diff --git a/libconfig/config_add_property.c b/libconfig/config_add_property.c
index 103e9d2..3f31255 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_add_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_add_property.c
@@ -9,16 +9,16 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_add_property(char* configuration, char* name, char* property)
+int config_add_property(int8_t* configuration, char* name, char* property)
 {
-	int index = strlen(configuration);
+	int index = strlen((char*)configuration);
 
 	if (index > 0)
 	{
 		configuration[index] = '\n';
 		index++;
 	}
-	sprintf(configuration + index, 
+	sprintf((char*)configuration + index, 
 		"%s %s", name, property);
 
 	return index;
diff --git a/libconfig/config_find_entry.c b/libconfig/config_find_entry.c
index d848df1..62dd809 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_find_entry.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_find_entry.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_find_entry(char *configuration, char *name, char *property)
+int config_find_entry(int8_t *configuration, char *name, char *property)
 {
 	int index = 0;
 	int last_index;
diff --git a/libconfig/config_find_indexed_property.c b/libconfig/config_find_indexed_property.c
index c4a8938..362e274 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_find_indexed_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_find_indexed_property.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_find_indexed_property(char *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property)
+int config_find_indexed_property(int8_t *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property)
 {
 	int index;
 	int last_index;
diff --git a/libconfig/config_get_indexed_property.c b/libconfig/config_get_indexed_property.c
index 5bafc05..b6a6333 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_get_indexed_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_get_indexed_property.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_get_indexed_property(char *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property)
+int config_get_indexed_property(int8_t *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property)
 {
 	int index ;
 	
diff --git a/libconfig/config_get_next_property.c b/libconfig/config_get_next_property.c
index fd5eeff..f42bac4 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_get_next_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_get_next_property.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ char *config_read_word(char *line, char **next)
 	return word;
 }
 
-int config_get_next_property(char *configuration, int index, char *name, char *property)
+int config_get_next_property(int8_t *configuration, int index, char *name, char *property)
 {
 	char *next_word, *next_line;
 	char *current_name, *current_property;
diff --git a/libconfig/config_get_property.c b/libconfig/config_get_property.c
index dd22f95..16489ff 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_get_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_get_property.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_get_property(char *configuration, char *name, char *property)
+int config_get_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name, char *property)
 {
 	return config_get_indexed_property(configuration, NULL, NULL, name, property);
 }
diff --git a/libconfig/config_remove_indexed_property.c b/libconfig/config_remove_indexed_property.c
index 83aba50..2a613e9 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_remove_indexed_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_remove_indexed_property.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_remove_indexed_property(char *configuration, char *index_name,
+int config_remove_indexed_property(int8_t *configuration, char *index_name,
 				    char *index_property, char *name)
 {
 	int last_index;
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ int config_remove_indexed_property(char *configuration, char *index_name,
 					 last_index, NULL, NULL);
 	if (index != -1)
 	{
-		len = strlen(configuration + index);
+		len = strlen((char*)configuration + index);
 		memmove(configuration + last_index, configuration + index, len);
 	}
 
diff --git a/libconfig/config_remove_property.c b/libconfig/config_remove_property.c
index 8001cbd..3a66cb4 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_remove_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_remove_property.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_remove_property(char *configuration, char *name)
+int config_remove_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name)
 {
 	return config_remove_indexed_property(configuration, name, NULL, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/libconfig/config_set_indexed_property.c b/libconfig/config_set_indexed_property.c
index 0c77ff0..19b7536 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_set_indexed_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_set_indexed_property.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_set_indexed_property(char *configuration, 
+int config_set_indexed_property(int8_t *configuration, 
 				 char *index_name, char *index_property, 
 				 char *name, char *property)
 {
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ int config_set_indexed_property(char *configuration,
 		{
 			/* no, we add this property at the end */
 
-			last_index = strlen(configuration);
+			last_index = strlen((char*)configuration);
 			if (last_index > 0)
 				last_index++; /* to insert a '\n' */
 			index = last_index;
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ int config_set_indexed_property(char *configuration,
 				last_index = config_find_entry(configuration + last_index, index_name, NULL);
 			if (last_index == -1)
 			{
-				last_index = strlen(configuration);
+				last_index = strlen((char*)configuration);
 				if (last_index > 0)
 					last_index++; /* to insert a '\n' */
 			}
@@ -61,22 +61,22 @@ int config_set_indexed_property(char *configuration,
 	{
 		index = config_get_next_property(configuration, last_index, NULL, NULL);
 		if (index == -1)
-			index = strlen(configuration);
+			index = strlen((char*)configuration);
 	}
 
-	len = strlen(configuration + index);
+	len = strlen((char*)configuration + index);
 	memmove(configuration + last_index + len_new,
 	       configuration + index, len);
 
 	if (last_index > 0)
 		configuration[last_index - 1] = '\n';
-	sprintf(configuration + last_index, 
+	sprintf((char*)configuration + last_index, 
 		"%s %s", name, property);
 	configuration[last_index + len_new - 1] = '\n';
 
