Registry Protector version 1.00 documentation
---------------------------------------------


1. What is Registry Protector ?
-------------------------------

    Registry Protector is a utility to protect your registry entries.
Protecting  can be done  in various ways.  You can hide them, or just
restrict access to registry (no read, no write, no access, and more).
Wild cards are supported.

    Why do you ever want to protect your registry ?
There are many reasons.
- When you install monitoring program into your computer, information
  and  settings of the program may  be kept in the registry. Advanced
  users  may  directly access the registry and change the settings or
  delete registry entry that contains  your monitoring program data /
  information, causing it not to work  properly or even stop working.
  With  Registry Protector  you can  protect registry entries against
  deletion, or modification, and you may even hide them.
- Virus  may register itself as auto-run program when Windows starts.
  With Registry Protector, you can stop programs / virusses from reg-
  istering themselves.
- By  protecting  certain registry keys, you can prevent someone from
  installing program into your computer.
- You just want to protect your registry entries against unintention-
  al deletion or modification.
- You may want to hide registry entries in order to protect them from
  prying eyes.

    Now, you know why you want to protect your registry entries. Then
why choose Registry Protector ?
- Easy to use and nice user interface.  It supports registry browsing
  and searching.
- Protected items can be easily defined and applied without rebooting
  your computer.
- Registry Protector supports  many  protection  features.  Users can
  combine  the  options supported to meet their needs, including hid-
  den, invisible, unreadable, unwritable, no-access, and more.
- Registry Protector supports wild cards.
- Registry Protector supports abosolute and relative path.
- Registry Protector supports hotkey.  Registry Protector Monitor can
  be launched by just pressing hotkey of your choice.
- Registry Protector works in background, and is invisible.
- Password  protection  to  access  Registry  Protector  Monitor  and
  settings.
- Configurable configuration file.   With this feature, configuration
  file can be put somewhere on the  network, thus make administration
  easier.
- Express-install feature (for many computers).
- Affordable price.


2. Files provided
-----------------

- REGPROT.EXE  --> the Registry Protector Monitor program
- RPCHECK.EXE  --> Registry Protector Checker program
- VRPD_DRV.VXD --> the Registry Protector driver
- READ_ME.TXT  --> this file
- ORDER.TXT    --> how to order / register File Protector
- TIPS.TXT     --> tips & tricks
- INSTALL.EXE  --> Installation program
- UNINST.EXE   --> Uninstallation program

You  just  need to  launch  REGPROT.EXE to change settings or control
the Registry Protector.


3. Installing
-------------

     Registry Protector runs on Windows 95 and 98 but not on NT.  You
have  to  install  Registry Protector  before  you can use it. Launch
INSTALL.EXE program to install Registry Protector. Run it without any
parameter.  Then  you  have  to reboot your computer after installing
Registry Protector to make it work.
     Registry Protector can be installed via express install feature.
Express install is intended if you have many computers and would like
to have the same settings for all the computers. With express install
feature, you can also maintain configuration database with ease.
     To install  Registry Protector with express-install, just launch
the install.exe with parameter :

install install_dir config_dir password_dir [new_password_dir]

where : install_dir      = Registry Protector installation directory
        config_dir       = Registry Protector configuration file
                           This file  contains database  of protected
                           items
        password_dir     = Registry Protector password file
        new_password_dir = Registry Protector new password file

Note  : To obtain configuration  file, just launch Registry Protector
        Monitor, go to menu  Registry->Settings..., then click button
        "Advanced...". An "Advanced Settings" box will appear.  Here,
        you  can  export configuration database to file. You can also
        export current password to file.

