diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 28970530..4812aa23 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -7,10 +7,16 @@ pkg_v_rc_ = $(pkg_v_rc_$(AM_DEFAULT_VERBOSITY))
 pkg_v_rc_0 = @echo "  RC     $@";
 
 rufus_rc.o: rufus.rc
-	$(pkg_v_rc)$(LIBTOOL) $(AM_V_lt) $(AM_LIBTOOLFLAGS) $(LIBTOOLFLAGS) --tag=RC --mode=compile $(RC) $(ARCH_RCFLAGS) -i $< -o $@
+	$(pkg_v_rc)$(WINDRES) -i $< -o $@
 
-rufus_SOURCES = fat12.c fat16.c fat32.c br.c file.c drive.c msdos.c format.c stdio.c stdlg.c rufus.c  
+rufus_SOURCES = fat12.c fat16.c fat32.c br.c file.c drive.c msdos.c format.c stdio.c stdlg.c rufus.c
 rufus_CFLAGS = -I./inc $(ARCH_CFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS)
 # static ensures that the exe can be shared as a standalone, and still allow driver installation
 rufus_LDFLAGS = $(AM_LDFLAGS) -mwindows -static
 rufus_LDADD = rufus_rc.o -lsetupapi -lole32 -lgdi32
+
+# This step produces the UPX compressed and signed release that is made available for public download
+release: rufus.exe
+	@$(STRIP) rufus.exe
+	@upx rufus.exe
+	@cmd.exe /k _sign.bat rufus.exe
diff --git a/_sign.bat b/_sign.bat
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..adffadb8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_sign.bat
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+:retry
+@set password=
+@set /p password=Please enter PFX password: 
+@E:\WinDDK\7600.16385.0\bin\amd64\signtool sign /v /f D:\Secured\akeo\pbatard.p12 /p %password% /t http://time.certum.pl %1
+@if ERRORLEVEL 1 goto retry
+@set password=
+@exit 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 04b43909..9990afc6 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -10,11 +10,13 @@ m4_ifdef([AM_SILENT_RULES], [AM_SILENT_RULES([yes])],
 
 AC_PREREQ([2.50])
 AC_PROG_CC
-AC_PROG_LIBTOOL
-LT_LANG([Windows Resource])
+AC_PATH_PROG(RM, rm, rm)
+AC_CHECK_TOOL(STRIP, strip, strip)
+AC_CHECK_TOOL(WINDRES, windres, windres)
 AC_C_INLINE
 AM_PROG_CC_C_O
 AC_DEFINE([_GNU_SOURCE], [], [Use GNU extensions])
+AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([development environment])
 case $host in
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ case $host in
 esac
 
 AM_CFLAGS="${AM_CFLAGS} -DWINVER=0x501 -D_WIN32_IE=0x501"
-AM_LDFLAGS="${AM_LDFLAGS} -no-undefined -avoid-version"
+AM_LDFLAGS="${AM_LDFLAGS} -Wl,-no-undefined"
 
 # Debug logging
 #AC_ARG_ENABLE([log], [AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-log], [enable logging (default y)])],
@@ -60,8 +62,6 @@ AM_CFLAGS="$AM_CFLAGS -std=gnu99 -Wall -Wundef -Wunused -Wstrict-prototypes -Wer
 AC_SUBST([VISIBILITY_CFLAGS])
 AC_SUBST([AM_CFLAGS])
 AC_SUBST([AM_LDFLAGS])
-AC_SUBST([LIBCONFIG_CFLAGS])
-AC_SUBST([LIBCONFIG_LIBADD])
 
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([Makefile])
 AC_OUTPUT
diff --git a/mf b/mkf
similarity index 89%
rename from mf
rename to mkf
index 3786d911..e6da915c 100644
--- a/mf
+++ b/mkf
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ all: $(TARGET)
 $(TARGET): $(OBJECTS) $(TARGET)_rc.o
 	@echo "[CCLD]  $@"
 	@$(CC) $(LDFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJECTS) $(TARGET)_rc.o $(LIBS)
-	@$(STRIP) $(TARGET).exe
 
 %.o: %.c
 	@echo "[CC]    $@"
@@ -46,3 +45,9 @@ $(TARGET): $(OBJECTS) $(TARGET)_rc.o
 
 clean:
 	rm -f *.exe *.o
+
+# This step produces the UPX compressed and signed release that is made available for public download
+release: $(TARGET)
+	@$(STRIP) $(TARGET).exe
+	@upx $(TARGET).exe
+	@cmd.exe /k _sign.bat rufus.exe
diff --git a/rufus.rc b/rufus.rc
index b9d7ad07..97adfbb0 100644
--- a/rufus.rc
+++ b/rufus.rc
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_NEUTRAL
 IDD_DIALOG DIALOGEX 12, 12, 206, 263
 STYLE DS_SETFONT | DS_MODALFRAME | DS_FIXEDSYS | WS_POPUP | WS_CAPTION | WS_SYSMENU
 EXSTYLE WS_EX_APPWINDOW
-CAPTION "Rufus v1.0.1.68"
+CAPTION "Rufus v1.0.1.69"
 FONT 8, "MS Shell Dlg", 400, 0, 0x1
 BEGIN
     DEFPUSHBUTTON   "Start",IDC_START,94,223,50,14
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ BEGIN
     DEFPUSHBUTTON   "OK",IDOK,231,175,50,14,WS_GROUP
     CONTROL         "<a href=""https://github.com/pbatard/rufus/wiki/Rufus"">https://github.com/pbatard/rufus</a>",IDC_ABOUT_RUFUS_URL,
                     "SysLink",WS_TABSTOP,46,47,114,9
-    LTEXT           "Version 1.0.1 (Build 68)",IDC_STATIC,46,19,78,8
+    LTEXT           "Version 1.0.1 (Build 69)",IDC_STATIC,46,19,78,8
     PUSHBUTTON      "License...",IDC_ABOUT_LICENSE,46,175,50,14,WS_GROUP
     EDITTEXT        IDC_ABOUT_COPYRIGHTS,46,107,235,63,ES_MULTILINE | ES_READONLY | WS_VSCROLL
     LTEXT           "Report bugs or request enhancements at:",IDC_STATIC,46,66,187,8
@@ -162,8 +162,8 @@ END
 //
 
 VS_VERSION_INFO VERSIONINFO
- FILEVERSION 1,0,1,68
- PRODUCTVERSION 1,0,1,68
+ FILEVERSION 1,0,1,69
+ PRODUCTVERSION 1,0,1,69
  FILEFLAGSMASK 0x3fL
 #ifdef _DEBUG
  FILEFLAGS 0x1L
@@ -180,13 +180,13 @@ BEGIN
         BEGIN
             VALUE "CompanyName", "akeo.ie"
             VALUE "FileDescription", "Rufus"
-            VALUE "FileVersion", "1.0.1.68"
+            VALUE "FileVersion", "1.0.1.69"
             VALUE "InternalName", "Rufus"
             VALUE "LegalCopyright", "© 2011 Pete Batard (GPL v3)"
             VALUE "LegalTrademarks", "http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html"
             VALUE "OriginalFilename", "rufus.exe"
             VALUE "ProductName", "Rufus"
-            VALUE "ProductVersion", "1.0.1.68"
+            VALUE "ProductVersion", "1.0.1.69"
         END
     END
     BLOCK "VarFileInfo"