Porting applications to Windows Vista

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Program Compatibility Assistant

• Program Compatibility Assistant: frequently asked questions
• Program Compatibility Features and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows Vista
• How to prevent the Program Compatibility Assistant from appearing on Windows Vista
• Why does .NET Framework 3.5 beta 1 setup tell me to install Windows XP SP2 on Vista?

The Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Developer Story: Application Compatibility Cookbook

• The Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Developer Story: Application Compatibility Cookbook

Application Compatibility Additional Resources

• Application Compatibility Additional Resources

Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit

• Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0

Application Verifier

• Microsoft Application Verifier v3.4 for x86, x64 and IA64
• Configuring Application Verifier as a Testing Tool for Windows Vista Compatibility
• Frequently Asked Questions About Windows Application Verifier

Application Verifier uses the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution

to take control over the application when it starts.

Programming against UAC

When your permission or password is needed to complete a task, UAC will alert you with one of the following messages:

1. Windows needs your permission to continue
2. A program needs your permission to continue
3. An unidentified program wants access to your computer
4. This program has been blocked

• What is User Account Control?

WARNING .exe with manifests for Vista might give BLue screen on XP !!!

• Bug in XP causes blue screen if embedded manifest has duplicate xmlns tag
• [MSDN thread about Manifest files for Vista
• The computer may restart when you add a manifest that has the Windows Vista extension to an .exe file or to a .dll file in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Watch this video to learn to embedd manifests in applications to avoid Vista autodetecting what kind of application it is.

• How To: Tell Vista's UAC What Privelege Level Your App Requires
• Right click and select Save Target As... to download video in highres

Watch this video to learn how to run an application without Admin Rights and only require Elevation when necessary.

• How To: Use Vista's UAC Feature To Avoid Always Requiring Admin Rights
• Right click and select Save Target As... to download video in highres

Use this tool to check what manifests is inside your .exe file.

• Sigcheck v1.4 By Mark Russinovich

• The Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Developer Story: Windows Vista Application Development Requirements for User Account Control (UAC)
• Vista tools - TweakUAC
• How to Determine if a User is a Member of the Administrators Group with UAC Enabled on Windows Vista
• Inside Windows Vista User Account Control - Mark Russinovich

Folder and registry changes in Vista and Vista x64

• Vista's Users (Folder) Replaces XP's Documents and Settings

Locating Debug Symbols

Add the environment variable:

_NT_SYMBOL_PATH=SRV*c:\websymbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

• Use the Microsoft Symbol Server to obtain debug symbol files

Full syntax off _NT_SYMBOL_PATH:

• Using SymSrv

Registry Virtualization

• Registry Virtualization

Installer issues (MSI)

• Problems with custom actions that depend on the Visual C++ 8.0 runtime files on Windows Vista

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