how to start making windows drivers?

[san_crazy]

I am about to develop drivers for windows as i have to make a project on that.

I have gone through the resources available at msdn library, but I am still not getting how can I do practice on making those.
what software I should install , is that WDK or anything else?
and after installing where should i start from?

regards
san

[patio]

You are going to start writing device drivers for Windows ? ?
What devices ?
How much time do you have ? ?
What programming languages are you fluent in ?
Will you be paid for this work ? ?

[BC_Programmer]

Windows DDK.

[san_crazy]

You are going to start writing device drivers for Windows ? ?
What devices ?
How much time do you have ? ?
What programming languages are you fluent in ?
Will you be paid for this work ? ?

yes, for windows

any device like keyboard, mouse, adapters, video cards, sound cards, usb  ports, HDD ....etc. by the way, which device will be best to start from?

I have enough time around 6 months.

I want to make these in C and also C++ if required.

no I will not be paid. I am making these as my major project

[Aegis]

Your major project?  As in thesis work?  Have you discussed this with your thesis adviser?   

I'd start by trying to find some open-source drivers, so you can see the kind of coding that goes into something like this.

Be very careful not to "reverse engineer" your drivers from existing driver software.  It is not well liked, and could lead to legal problems for you.

I would think that in order to write drivers for Windows, you'd need to be familiar with at least some aspects of the Windows kernel.

Have you been in touch with, or spoken to, anyone who writes driver software?

It seems like you know a couple of languages.  How many lines is the largest program you've written, so far?

[san_crazy]

well, I had written around 1000 lines of code to complete a project in C using structures and pointers.

[BC_Programmer]

well, I had written around 1000 lines of code to complete a project in C using structures and pointers.

1000 lines is about the number of lines it takes to make a Windows Program that does nothing but show a window...

alright- any experience with the Windows API? or IRPs or PTEs? Or IRQLs? Ring 0 and Ring 2? VTables? User Mode Vs Kernel Mode?


Also, you won't be able to debug it- Drivers will Blue Screen if they cause an error.

[Aegis]

Don't get me wrong, san -- I admire that you want to do this!  I, too, would like to write open-source drivers, and hardly know where to start, because I haven't programmed anything for about 25 years.

It seems like BC Programmer knows more specifics about the Windows environment than me -- I just have general knowledge.

I just don't want you to get two or three months into this thing, and find out you're in way too deep, with no real resources to help you out.

[san_crazy]

alright- any experience with the Windows API? or IRPs or PTEs? Or IRQLs? Ring 0 and Ring 2? VTables? User Mode Vs Kernel Mode?


Also, you won't be able to debug it- Drivers will Blue Screen if they cause an error.

i dont know either of this, well you better tell me what are the things in C i should give the emphasis on most to start off my work.  and after then what else I should go for?

[BC_Programmer]

The DDK. I've already said this. You'll need to download the DDK- and, if you don't have it, the SDK.

You'll need to essentially learn the Windows API and the Driver Development Kit, both of which could take a VERY long time.

There are a few technical articles on MSDN that discuss drivers, but they are fairly limited- most of the knowledge about developing drivers likely lies with the hardware vendors that have been doing it for years.

Developing drivers for windows is probably one of the most difficult things you can do- you need an intimate understanding of the windows kernel and how drivers in Ring 0 communicate with User mode application and vice versa.


which C compiler are you using?

[san_crazy]

turbo c (tcc)

would you suggest such forums where most of the vendors come online?

[BC_Programmer]

turbo c- NOT happening. You can't compile win32 programs with Turbo C, AFAIK.

[san_crazy]

then which compiler I should use?

well, by now   I have downloaded set up files of microsoft DDK SP1 and microsoft virtual PC to work upon but there is a problem installing DDK SP1.
at the microsoft site where I downloaded the ISO file from, instruction is there to burn the ISO file to a CD or DVD and then install it. I am doing as i have been instructed but after burning the ISO file on CD when I try to install it, it is not getting run however I have been rather asked for the application on which it would be run.
do you have some idea about this issue?

and what about the help forums?

[BC_Programmer]

Compiler to use would likely be the Microsoft compiler- for C/C++, it's really the only compiler that can generate code that will work for a driver...


is the installer an MSI file?

[san_crazy]

its not an MSI file.  its just an ISO file
here it is

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/ddk/default.mspx