 	/* remove ending '\n' */
 
-	len = strlen(configuration + last_index);
+	len = strlen((char*)configuration + last_index);
 	if (configuration[last_index + len - 1] == '\n')
 		len--;
 	configuration[last_index + len] = 0;
diff --git a/libconfig/config_set_property.c b/libconfig/config_set_property.c
index b27632f..efd24ef 100644
--- a/libconfig/config_set_property.c
+++ b/libconfig/config_set_property.c
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "libconfig.h"
 
-int config_set_property(char *configuration, char *name, char *property)
+int config_set_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name, char *property)
 {
 	return config_set_indexed_property(configuration, NULL, NULL, 
 					   name, property);
diff --git a/libconfig/libconfig.h b/libconfig/libconfig.h
index 6355560..fa2a58f 100644
--- a/libconfig/libconfig.h
+++ b/libconfig/libconfig.h
@@ -4,14 +4,16 @@
  *
  */
 
+#include <sys/types.h>
+
 extern char *config_read_word(char *line, char **next);
-extern int config_get_next_property(char *configuration, int index, char *name, char *property);
-extern int config_get_indexed_property(char *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property);
-extern int config_get_property(char *configuration, char *name, char *property);
-extern int config_remove_property(char *configuration, char *name);
-extern int config_set_property(char *configuration, char *name, char *property);
-extern int config_set_indexed_property(char *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property);
-extern int config_remove_indexed_property(char *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name);
-extern int config_find_indexed_property(char *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property);
-extern int config_find_entry(char *configuration, char *name, char *property);
-extern int config_add_property(char* configuration, char* name, char* property);
+extern int config_get_next_property(int8_t *configuration, int index, char *name, char *property);
+extern int config_get_indexed_property(int8_t *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property);
+extern int config_get_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name, char *property);
+extern int config_remove_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name);
+extern int config_set_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name, char *property);
+extern int config_set_indexed_property(int8_t *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property);
+extern int config_remove_indexed_property(int8_t *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name);
+extern int config_find_indexed_property(int8_t *configuration, char *index_name, char *index_property, char *name, char *property);
+extern int config_find_entry(int8_t *configuration, char *name, char *property);
+extern int config_add_property(int8_t* configuration, char* name, char* property);
diff --git a/libemile/emile_second_get_configuration.c b/libemile/emile_second_get_configuration.c
index 8914d18..f88e970 100644
--- a/libemile/emile_second_get_configuration.c
+++ b/libemile/emile_second_get_configuration.c
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
 #include "libemile.h"
 #include "emile.h"
 
-char* emile_second_get_configuration(int fd)
+int8_t* emile_second_get_configuration(int fd)
 {
-	char *conf = NULL;
+	int8_t *conf = NULL;
 	emile_l2_header_t header;
 	int ret;
 	int size;
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ char* emile_second_get_configuration(int fd)
 		goto exit;
 
 	size = read_short(&header.conf_size);
-	conf = (char*)malloc(size);
+	conf = (int8_t*)malloc(size);
 	if (conf == NULL)
 		goto exit;
 
diff --git a/libemile/emile_second_get_param.c b/libemile/emile_second_get_param.c
index df072a2..8826d12 100644
--- a/libemile/emile_second_get_param.c
+++ b/libemile/emile_second_get_param.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ int emile_second_get_param(int fd, char *kernel, char *parameters, char *initrd)
 {
 	int ret;
 	int drive, second, size;
-	char *configuration;
+	int8_t *configuration;
 
 	/* can work on an image or directly on second level file */
 
diff --git a/libemile/emile_second_set_configuration.c b/libemile/emile_second_set_configuration.c
index ddb5f4d..9218570 100644
--- a/libemile/emile_second_set_configuration.c
+++ b/libemile/emile_second_set_configuration.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include "emile.h"
 #include "bootblock.h"
 
-int emile_second_set_configuration(int fd, char *configuration)
+int emile_second_set_configuration(int fd, int8_t *configuration)
 {
 	emile_l2_header_t header;
 	int ret;
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ int emile_second_set_configuration(int fd, char *configuration)
 	if (configuration == NULL)
 		return EEMILE_CANNOT_READ_SECOND;
 
-	len = strlen (configuration) + 1;	/* + 1 for ending 0 */
+	len = strlen ((char*)configuration) + 1;	/* + 1 for ending 0 */
 
 	memset(&header, 0, sizeof(header));
 
diff --git a/libemile/emile_second_set_param.c b/libemile/emile_second_set_param.c
index 8c692af..75ddf22 100644
--- a/libemile/emile_second_set_param.c
+++ b/libemile/emile_second_set_param.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 int emile_second_set_param(int fd, char *kernel, char *parameters, char *initrd)
 {
 	int ret;
-	char *configuration;
+	int8_t *configuration;
 	off_t offset;
 
