Delve inside the Windows kernel with noted internals experts Mark Russinovich and David Solomon, in collaboration with the Microsoft Windows product development team. This classic guide--fully updated for Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000, including 64-bit extensions--describes the architecture and internals of the Windows operating system. You'll find hands-on experiments you can use to experience Windows internal behavior firsthand, along with advanced troubleshooting information to help you keep your systems running smoothly and efficiently. Whether you're a developer or a system administrator, you'll find critical architectural insights that you can quickly apply for better design, debugging, performance, and support.

Get in-depth, inside knowledge of the Windows operating system:

• Understand the key mechanisms that configure and control Windows, including dispatching, startup and shutdown, and the registry
• Explore the Windows security model, including access, privileges, and auditing
• Investigate internal system architecture using the kernel debugger and other tools
• Examine the data structures and algorithms that deal with processes, threads, and jobs
• Observe how Windows manages virtual and physical memory
• Understand the operation and format of NTFS, and troubleshoot file system access problems
• View the Windows networking stack from top to bottom, including mapping, APIs, name resolution, and protocol drivers
• Troubleshoot boot problems and perform crash analysis