rdrand doesn't work on windows.

[marshonhuckleberry]

1. installing python 3.8 in windows 10 x64
2. starting cmd and typing "pip install ." in unzipped folder or "pip install rdrand"
3. big failure, errors, etc.
   rdrand has a dedicated documentation website also readme information but everything is crap, only useless words, nothing actually usefull to make it work, my intuition says noone will solve this issue

[stillson]

Yes, this is known problem. I don't have a windows machine so there is no way I can fix this. If you have access to a compiler, I would be happy to take patches.

[bashtage]

There is a version in randomgen that works with Windows (and has wheels available). It is for either direct use getting 64-bit values or with a NumPy Generator object.

[stillson]

Umm, this is still a problem.

I finally got it to work with windows, Here are the steps i took: (keep in mind that some steps may be unnecessary )

1. download mingw64 (0x86_64,Posix ).
2. add mingw64 bin directory to The OS' PATH variable.
3. download "rdrand-1.5.0.tar.gz" from pypi.
4. extract it into "C:\rdrand-1.5.0" to make it easier to work with
5. change the "cpuid" function in rdrand.c as follows: (only to solve the "invalid instruction suffix for `push'" error)

cpuid(unsigned int op, unsigned int subfunc, unsigned int reg[4])
{

#if USING_GCC && IS64BIT
    __cpuid(reg, op, subfunc);
#else
    asm volatile("pushl %%ebx      \n\t" /* save %ebx */
                 "cpuid            \n\t"
                 "movl %%ebx, %1   \n\t" /* save what cpuid just put in %ebx */
                 "popl %%ebx       \n\t" /* restore the old %ebx */
                 : "=a"(reg[0]), "=r"(reg[1]), "=c"(reg[2]), "=d"(reg[3])
                 : "a"(op), "c"(subfunc)
                 : "cc");
#endif
}

To :

cpuid(unsigned int op, unsigned int subfunc, unsigned int reg[4])
{

#if USING_GCC && IS64BIT
    __cpuid(reg, op, subfunc);
#elif USING_GCC
	asm volatile("push %%rbx      \n\t" /* save %ebx */
                 "cpuid            \n\t"
                 "movl %%ebx, %1   \n\t" /* save what cpuid just put in %ebx */
                 "pop %%rbx       \n\t" /* restore the old %ebx */
                 : "=a"(reg[0]), "=r"(reg[1]), "=c"(reg[2]), "=d"(reg[3])
                 : "a"(op), "c"(subfunc)
                 : "cc");
#else
    asm volatile("pushl %%ebx      \n\t" /* save %ebx */
                 "cpuid            \n\t"
                 "movl %%ebx, %1   \n\t" /* save what cpuid just put in %ebx */
                 "popl %%ebx       \n\t" /* restore the old %ebx */
                 : "=a"(reg[0]), "=r"(reg[1]), "=c"(reg[2]), "=d"(reg[3])
                 : "a"(op), "c"(subfunc)
                 : "cc");
#endif
}

6. change ("C:\Path\to\python_env\Lib\distutils\cygwinccompiler.py") as follows: (only to solve the error: \path\to\mingw\bin\ld.exe: cannot find -msvcr140)
   (Credits)

    ```
    ## Original :
    # elif int(msc_ver) >= 1900:
        ## VS2015 / MSVC 14.0
        # return ['msvcr140']
    ## End Original.
    
    elif int(msc_ver) >= 1900:
      # Visual Studio 2015 / Visual C++ 14.0
      # "msvcr140.dll no longer exists" http://blogs.msdn.com/b/vcblog/archive/2014/06/03/visual-studio-14-ctp.aspx
      return ['vcruntime140']
      