 	offset = lseek(fd, 0, SEEK_CUR);
diff --git a/libemile/libemile.h b/libemile/libemile.h
index dc9e888..eced52d 100644
--- a/libemile/libemile.h
+++ b/libemile/libemile.h
@@ -135,12 +135,12 @@ extern int emile_map_set_bootinfo(emile_map_t *map, int bootstart, int bootsize,
 extern int emile_map_set_driver_info(emile_map_t *map, int number, int block, int size, int type);
 extern int emile_map_set_driver_number(emile_map_t *map, int number);
 extern int emile_block0_write(emile_map_t *map);
-extern char* emile_second_get_configuration(int fd);
-extern int emile_second_set_configuration(int fd, char *configuration);
-extern int emile_second_get_next_property(char *configuration, int index, char *name, char *property);
-extern int emile_second_get_property(char *configuration, char *name, char *property);
-extern void emile_second_set_property(char *configuration, char *name, char *property);
-extern void emile_second_remove_property(char *configuration, char *name);
+extern int8_t* emile_second_get_configuration(int fd);
+extern int emile_second_set_configuration(int fd, int8_t *configuration);
+extern int emile_second_get_next_property(int8_t *configuration, int index, char *name, char *property);
+extern int emile_second_get_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name, char *property);
+extern void emile_second_set_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name, char *property);
+extern void emile_second_remove_property(int8_t *configuration, char *name);
 extern int emile_second_set_param(int fd, char *kernel, char *parameters, char *initrd);
 extern int emile_second_get_param(int fd, char *kernel, char *parameters, char *initrd);
 extern unsigned long emile_map_get_driver_signature(emile_map_t* map);
diff --git a/tools/emile-install.c b/tools/emile-install.c
index f1a78a8..8245ac2 100644
--- a/tools/emile-install.c
+++ b/tools/emile-install.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static int get_info(char *image, int verbose)
 	int drive_num;
 	int second_offset;
 	int second_size;
-	char * configuration;
+	int8_t * configuration;
 	char property[1024];
 	char title[1024];
 	int index;
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ static int set_config(char *image, int verbose, char *config_path,
 	char* kernel_image = NULL;
 	char* ramdisk = NULL;
 	emile_config* config;
-	char *configuration;
+	int8_t *configuration;
 	int timeout;
 	int gestaltid;
 	int default_entry;
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ static int set_config(char *image, int verbose, char *config_path,
 	if (kernel_ondisk != NULL)
 		free(kernel_ondisk);
 
-	if (strlen(configuration) > 1023)
+	if (strlen((char*)configuration) > 1023)
 	{
 		int tmpfd;
 		char *conf;
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ static int set_config(char *image, int verbose, char *config_path,
 				"         will store it at end of floppy\n");
 
 		tmpfd = mkstemp(tmpfile);
-		write(tmpfd, configuration, strlen(configuration) + 1);
+		write(tmpfd, configuration, strlen((char*)configuration) + 1);
 		close(tmpfd);
 
 		conf = emile_floppy_add(fd, tmpfile);
diff --git a/tools/emile-set-output.c b/tools/emile-set-output.c
index 52617d9..5ff9637 100644
--- a/tools/emile-set-output.c
+++ b/tools/emile-set-output.c
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ static void usage(int argc, char** argv)
 static int display_output(char* image)
 {
 	int drive, second, size;
-	char *configuration;
+	int8_t *configuration;
 	char property[256];
 
 	int fd;
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ static int set_output(char* image,
 	int drive, second, size;
 	int fd;
 	int ret;
-	char *configuration;
+	int8_t *configuration;
 	char property[32];
 	int offset;
 
diff --git a/tools/emile.c b/tools/emile.c
index 391eda4..42704a5 100644
--- a/tools/emile.c
+++ b/tools/emile.c
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ static char *get_map_name(char *filename)
 }
 
 
-static int add_file(char *configuration,
+static int add_file(int8_t *configuration,
 		    char *index, char *property, char *path, char *map_path)
 {
 	struct emile_container *container;
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ static int add_file(char *configuration,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static char *set_config(emile_config *config, int drive)
+static int8_t *set_config(emile_config *config, int drive)
 {
 	int default_entry;
 	int gestaltid;
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ static char *set_config(emile_config *config, int drive)
 	char *title;
 	char buf[16];
 	int ret;
-	char *configuration;
+	int8_t *configuration;
 
 	configuration = malloc(65536);
 	if (configuration == NULL)
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ static char *set_config(emile_config *config, int drive)
 		}
 	} while (!emile_config_read_next(config));
 
-	if (strlen(configuration) > 1023)
+	if (strlen((char*)configuration) > 1023)
 	{
 		int fd;
 		char* bootconfig = "/boot/emile/.bootconfig";
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ static char *set_config(emile_config *config, int drive)
 			
 		}
 
-		write(fd, configuration, strlen(configuration) + 1);
+		write(fd, configuration, strlen((char*)configuration) + 1);
 		close(fd);
 		free(configuration);
 
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	emile_config *config;
 	int drive, second, size;
 	int fd;
-	char *configuration;
+	int8_t *configuration;
 
 	while(1)
 	{