Question about Win32 registry programming

Hi you guys, I want to implement a function that can monitor changes of some key's value in registry real time. Who know are there any Win32 APIs can do this job whatever the APIs are documented or undocumented. If there are no actual APIs exist, does any other ways can do the job?

Thanks a lot.

There is no API function to monitor a registry key.

The easiest way to accomplish what you are trying to do is to check the registry value every couple seconds to see if its value has changed.

If you want to know anytime a value is changed without polling the values, then you would have to write a hook which captures all calls to RegSetValue(), and RegSetValueEx().

hook.....

which way will be more effective? I can't make sure the actual frequency of data's change.

1. Write all changeable data to a file, and use Win32 API to monitor the file's change.
2. Write a hook to capture all calls to RegSetVlaue() and RegSetValueEx().

I'm writting (quite finished) a program that opens a popup with

"Allow the applicationX to start at startup?"

YES NO

or

"Allow the applicationY to modify the antivirus or firewall?"

YES NO

for every modification involved in Auto Startup. (reg keys and files)
It also looks and takes care about antivirus and firewall databases.
The program it is supposed to help ppl against virus, worms and spywares that tryes to modify av and fw and to auto startup.

I've wrote about 1000 code lines and 'm at 60%. (it works great!!)

I've used both of "your" ideas..for reg mod you can use RegNotifyChangeKeyValue... (quite an hook for reg modifications..), then I compare the files I've created as buffer and backup

thanks a lot.

RegNotifyChangeKeyValue is similar with ReadDirectoryChangeW

P.S. ppl is what ? I'm curious......

ppl = people :D