Example : C:\>install C:\REGPROT G:\REGPROT\CONFIG\RPCFG NULL

The example above will install Registry Protector into  directory C:\
REGPROT, and set  configuration  database  to be got from G:\REGPROT\
CONFIG\RPCFG. Each time you restart your computer, Registry Protector
will get  configuration database (which contains the protected items)
from this file.  The example also shows you how to define no password
by passing parameter "NULL". If "install_dir" is "NULL",  the install
program  will  skip copying Registry Protector files into destination
directory (destination directory is "NULL"). If "config_dir" is NULL,
the  install program will set Registry Protector to get configuration
database  from  "default".  If  "password_dir" is "NULL", the install
program  assumes that there is no password for current configuration.
However, if  Registry Protector  is ever installed, you should supply
"password_dir", since the install program will check the current pass
word  with  the  password  supplied in "password_dir". If they do not
match,  the  install program will stop the "express-install" process.
You  may  supply "new_password_dir" if you would like to change pass-
word for Registry Protector Monitor. If you supply "new_password_dir"
to be NULL, it means  that you don't want to  change password. If you
would  like to remove password, you  should supply "new_password_dir"
with file name with zero size.  You  can do this by exporting current
password to file (remove password before exporting).


4. How to use
-------------

     Now, after installing Registry Protector and  rebooting,  launch
REGPROT.EXE. This is the Registry Protector Monitor  program.  You'll
see the main menu of Registry Protector Monitor program.

     Here are 7 steps in providing protection to your registry entry:
     1. Specify registry key name in the edit field provided.
     2. Define the protection.
     3. Define safe programs (if any).
     4. Add it to the list.
     5. Go to step 1 again for other registry keys.
     6. Apply the changes.
     7. Close Registry Protector.

     Here, you can enter registry key in the  edit field provided (at
the top) or you can browse or search  for spesific registry key.  You
can also use wild cards. If  you browse or search registry key, it is
automatically  inserted  in  the  edit field. To search registry key,
just press Ctrl-F button or go to menu "Edit --> Find...".
    You  may also want to  protect all subkeys inside a registry key,
for example,  you  want to  protect : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Test and all
the subkeys (e.g. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Test\Test1, etc).  In this case,
you  should  protect 2 items, the first is : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Test,
and the other is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Test\*.

     Defining the protection.  Select the protection options you need
by clicking at the right checkbox. Available protections :
- Invisible content  --> To make the named value of  registry key in-
                         visible
- Invisible          --> To make registry key invisible
- No Create Children --> To disable  creating  subkey under protected
                         registry key
- No Read            --> To make  registry  key unreadable. Also make
                         named value of registry key invisible.
- No Write           --> To  make  registry  key unwritable, and also
                         undeletable. The parent of the protected re-
                         gistry key cannot be deleted either.
- No Access          --> The  same as "Invisible Content" + "No Read"
                         + "No Write" + "No Create Children"
- Full Hidden        --> The same as all protections checked.

     Defining safe programs. You may define safe programs by clicking
at the "Define..." radio button at the right (Safe  programs are pro-
grams  that  have  access  to the protected registry key). A box will
appear.  In this box you can add safe programs (maximum 16 programs).
By default, there is no safe program, and all programs are considered
as  unauthorized  (not safe).  Close  the  box then. Please note that
Registry Protector will search for  authorized programs first. So, if
you define '*' for safe programs,  it means that the item will not be
protected at all (because all programs can access it).

    Add it to the list.  After defining protection and safe programs,
you can add the item to the list by pressing "Add to list" button. If
you still have registry keys to protect, just repeat the steps above.
After  that  you can apply your protection scheme by pressing "Apply"
button.

     To  modify protection options,  just click the protected item in
list box. By clicking it, you can view the protection options direct-
ly. Change the protection options you need,  then press "Modify" but-
ton.  If  you also want to change the safe programs for the item, you
can press button "Safe Programs" near the buttom, then apply it.  You
can also  modify safe  programs  by clicking at the "Define..." radio
button in "Safe Programs" section at the right.  Then  press "Modify"
button.

     Reload button will reload the current protection scheme.

     To modify Registry Protector settings, go to menu "Registry" and
then select "Settings...".  A  setting  box will appear. In this box,
you can change your password, activate / deactivate Registry Protect-
or,  change  hotkey  setting,  create rescue disk, uninstall Registry
Protector.  Rescue  disk  can be considered as "master password". You
need  rescue  disk if you forget your password. In this box, there is
also "Advanced..." button.  Pressing this button will show up another
box. In this new box,  you  can set configuration directory location.
For normal use,  just use "Default" configuration. Custom location is
intended for network configuration file,  to  ease the maintenance of
Registry Protector  protection  scheme  installed  on many computers.
Other options include exporting & importing protected items database,
as well as password setting.


