Virtual Driver

NTDEV
1

Hi.

I have been wondering, why do some programs have a single driver for multiple operating systems? I didn’t think this was possible. It’s a virtual driver but I thought you had to compile for a single operating system.

Is it possible for me then to compile one driver for multiple operating systems? I.e. 32bit and 64bit Windows XP/Vista/7 operating systems.

Thanks.

2

> Is it possible for me then to compile one driver for multiple operating systems? I.e. 32bit and 64bit

Windows XP/Vista/7 operating systems.

If you don’t want to use the new OS’s APIs - then compile for the oldest OS.

Even in this case you can use the new APIs by MmGetSystemRoutineAddress

–
Maxim S. Shatskih
Windows DDK MVP
xxxxx@storagecraft.com
http://www.storagecraft.com

3

And you still won’t be able to produce a single 32/64 binary.

mm

4

Are you sure it is a single *implementation*?

The INFs for 32-bit (NTx86) and 64-bit (NTamd64 or NTia64) will be
different.
The CATs will be different.
The .SYS will be different.

They might not have names that are different across the platforms because
the package for platform X is not going to install on platform Y anyway.

Are you sure that you have found a package with a single driver for both x86
and amd64 platforms?

Cheers,
Dave Cattley

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of
xxxxx@hotmail.co.uk
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 4:45 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] Virtual Driver

Hi.

I have been wondering, why do some programs have a single driver for
multiple operating systems? I didn’t think this was possible. It’s a virtual
driver but I thought you had to compile for a single operating system.

Is it possible for me then to compile one driver for multiple operating
systems? I.e. 32bit and 64bit Windows XP/Vista/7 operating systems.

Thanks.

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

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5

Yes, you need different .SYS for NTx86, NTamd64 and NTia64 (hopefully built from one set of source files), but they can all be referenced and installed from one .INF and covered by one .CAT. Look at the samples in the WDK.

Tim Green
Development Engineer
DisplayLink (UK) Limited
Registered in England No. 04811048

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com [mailto:bounce-398898-
xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of David R. Cattley
Sent: 01 February 2010 14:14
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: RE: [ntdev] Virtual Driver

Are you sure it is a single *implementation*?

The INFs for 32-bit (NTx86) and 64-bit (NTamd64 or NTia64) will be
different.
The CATs will be different.
The .SYS will be different.

They might not have names that are different across the platforms because
the package for platform X is not going to install on platform Y anyway.

Are you sure that you have found a package with a single driver for both x86
and amd64 platforms?

Cheers,
Dave Cattley

-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of
xxxxx@hotmail.co.uk
Sent: Monday, February 01, 2010 4:45 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: [ntdev] Virtual Driver

Hi.

I have been wondering, why do some programs have a single driver for
multiple operating systems? I didn’t think this was possible. It’s a virtual
driver but I thought you had to compile for a single operating system.

Is it possible for me then to compile one driver for multiple operating
systems? I.e. 32bit and 64bit Windows XP/Vista/7 operating systems.

Thanks.

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

NTDEV is sponsored by OSR

For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
http://www.osr.com/seminars

To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer