Windows System Programming

Hey guys...it's my first time here.  I am glad to see there is a board dedicated to programming.  Anyways, here is my dilemma.  I am trained and skilled in Unix System Programming.  I recently got a job at my University working to rewrite some code for a malware detection program.  Here's the kicker...its on Windows XP.  I know next to nothing about Windows System Programming...I imagine the concepts are similar.  But what I need is a recommendation of a good book on the subject.  Or a link to a PDF for it?  Any suggestions?

http://mitpress.mit.edu/sicp/full-text/book/book.html

um...thanks...that doesn't help me with the Windows API though.

So was I wrong to assume that 4chan would get more mature the moment I stepped away from the image boards?

Don't be so puerile; you have more than obviously not read through the text >>2-san so kindly linked for you. It is silly to assume it won't be of help if you haven't read it.

Set up a Unix programming environment in Windows. Download MinGW and MSYS. Here's instructions for how you would install something like pkg-config (it says to install devcpp, but don't do that unless you are gay):

http://www.compsci.hunter.cuny.edu/~sweiss/course_materials/csci493.73/GTK_Installation.pdf

Install other tools like autoconf, automake, unix utilities, or whatever like you installed pkg-config (some might have additional instructions). Set up all your paths on MSYS in one of the configuration files.

downloads: http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/

If you want an IDE then download Visual Studio.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms123401(v=MSDN.10).aspx

Use Visual Basic

He said system programming. He basically needs something like the posix man pages, but for windows.
OP, just put 4-6 NULLs at the end of each call, and throw some random hwHandles around every now and then. You should be find with that.

>>7
I often find myself more confused after reading that, but I guess that's the only comprehensive source out there.
Good luck, OP.

>>9
WIN32.HLP
probably 10 years old but the best windows 2000 API reference
http://www.mediafire.com/?zmyj4mlzfm1

>>1
First, you need MSDN for a full Windows API reference. There's MSDN online, but I tend to like an offline copy. You said you want to do malware detection: do you want to go beyond the usermode and need to make some drivers too? (kernel modules) If so, get the DDK and associated documentation. You'll find out that if you write your drivers right, they can even end up portable across most NT versions, even in binary form.