16.4. System File Locations

In addition to knowing user file locations, you need to know where system files are located. They aren't always easy to find. Windows system files are hidden from view, by default, to protect them from accidental deletion. You can, of course, change this default setting as you did in Chapter 6 so that the files are visible. If you do so, it is safest to return to the default, hidden setting.

The essential system files for Windows are

  • NTOSKRNL.EXE, the main kernel file

  • HAL.DLL, the hardware abstraction layer

  • WIN32K.SYS, the kernel-mode part of the Win32 subsystem

  • NTDLL.DLL, which provides internal support functions and system services to the executive functions

  • ADVAPI32.DLL, GDI32.DLL, KERNEL32.DLL, and USER32.DLL—the ...

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