    ## End Patch.
   ```
   

7. copy ("C:\Path\to\python_env\vcruntime140.dll") to clipboard (only to solve the error: ld.exe: cannot find -lvcruntime140)
   and paste it in C:\Path\to\mingw64\lib\gcc\x86_64-w64-mingw32\8.1.0(or your version).

8. open anaconda prompt and activate your envirement ( or just CMD if you don't use anaconda ) and do this commands:

cd c:\rdrand-1.5.0
python setup.py build -c mingw32
python setup.py install

( a bit late but maybe ( i didn't try it) you can just recompress into zip the rdrand-1.5.0 directory to rdrand-1.5.0.tar.gz (it should be rdrand-1.5.0.tar.gz>rdrand-1.5.0>HERE_SETUP_FILES), then follow this (tutorial) to make pip use mingw32 compiler, then just pip install c:\rdrand-1.5.0.tar.gz
EDIT: this will make it easier to uninstall since installing using the first method will make you unable to pip uninstall rdrand unlike using this method )
EDIT_2: That did work, and it actually made uninstalling easier.

for those who just want the wheel this is the wheel for windows x64 python 3.8 :

rdrand-1.5.0-cp38-cp38-win_amd64.whl.zip

btw @stillson , i'm not sure but i think that the line 448 in rdrand.c which is:
fill_buf_using_rdrand(udata, nq);
should be:
fill(udata, nq);
or else get_bytes will always return rdrand_get_bytes whether it's called from rdrand_get_bytes or rdseed_get_bytes

[zittox]

unable to install in win 10 / python 3.10

do i need c++ to install this ?

"""error: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 or greater is required.""

Collecting rdrand
Using cached rdrand-1.5.0.tar.gz (6.2 kB)
Preparing metadata (setup.py) ... done
Building wheels for collected packages: rdrand
Building wheel for rdrand (setup.py) ... error
ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1:
command: 'd:\py\python.exe' -u -c 'import io, os, sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a\setup.py'"'"'; file='"'"'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a\setup.py'"'"';f = getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(file) if os.path.exists(file) else io.StringIO('"'"'from setuptools import setup; setup()'"'"');code = f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, file, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' bdist_wheel -d 'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-wheel-futcuvrp'
cwd: C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a
Complete output (52 lines):
running bdist_wheel
running build
running build_py
creating build
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.10
copying rdrand.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.10
running build_ext
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "", line 1, in
File "C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a\setup.py", line 3, in
setup(name='rdrand',
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\core.py", line 148, in setup
return run_commands(dist)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\core.py", line 163, in run_commands
dist.run_commands()
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\dist.py", line 967, in run_commands
self.run_command(cmd)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\dist.py", line 986, in run_command
cmd_obj.run()
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\wheel\bdist_wheel.py", line 299, in run
self.run_command('build')
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\cmd.py", line 313, in run_command
self.distribution.run_command(command)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\dist.py", line 986, in run_command
cmd_obj.run()
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\command\build.py", line 135, in run
self.run_command(cmd_name)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\cmd.py", line 313, in run_command
self.distribution.run_command(command)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\dist.py", line 986, in run_command
cmd_obj.run()
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools\command\build_ext.py", line 79, in run
_build_ext.run(self)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\command\build_ext.py", line 339, in run
self.build_extensions()
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\command\build_ext.py", line 448, in build_extensions
self._build_extensions_serial()
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\command\build_ext.py", line 473, in _build_extensions_serial
self.build_extension(ext)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools\command\build_ext.py", line 202, in build_extension
_build_ext.build_extension(self, ext)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils\command\build_ext.py", line 528, in build_extension
objects = self.compiler.compile(sources,
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils_msvccompiler.py", line 327, in compile
self.initialize()
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools_distutils_msvccompiler.py", line 224, in initialize
vc_env = _get_vc_env(plat_spec)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools\msvc.py", line 316, in msvc14_get_vc_env
return _msvc14_get_vc_env(plat_spec)
File "d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools\msvc.py", line 270, in _msvc14_get_vc_env
raise distutils.errors.DistutilsPlatformError(
setuptools._distutils.errors.DistutilsPlatformError: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 or greater is required. Get it with "Microsoft C++ Build Tools": https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/visual-cpp-build-tools/

ERROR: Failed building wheel for rdrand
Running setup.py clean for rdrand
Failed to build rdrand
