Re: File Summary/ Knowing when a file is created and deleted/ The first program started when windows starts

From: David Crow [MCSD] (david.nospam.crow_at_pbsnow.nospam.com)
Date: 03/30/04 

Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2004 16:14:32 GMT

ReadDirectoryChangesW() and FindFirstChangeNotification() is one place to
start. The FileMon utility
(http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/source/filemon.shtml) is another.

"Christopher J. Holland" <msnews@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:uQnZeDfFEHA.3404@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Hi,
>
> I was infected with a few viruses/spyware/ads, etc.I was able to clean
them
> up.
> I also got some program that cleans disk of 0 byte, bak, tmp files and
such.
> (Hopefully I didn't delete any important files.)
> I also started browsing directories and I see files that I have no idea
what
> they are and who they belong to.
> Some of the files have "Version information", which I can only assume is
> correct.
> I click properties of some files and notice a "Summary", with no
> information. Is it good file bad file, obsolete, or ?
> I also know that a lot of programs don't get rid of files and directories
> after the program is uninstalled.
> I am tired of these problems.
>
> I am doing a feasibility study of a project that monitors the Hard Drive
for
> added /deleted files
> and reports them. Then maybe filling in the Summary window with infomation
> about the file.
> That way the user would know if some file is inadvertantly added without
> consent.
> The Remove programs would "really" work.
> I could scan the entire hard drive periodically, but may there is some API
> that would
> alert my program of a newly created file.
> I suppose I would have to ignore some directories like temp and such.
> No program should be able to install to anywhere without an option to
remove
> every associated file.
>
> Can you point me to some API/information to automatically know if any file
> is added or deleted?
> Can you point me to some API/information on how to fill in Summary
> information?
>
> Also, the program needs to be the first thing started, for it to be able
to
> monitor
> when some program adds files before the windows UI is launched.
> There are programs that install upon reboot of Windows and before other
> programs are launched. So, it needs to launch before any other program.
Even
> with windows service packs and such. Maybe having to scan the harddrive
> after those type of programs is necessary?
>
> Maybe I would not have to add Summary information, but have a list of
> programs and their associated files.
> when I right click a selected a file and choose "Associated Program", the
> Monitor Program would launch and
> tell me when the program was installed and who the file belongs to. Then I
> would know if the file was safe to delete.
> ==========================================================================
> == Monitor Program
> ==========================================================================
> The program would monitor the hard drive to see if file is being created.
> Some thing would flash in the taskbar to alert the user.
> After each program installation, the user would have to add summary
> information.
> (Deleted files would be noted. They are not as important as added files.
> The deleted files would just be removed from the programs associated
files)
> ------------------- Program
Layout ----------------------------------------
> Programs installed - Date - Directories - Associated Files
> -Windows Basic - 01/01/04
>
notepad.exe
> System32
>
freecell.exe
> +Windows SP1 - 01/02/04
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

--
>
> I would like to seperate Programs from data. A layered approach.
> Programs usually save the data to the same drive, with an option to save
> elsewhere.
> This would keep the program to minimal operation.
>
> CDrive: Executable programs only
> DDrive: Data only
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Christopher J. Holland
> Monday, March 29, 2004
>
>

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