PRB: WDM Drivers Can Only Reside in System Directories (186777)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Win32 Device Driver Kit (DDK) Windows 95
This article was previously published under Q186777

SYMPTOMS

Under Windows 98, Windows 95 OSR2.1, and Windows 95 OSR2.5, WDM drivers can only be loaded when they are in the following directories:

<WINDIR>\system
<WINDIR>\system32
<WINDIR>\system32\drivers

NOTE: <WINDIR> is the directory that Windows was installed into (typically \windows).

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

NTKern.vxd uses a fixed search path when trying to find a WDM driver to load. It will not load any WDM driver that does not reside in one of the previously mentioned directories.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:7/22/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB186777
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.