diff --git a/libretroshare/src/dbase/fimonitor.cc b/libretroshare/src/dbase/fimonitor.cc
index 9be7d6c20..79e109527 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/dbase/fimonitor.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/dbase/fimonitor.cc
@@ -21,12 +21,16 @@
  *
  */
 
-#include <util/rswin.h>
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+#include "util/rswin.h"
+#endif
+
 #include "dbase/fimonitor.h"
 #include "util/rsdir.h"
 #include "serialiser/rsserviceids.h"
 #include "rsiface/rsiface.h"
 #include "rsiface/rsnotify.h"
+#include "util/folderiterator.h"
 #include <errno.h>
 
 #include <iostream>
@@ -357,8 +361,8 @@ void 	FileIndexMonitor::updateCycle()
 #endif
 
 		/* check for the dir existance */
-		DIR *dir = opendir(realpath.c_str());
-		if (!dir)
+                librs::util::FolderIterator dirIt(realpath);
+                if (!dirIt.isValid())
 		{
 #ifdef FIM_DEBUG
 			std::cerr << "FileIndexMonitor::updateCycle()";
@@ -397,23 +401,29 @@ void 	FileIndexMonitor::updateCycle()
 		 * files checked to see if they have changed. (rehashed)
 		 */
 
-		struct dirent *dent;
 		struct stat64 buf;
 
 		to_hash.push_back(DirContentToHash()) ;
 		to_hash.back().realpath = realpath ;
 		to_hash.back().dirpath = dirpath ;
 
-		while(NULL != (dent = readdir(dir)))
+                while(dirIt.readdir())
 		{
 			/* check entry type */
-			std::string fname = dent -> d_name;
+                        std::string fname;
+                        dirIt.d_name(fname);
 			std::string fullname = realpath + "/" + fname;
 #ifdef FIM_DEBUG
 			std::cerr << "calling stats on " << fullname <<std::endl;
 #endif
 
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+                        std::wstring wfullname;
+                        librs::util::ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(fullname, wfullname);
+                        if (-1 != _wstati64(wfullname.c_str(), &buf))
+#else
 			if (-1 != stat64(fullname.c_str(), &buf))
+#endif
 			{
 #ifdef FIM_DEBUG
 				std::cerr << "buf.st_mode: " << buf.st_mode <<std::endl;
@@ -508,7 +518,7 @@ void 	FileIndexMonitor::updateCycle()
 		olddir = NULL;
 
 		/* close directory */
-		closedir(dir);
+                dirIt.closedir();
 	}
 
 	// Now, hash all files at once.
@@ -968,7 +978,16 @@ bool FileIndexMonitor::hashFile(std::string fullpath, FileEntry& fent)
 #ifdef FIM_DEBUG
 	std::cerr << "File to hash = " << f_hash << std::endl;
 #endif
-	if (NULL == (fd = fopen64(f_hash.c_str(), "rb")))	return false;
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+        std::wstring wf_hash;
+        librs::util::ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(f_hash, wf_hash);
+        if (NULL == (fd = _wfopen(wf_hash.c_str(), L"rb")))
+            return false;
+#else
+        if (NULL == (fd = fopen64(f_hash.c_str(), "rb")))
+            return false;
+#endif
 
 	SHA1_Init(sha_ctx);
 	while((len = fread(gblBuf,1, 512, fd)) > 0)
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/ft/ftcontroller.cc b/libretroshare/src/ft/ftcontroller.cc
index 4f53580bd..a26244210 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/ft/ftcontroller.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/ft/ftcontroller.cc
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@
  *
  */
 
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+#include "util/rswin.h"
+#endif
+
 #include "ft/ftcontroller.h"
 
 #include "ft/ftfilecreator.h"
@@ -591,7 +595,17 @@ bool ftController::moveFile(const std::string& source,const std::string& dest)
 {
 	// First try a rename
 	//
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+	std::wstring sourceW;
+	std::wstring destW;
+	librs::util::ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(source,sourceW);
+	librs::util::ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(dest,destW);
+
+	if( 0 == MoveFileW(sourceW.c_str(), destW.c_str()))
+#else
 	if (0 == rename(source.c_str(), dest.c_str()))
+#endif
 	{
 #ifdef CONTROL_DEBUG
                 std::cerr << "ftController::completeFile() renaming to: ";
@@ -609,14 +623,22 @@ bool ftController::moveFile(const std::string& source,const std::string& dest)
 #endif
 	// We could not rename, probably because we're dealing with different file systems.
 	// Let's copy then.
-	
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+	if(CopyFileW(sourceW.c_str(), destW.c_str(), FALSE) == 0)
+#else
 	if(!copyFile(source,dest))
+#endif
 		return false ;
 
