the NT kernel.
>  However, as Filip stated, adding security attributes should fix this. 
Yes, I read about that. Unfortunately nobody here in our company knows
how to do that and the time it would take us to figure this out would
"cost" us more than simply paying someone who has this know-how.

-- 
Martin v. Wittich

IServ
Falk & Ludwig GbR
Rebenring 33
38106 Braunschweig

Telefon: [phone]
E-Mail: martin.von.wittich(a)iserv.eu
Internet: http://www.iserv.eu

[Maya Posch]

Hello Martin,

A while ago I sent the offer/contract to Benjamin Heindl's email address 
but haven't received a response to it yet. I assume that you still want 
the project (domain policy windows hive) to be carried out, hence this 
email.


Maya Posch
maya(a)nyanko.ws
[phone]


Martin v. Wittich さんは書きました:
>   Hi,
>  
>  we are a software development company that develops and maintains a
>  Linux-based server solution called IServ, designed for use in schools.
>  We are in business since 2003, and there are currently about 370 schools
>  in Germany using IServ as their portal server.
>  
>  One feature that we would like to integrate into our product is the
>  possibility to customize the ntconfig.pol file. This file, located on
>  the server's netlogon share, can deploy registry settings to Windows
>  clients - it is especially important because it can deploy
>  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE settings. This file is a binary registry hive. At the
>  moment, we have to create this file manually with poledit.exe.
>  
>  We need a Linux program which can automatically generate this file.
>  1) It should read plain text files as input, for example an INF file.
>  2) The resulting policy file must work with Windows 2000 and XP x86
>  clients. It should be possible to easily test this by using the command
>  "Load Hive" in Regedit.
>  3) The preferred programming language is Perl, C/C++ is also OK. Other
>  languages should also be possible, but only after prior consultation
>  (just to make sure nobody comes up with Java ;) ).
>  4) The resulting source code should be released as open source, e.g.
>  under the GPL.
>  
>  We would like the program being finished in one month. We will pay you
>  EUR 300 for it. If the program is very much work and you feel you need
>  more money, submit us an offer.
>  
>  A Perl library to dump binary registry files to plain text:
>  http://search.cpan.org/~jmacfarla/Parse-Win32Registry-0.30/
>  
>  Attachments:
>  ntconfig.pol - Our current policy. This must be generated automatically.
>  ntconfig.pol.dump - Plain text dump of that file, generated with
>  Parse::Win32Registry.
>  winnt.adm - Template to edit our policy file with poledit.exe.
>  
>  Our homepage: http://iserv.eu (only in German, though)
>  
>  
>  
>  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  
>  _______________________________________________
>  Ros-dev mailing list
>  Ros-dev(a)reactos.org
>  http://www.reactos.org/mailman/listinfo/ros-dev