WRITING WINDOWS NT KERNEL-MODE DEVICE DRIVERS.

A PRACTICAL HANDS-ON APPROACH.

A Professional Training Course in Writing a Windows NT Device Driver

Overview

This course provides a thorough grounding in Window NT Kernel-Mode device driver development. Our approach is operational, emphasizing the methodology and technical skills that must be mastered by device driver writers. Through lecture, class discussions, and hands-on lab work, the student will develop immediately useful knowledge of how Windows NT interfaces to external hardware and how to implement the drivers that manage those interfaces.

The course begins with an overview of the development environment. Lab work is integrated to allow students to explore device driver issues, development environment considerations and debugging techniques. The Win32 Subsystem API for interfacing to kernel-mode drivers is also presented. Students will learn to employ various "cookbook" approaches to solving common problems, and will understand the reasons for recommended techniques.

The hands-on labs provide practice implementing basic details of driver development. Several drivers will be created in the course of the class that the students can keep as starting templates for their own work.

Prerequisites:

C Language programming proficiency.

Note: This course was originally developed for Windows NT 4.0. The subject matter covered is at the core of kernel-mode device driver issues in the entire family of Windows NT / 2000 operating systems. Only minor occasional modifications are required to apply the course to the teaching of Windows 2000 or WDM (Windows Driver Model) drivers.