If you're in the Windows file system development space, you're no doubt familiar with Windows NT File System Internals (O'Reilly, 1997). The dozens of file system articles from The NT Insider aside, this book, authored by Rajeev Nagar (now with the Microsoft file systems team) has been one of the only relevant books available to those with interest in exploiting the Windows file system interface.
Alas, relevancy of the material in Windows NT File System Internals has suffered in the 8 years since the date of original publication. While not enough of the core file system interface has changed to make the material wholly unusable, pitfalls can come to those who don't understand that there have been important changes since the V3.51 code base of Windows this book was based upon.
Then there's the issue of availability. Windows NT File System Internals has been out of print for some time now. For the last few years at least, developers have been searching long and hard to find any available copy of the book, and it turns out that there's quite a secondary market for used copies of the book. A recent check of used copies available at Amazon.com yielded three results with the lowest price coming in at $215!
So why are we writing to remind you of the painful state of published material in the Windows file system space? Yup, you guessed it - OSR is stepping up to the plate to do something about it.
Step One: Secure rights to Windows NT File System Internals
OSR worked with the previous publisher, O'Reilly, to obtain rights to the material.
STATUS: DONE
Step Two: Publish a reprint of Windows NT File System Internals under OSR Press label.
STATUS: IN-PROCESS
If not immediately available by the time you read this, it will be within a couple weeks. We're not printing a boat-load of these, so "get 'em while you can".
Step Three: Publish an updated book on Windows file system and filter driver development.
STATUS: TBD
Some of you lurking in NTFSD will note that we're already taking suggestions for updates on the material. We absolutely view an update to this material as an important activity to deliver on for the community, and as soon as it is humanly possible to fit this in our schedule, we'll do it.
For more information on the reprint and future update of Windows NT File System Internals, please visit www.osr.com/osrpress