Example :
*. To hide registry key for Registry Protector :
   - Enter Registry Entry (1) :
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Registry Protector
   - Protection scheme        :
     Full Hidden
     Active
   - Safe programs            :
     REGPROT
   - Unauthorized programs    :
     *
   - Enter Registry Entry     :
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Registry Protector\*
   - Protection scheme        :
     Full Hidden
     Active
   - Safe programs            :
     REGPROT
   - Unauthorized programs    :
     *
   The  protection  scheme above will hide entry "Registry Protector"
   and all its sub keys / children.  Please  note that you may define
   safe programs : REGPROT. However, whether you define safe programs
   REGPROT or not,  Registry Protector  Monitor is still able to read
   its own settings.  So actually,  you don't  need  to bother adding
   safe  programs  for Registry Protector registry key entries. It is
   highly recommended that you protect these registry keys.


********** A note on protection :
- Protection  will  be deactivated when Registry Protector Monitor is
  running, and it will be reactivated when Registry Protector Monitor
  is closed.
- Please make sure that you really know what you're protecting.
- Do not protect all entries, such as '*'.
- Do not protect too general entries, such as "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE".

*** Auto activation at start-up ***
Registry Protector activates  protection automatically on start-up if
you have set 'Activate protection at start-up' option. 

*** Auto activation on idle time ***
Registry  Protector  can be set to auto-activate  protection on idle.

*** Configurable configuration file location ***
You can  configure the configuration file location (e.g. the configu-
ration database, that contains the protected items).  Just go to menu
Registry->Settings..., and after the "Settings..." box appears, click
"Advanced..."  button.  An "Advanced Settings..."  box appears. There
you can set  configuration directory to "Custom" and provide the con-
figuration file name. This is how Registry Protector works on startup
of Windows :

- At start-up, Registry Protector tries to find default configuration
  location, and do the protection if Registry Protector can find it.
- Then, after processing login box (if you need to login to your net-
  work), Registry Protector will launch "Registry Protector Checker".
- This "Checker" will find "Custom configuration file" if defined. If
  the "Checker" found the "Custom configuration file", it  will  copy
  it to default configuration (e.g. overwrite the default one).  Reg-
  istry Protector then  reloads  the new configuration.  Any  changes
  will only affect the default local configuration, and do not change
  the "Custom configuration file".  


4. Known bugs
-------------

- The  hot key feature  works  properly on most application. However,
  there might be certain applications,  whenever active, make the hot
  key feature couldn't work properly  (e.g  couldn't  launch Registry
  Protector Monitor).


5. Legal-stuff
--------------
This  software is a  shareware and (c) Copyright 1998, 1999  by Mikko
Adhipurna Jodana. The unregistered  copy  may  be  freely distributed
provided all files are included and not modified.

You  may try  the software in a 30-day period.  After 30-day you must
register if you would like to continue using the software.

Limitation  of  Liability:   In  no  event  shall I be liable for any
incidental, consequential, or punitive damages whatsoever arising out
of the use of Registry Protector.


6. Contact address
------------------

If you have any questions,  suggestions or bug reports, please do not
hesitate to contact us.

Name     : Mikko Adhipurna Jodana
Email    : mikkoaj@mikkoaj.hypermart.net
Homepage : http://mikkoaj.hypermart.net/index.html 
           http://www.fortunecity.com/business/ballmer/3/index.html

Please visit  homepage  for  the  latest version of  the software and
other products.


7. Registering
--------------

The  differences  between  unregistered and registered version are as
follows :

Unregistered version :
* Protection only up to 3 items.

Registered version :
* Protection up to 127 items.


Registry Protector pricing information :
Please see order.txt for pricing detail.

For  newest  version of Registry Protector  or other products, please
visit :
http://mikkoaj.hypermart.net/index.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/business/ballmer/3/index.html

Other security products that may be of interest :
- File Protector : Hide and protect files / folders
- KeyKey         : Record keystrokes in a log file

Other product :
- Memory Editor  : View and edit memory content

