Technical Document #2

Technical Document #2
Version: 6.1.1 and below

What is KernelDriver?



KernelDriver enables you to use the same driver development environment from WinDriver, to create a full kernel mode device driver. This tool-kit is generally required for creating standard operating system internal drivers that must communicate with the operating system or must be implemented in the kernel. KernelDriver provides a hardware access API in the kernel mode, which is portable across the supported operating systems.

Currently the KernelDriver tool-kit supports the following operating systems:

For PCI/ISA — Windows 95/98/Me (Windows 95 with KernelDriver 5.2.2 or lower), Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Linux (with KernelDriver 5.2.2 or lower).

For USB — Windows 98/Me, Windows 2000, and Windows XP.


Steps to creating a driver with KernelDriver:

  1. Use the wizard (included) to diagnose your hardware and detect/define the basic hardware information for your driver.
  2. Generate the driver code and modify it (if necessary) to suit your desired driver functionality, either using the wizard or a sample.
  3. Compile and build your driver.
  4. Install and run your driver on your target machine.
  5. Debug your driver.
  6. Distribute your driver.
NOTE: You can also jump-start your driver development by using one of the KernelDriver samples, which best suites your driver.

Please refer to Technical Document #3 to help you select the right tool for your specific development needs.

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