 	// copy was successfull, let's delete the original
 	std::cerr << "deleting original file " << source << std::endl ;
 
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+	if(0 == DeleteFileW(sourceW.c_str()))
+#else
 	if(0 == remove(source.c_str()))
+#endif
 		return true ;
 	else
 	{
@@ -627,8 +649,6 @@ bool ftController::moveFile(const std::string& source,const std::string& dest)
 
 bool ftController::copyFile(const std::string& source,const std::string& dest)
 {
-	std::string error ;
-
 	FILE *in = fopen(source.c_str(),"rb") ;
 
 	if(in == NULL)
@@ -967,8 +987,13 @@ bool 	ftController::FileRequest(std::string fname, std::string hash,
 			destination = dest + "/" + fname;
 
 		// create void file with the target name.
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+		std::wstring destinationW;
+		librs::util::ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(destination, destinationW);
+		FILE *f = _wfopen(destinationW.c_str(), L"w");
+#else
 		FILE *f = fopen(destination.c_str(),"w") ;
-
+#endif
 		if(f == NULL)
 			std::cerr << "Could not open file " << destination << " for writting." << std::endl ;
 		else
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/ft/ftextralist.cc b/libretroshare/src/ft/ftextralist.cc
index f8857c5b9..dbfc39606 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/ft/ftextralist.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/ft/ftextralist.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,10 @@
  *
  */
 
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+#include "util/rswin.h"
+#endif
+
 #include "ft/ftextralist.h"
 #include "serialiser/rsconfigitems.h"
 #include "util/rsdir.h"
@@ -423,7 +427,13 @@ bool    ftExtraList::loadList(std::list<RsItem *> load)
 		}
 
 		/* open file */
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+		std::wstring filepathW;
+		librs::util::ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(fi->file.path, filepathW);
+		FILE *fd = _wfopen(filepathW.c_str(), L"rb");
+#else
 		FILE *fd = fopen(fi->file.path.c_str(), "rb");
+#endif
 		if (fd == NULL)
 		{
 			delete (*it);
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/ft/ftfileprovider.cc b/libretroshare/src/ft/ftfileprovider.cc
index e5ef399eb..38d2e1d09 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/ft/ftfileprovider.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/ft/ftfileprovider.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+#include "util/rswin.h"
+#endif // WINDOWS_SYS
+
+
 static const time_t UPLOAD_CHUNK_MAPS_TIME = 30 ;	// time to ask for a new chunkmap from uploaders in seconds.
 
 ftFileProvider::ftFileProvider(std::string path, uint64_t size, std::string
@@ -240,14 +245,24 @@ int ftFileProvider::initializeFileAttrs()
 	 * attempt to open file 
 	 */
 
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+	std::wstring wfile_name;
+	librs::util::ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(file_name, wfile_name);
+	fd = _wfopen(wfile_name.c_str(), L"r+b");
+#else
 	fd = fopen64(file_name.c_str(), "r+b");
+#endif
 	if (!fd)
 	{
 		std::cerr << "ftFileProvider::initializeFileAttrs() Failed to open (r+b): ";
 		std::cerr << file_name << std::endl;
 
 		/* try opening read only */
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+		fd = _wfopen(wfile_name.c_str(), L"rb");
+#else
 		fd = fopen64(file_name.c_str(), "rb");
+#endif
 		if (!fd)
 		{
 			std::cerr << "ftFileProvider::initializeFileAttrs() Failed to open (rb): ";
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/libretroshare.pro b/libretroshare/src/libretroshare.pro
index d28c44190..66b55afa2 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/libretroshare.pro
+++ b/libretroshare/src/libretroshare.pro
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ HEADERS += dbase/cachestrapper.h \
            serialiser/rstlvkeys.h \
            serialiser/rstlvkvwide.h \
            serialiser/rstlvtypes.h \
-           serialiser/rstlvutil.h \
+#           serialiser/rstlvutil.h \
            services/p3channels.h \
            services/p3chatservice.h \
            services/p3disc.h \
@@ -296,6 +296,7 @@ HEADERS += dbase/cachestrapper.h \
            tcponudp/udplayer.h \
            tcponudp/udpsorter.h \
            upnp/upnphandler.h \
+           util/folderiterator.h \
 	   util/rsdebug.h \
            util/rsdir.h \
            util/rsnet.h \
@@ -397,7 +398,7 @@ SOURCES += \
 				serialiser/rsbaseitems.cc \
 				serialiser/rstlvkvwide.cc \
 				serialiser/rstlvimage.cc \
-				serialiser/rstlvutil.cc \
+#				serialiser/rstlvutil.cc \
 				serialiser/rstlvfileitem.cc \
 				serialiser/rstlvkeys.cc \
 				serialiser/rsbaseserial.cc \
@@ -412,11 +413,12 @@ SOURCES += \
 				tcponudp/udpsorter.cc \
 				tcponudp/tou_net.cc \
 				tcponudp/udplayer.cc \
+				util/folderiterator.cc \
 				util/rsdebug.cc \
 				util/rsdir.cc \
 				util/rsnet.cc \
 				util/rsprint.cc \
 				util/rsthreads.cc \
-				util/rsversion.cc 
-
+				util/rsversion.cc \
+				util/rswin.cc
 
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/pqi/pqinetwork.h b/libretroshare/src/pqi/pqinetwork.h
index bad6ff6e5..067c16d31 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/pqi/pqinetwork.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/pqi/pqinetwork.h
@@ -45,12 +45,7 @@
 
 #else
 
-/* This defines the platform to be WinXP or later...
- * and is needed for getaddrinfo.... (not used anymore)
- *
- */
-
-#define _WIN32_WINNT 0x0501
+#include "util/rswin.h"
 
 #include "util/rsnet.h" /* more generic networking header */
 
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/tcponudp/tou.h b/libretroshare/src/tcponudp/tou.h
index 1f4540949..e548815e9 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/tcponudp/tou.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/tcponudp/tou.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 	#include <netinet/in.h>
 
 #else
+	#include "util/rswin.h"
 	#include <stdint.h>
 	#include <winsock2.h>
 	#include <ws2tcpip.h>
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/util/folderiterator.cc b/libretroshare/src/util/folderiterator.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0640a0e78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libretroshare/src/util/folderiterator.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#include "folderiterator.h"
+#include "rswin.h"
+
+
+namespace librs { namespace util {
+
+
+FolderIterator::FolderIterator(const std::string& folderName)
+{
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+    std::wstring utf16Name;
+    if(! ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(folderName, utf16Name)) {
+        validity = false;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    utf16Name += L"\\*.*";
+
+    handle = FindFirstFileW(utf16Name.c_str(), &fileInfo);
+    validity = handle != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE;
+    isFirstCall = true;
+#else
+    handle = opendir(folderName.c_str());
+    validity = handle != NULL;
+#endif
+}
+
+FolderIterator::~FolderIterator()
+{
+    closedir();
+}
+
+bool FolderIterator::readdir() {
+    if(!validity)
+        return false;
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+    if(isFirstCall) {
+        isFirstCall = false;
+        return true;
+    }
+    return FindNextFileW(handle, &fileInfo) != 0;
+#else
+    return readdir(handle) == 0;
+#endif
+}
+
+bool FolderIterator::d_name(std::string& dest)
+{
+    if(!validity)
+        return false;
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+    if(! ConvertUtf16ToUtf8(fileInfo.cFileName, dest)) {
+        validity = false;
+        return false;
+    }
+#else
+    dest = handle->d_name;
+#endif
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool FolderIterator::closedir()
+{
+    if(!validity)
+        return false;
+
+    validity = false;
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+    return FindClose(handle) != 0;
+#else
+    return closedir(handle) == 0;
+#endif
+}
+
+
+
+
+} } // librs::util
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/util/folderiterator.h b/libretroshare/src/util/folderiterator.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6d04917e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libretroshare/src/util/folderiterator.h
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#ifndef FOLDERITERATOR_H
+#define FOLDERITERATOR_H
+
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <cstdio>
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+    #include "util/rswin.h"
+    #include <windows.h>
+    #include <tchar.h>
+    #include <stdio.h>
+    #include <string.h>
+#else
+    #include <dirent.h>
+#endif
+
+
+namespace librs { namespace util {
+
+
+class FolderIterator
+{
+public:
+    FolderIterator(const std::string& folderName);
+    ~FolderIterator();
+
+    bool isValid() const    { return validity; }
+
+    bool readdir();
+
+    bool d_name(std::string& dest);
+
+    bool closedir();
+
+private:
+    bool validity;
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+    HANDLE handle;
+    bool isFirstCall;
+    _WIN32_FIND_DATAW fileInfo;
+#else
+    DIR* handle;
+#endif
+
+};
+
+
+} } // librs::util
+
+
+#endif // FOLDERITERATOR_H
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/util/rsdir.cc b/libretroshare/src/util/rsdir.cc
index bfb0d3ead..45e9f5d06 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/util/rsdir.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/util/rsdir.cc
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #include <fstream>
 
