Professional Windows® Embedded Compact 7

CUSTOM DRIVERS

The first maxim for a device is that to use a device in Compact 7 you need a driver. Either it will be a driver specific to that device, or the device will belong to a class of devices that uses the same driver. For example, a specific video driver is needed in a Compact 7 system, whereas a USB memory stick does not need a specific driver — just the USB storage class. Before using a device in Compact 7, you need to make sure that a suitable driver is available, which can be quite frustrating! One reason to use Windows Embedded Standard for an embedded device is the broad spectrum of devices available for it. Anything that runs on a Windows desktop can run on Windows Embedded Standard2 using the same drivers. Only a subset of these also have a Compact 7 driver. Desktop Windows drivers do not work in Compact 7. For example, there is no support for TWAIN in Compact 7, so you can’t attach a scanner to a Compact 7 device.

When a hardware component is added to a Compact 7 system, whether it plugs into USB or a BUS, or whether it is hard-wired into the system’s circuitry, as a first preference you should use drivers in the Compact 7 Drivers branch of the Catalog. They have been developed in-house by Microsoft, tried, tested, and approved and carry the tag PQD (Production Quality Developed). Third Party drivers in the Catalog may also be used but these may or may not be Microsoft Validated. If the component does not have a suitable driver in the Catalog, you need to add ...