Installing collected packages: rdrand
Running setup.py install for rdrand ... error
ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1:
command: 'd:\py\python.exe' -u -c 'import io, os, sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a\setup.py'"'"'; file='"'"'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a\setup.py'"'"';f = getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(file) if os.path.exists(file) else io.StringIO('"'"'from setuptools import setup; setup()'"'"');code = f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, file, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' install --record 'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-record-0_5he0ym\install-record.txt' --single-version-externally-managed --compile --install-headers 'd:\py\Include\rdrand'
cwd: C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a
Complete output (10 lines):
running install
d:\py\lib\site-packages\setuptools\command\install.py:34: SetuptoolsDeprecationWarning: setup.py install is deprecated. Use build and pip and other standards-based tools.
warnings.warn(
running build
running build_py
creating build
creating build\lib.win-amd64-3.10
copying rdrand.py -> build\lib.win-amd64-3.10
running build_ext
error: Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 or greater is required. Get it with "Microsoft C++ Build Tools": https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/visual-cpp-build-tools/
----------------------------------------
ERROR: Command errored out with exit status 1: 'd:\py\python.exe' -u -c 'import io, os, sys, setuptools, tokenize; sys.argv[0] = '"'"'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a\setup.py'"'"'; file='"'"'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-install-73knr4q4\rdrand_f72a1e0e5ead4268a69842ace028799a\setup.py'"'"';f = getattr(tokenize, '"'"'open'"'"', open)(file) if os.path.exists(file) else io.StringIO('"'"'from setuptools import setup; setup()'"'"');code = f.read().replace('"'"'\r\n'"'"', '"'"'\n'"'"');f.close();exec(compile(code, file, '"'"'exec'"'"'))' install --record 'C:\Users\zuckforks\AppData\Local\Temp\pip-record-0_5he0ym\install-record.txt' --single-version-externally-managed --compile --install-headers 'd:\py\Include\rdrand' Check the logs for full command output.

[jdb130496]

Prerequisites:
mingw64 tool-chain required, which includes - gcc / g++, etc. I used bash in Msys to build this package - did not use Visual Studio.

Steps in brief:

1. Cloning this repository and navigating to that folder.
2. change rdrand.c - cpuid - as below (Already guidance in detail as above):

cpuid(unsigned int op, unsigned int subfunc, unsigned int reg[4])
{

#if USING_GCC && IS64BIT
__cpuid(reg, op, subfunc);
#elif USING_GCC
asm volatile("push %%rbx \n\t" /* save %ebx /
"cpuid \n\t"
"movl %%ebx, %1 \n\t" / save what cpuid just put in %ebx /
"pop %%rbx \n\t" / restore the old %ebx /
: "=a"(reg[0]), "=r"(reg[1]), "=c"(reg[2]), "=d"(reg[3])
: "a"(op), "c"(subfunc)
: "cc");
#else
asm volatile("pushl %%ebx \n\t" / save %ebx /
"cpuid \n\t"
"movl %%ebx, %1 \n\t" / save what cpuid just put in %ebx /
"popl %%ebx \n\t" / restore the old %ebx */
: "=a"(reg[0]), "=r"(reg[1]), "=c"(reg[2]), "=d"(reg[3])
: "a"(op), "c"(subfunc)
: "cc");
#endif
}

3. Change of Setup.py: distutils deprecated so changed as under:

from setuptools import setup, Extension
import os

os.environ["CC"] = "gcc"
os.environ["CXX"] = "g++"

setup(
name='rdrand',
version='1.5.0',
description="Python interface to Intel hardware rng",
long_description= "".join(open('rdrandom.rst').readlines()),
author="Chris Stillson",
author_email="stillson@gmail.com",
url='https://github.com/stillson/rdrand',
license="New BSD license",
ext_modules=[Extension('_rdrand', ['rdrand.c'])],
py_modules = ['rdrand'],
keywords = ['rdrand', 'rdseed', "intel","hardware","random","number","generator","rng"],
data_files=[('share', ['rdrandom.rst'])],
classifiers = ["Development Status :: 4 - Beta",
"Intended Audience :: Developers",
"Intended Audience :: Science/Research",
"License :: OSI Approved :: BSD License",
"Programming Language :: Python",
"Programming Language :: Python :: 2",
"Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
"Topic :: Security",
"Topic :: Security :: Cryptography",],
extras_require={
'tests': [],
'docs': [
'sphinx >= 1.4',
'sphinx_rtd_theme']}
)

4. vcruntime file copy:

copy ("C:\Path\to\python_env\vcruntime140.dll") to clipboard (only to solve the error: ld.exe: cannot find -lvcruntime140)
and paste it in C:\Path\to\mingw64\lib\gcc\x86_64-w64-mingw32\8.1.0(or your version). My path was : D:\Programs\mingw64\lib\gcc\x86_64-w64-mingw32\13.2.0

5. From rdrand directory issue command:

py setup.py build -c mingw32

6. finally (in rdrand folder):

pip install . (avoid using py setup.py install as eggs will be deprecated in future - I saw warning doing this way for another package / library)

..... Update ... 02/25/2025:

As stated above (ghost), I further modified rdrand.c - reproducing verbatim what he has mentioned - except that it was line 440 in my case instead of line 448.

"btw @stillson , i'm not sure but i think that the line 448 in rdrand.c which is:
fill_buf_using_rdrand(udata, nq);
should be:
fill(udata, nq);
or else get_bytes will always return rdrand_get_bytes whether it's called from rdrand_get_bytes or rdseed_get_bytes"

Needed to change this part in rdrand.c as bcopy gave compilation error in msys on mingw gcc compilation:

if(num_chars)
{
rando = quad();
//bcopy((char*)&rando, &data[num_quads * 8], num_chars);
memcpy(&data[num_quads * 8], (char*)&rando, num_chars);
}