 #if defined(WIN32) || defined(__CYGWIN__)
+#include "util/rswin.h"
 #include "wtypes.h"
 #include <winioctl.h>
 #else
@@ -345,8 +346,15 @@ bool RsDirUtil::getFileHash(std::string filepath,
 	unsigned char sha_buf[SHA_DIGEST_LENGTH];
 	unsigned char gblBuf[512];
 
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+	std::wstring filepathW;
+	librs::util::ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(filepath, filepathW);
+	if (NULL == (fd = _wfopen(filepathW.c_str(), L"rb")))
+		return false;
+#else
 	if (NULL == (fd = fopen(filepath.c_str(), "rb")))
 		return false;
+#endif
 
 	/* determine size */
  	fseek(fd, 0, SEEK_END);
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/util/rsnet.h b/libretroshare/src/util/rsnet.h
index 52a0da77d..d7cf2ff0f 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/util/rsnet.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/util/rsnet.h
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@
 
 #else
 
+#include "util/rswin.h"
+
 #include <winsock2.h>
 #include <ws2tcpip.h>
 
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/util/rsthreads.h b/libretroshare/src/util/rsthreads.h
index a923b2ed5..b3fe545a9 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/util/rsthreads.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/util/rsthreads.h
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
  */
 
 
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+#include "util/rswin.h"
+#endif
+
 #include <pthread.h>
 #include <inttypes.h>
 
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/util/rswin.cc b/libretroshare/src/util/rswin.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b8550960c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libretroshare/src/util/rswin.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+#include "util/rswin.h"
+
+
+namespace librs { namespace util {
+
+
+bool ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(const std::string& source, std::wstring& dest) {
+    int nbChars = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0,
+                                      source.c_str(), -1,
+                                      0, 0);
+    if(nbChars == 0)
+        return false;
+
+    wchar_t* utf16Name = new wchar_t[nbChars];
+    if( MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0,
+                            source.c_str(), -1,
+                            utf16Name, nbChars) == 0) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    dest = utf16Name;
+    delete[] utf16Name;
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool ConvertUtf16ToUtf8(const std::wstring& source, std::string& dest) {
+    int nbChars = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0,
+                                      source.c_str(), -1,
+                                      0, 0,
+                                      0, 0);
+    if(nbChars == 0)
+        return false;
+
+    char* utf8Name = new char[nbChars];
+    if( WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, 0,
+                            source.c_str(), -1,
+                            utf8Name, nbChars,
+                            0, 0) == 0) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    dest = utf8Name;
+    delete[] utf8Name;
+    return true;
+}
+
+
+} } // librs::util
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/util/rswin.h b/libretroshare/src/util/rswin.h
index 65dfd121b..f436de716 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/util/rswin.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/util/rswin.h
@@ -1,18 +1,63 @@
-#ifndef RS_UNIVERSAL_STUFF
-#define RS_UNIVERSAL_STUFF
+/****************************************************************
+ * This file is distributed under the following license:
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2010, Thomas Kister
+ *
+ *  This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ *  modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License
+ *  as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2
+ *  of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *  along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ *  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, 
+ *  Boston, MA  02110-1301, USA.
+ ****************************************************************/
 
-#if defined(WIN32) || defined(MINGW) 
 
-#include <unistd.h>
-#define sleep(x) Sleep(1000 * x)
+/**
+ * This file provides helper functions for the windows environment
+ */
+
+
+#ifndef RSWIN_H_
+#define RSWIN_H_
+
+
+#ifdef WINDOWS_SYS
+
+#ifdef _WIN32_WINNT
+#error "Please include \"util/rswin.h\" *before* any other one as _WIN32_WINNT needs to predefined"
+#endif
+
+// This defines the platform to be WinXP or later and is needed for getaddrinfo
+// It must be declared before pthread.h includes windows.h
+#define _WIN32_WINNT 0x0501
+
+#include <windows.h>
+#include <string>
 
 // For win32 systems (tested on MingW+Ubuntu)
 #define stat64 _stati64 
 
 
-#endif
+namespace librs { namespace util {
 
 
+bool ConvertUtf8ToUtf16(const std::string& source, std::wstring& dest);
 
-#endif
-	
+bool ConvertUtf16ToUtf8(const std::wstring& source, std::string& dest);
+
+
+} } // librs::util
+
+
+#endif // WINDOWS_SYS
+
+
+#endif // RSWIN_H_