Does Windows XP Embedded support all WinXP driver and software ?

[Guest]

Hi

Does Windows XP Embedded use the same driver and software as Windows XP ?

Can we install driver , commercial software ( like MS Office , Adobe
Photoshop, WinRAR tool .. etc. ) and our own Win32 program on it ?

Does Windows XP Embedded use Activesync and USB cable to install software ?

Thank you.

 

[Cathy01020]

Windows XP Embedded is built on the same technology as Windows XP. You
need only find the dependencies required by those applications. For
instance, if you are using an application which requires .net
framework, then you will need to either implement the .net framework
into your image, or install it the standard method as you would a
regular XP install. If your application requires audio, implement the
necessary audio components.

Software can be installed the standard XP method through the standard
XP interfaces, or alternatively by componentizing the software and
adding it to your target images. I believe only Windows CE uses those
methods to transfer data onto the operating system..

 

[KM]

Kid,

These are the basic questions and you should probably first read XPe FAQ that are available from multiple sources on the Web
(Microsoft, XPe distributors, etc.)

Does Windows XP Embedded use the same driver and software as Windows XP ?

XP Embedded is a componentized version of XP Pro. This means the bits are the same.
WDM (Windows Driver Model) is of course the same for XPe as for XP Pro

Can we install driver ,

Yes, as long as all the dependencies of the driver itself and the driver installer are in your image.

commercial software ( like MS Office , Adobe Photoshop, WinRAR tool .. etc. )

Technically yes as long as you satisfy the app dependencies in your image.
Legally - there is many restrictions there for XPe image that prevent you to install applications like MS Office. 3rd party tools
are simpler in the sense. The main rule is that your XPe device cannot be create as a general purpose PC bu rather a didicated
application (e.g., an "embedded device").

and our own Win32 program on it ?

Your own Win32 applications are definitely good to be created or "ported" to XPe. You are responsible for bringing all the app
dependencies in your image to be able to run it at run time.

Does Windows XP Embedded use Activesync and USB cable to install software ?

Activesync is not part of XPe database (Activesync is not part of XP Pro install either, btw).You can install [technically]
Activesync on your image (the same comments here as above) but again stay away from a general purpose PC target. Also, AFAIK, there
is no client side for Activesync available for XP. You can't use Activesync to install software as you'd do that for MS PocketPC or
Smartphone devices (if this is where you are coming from with the idea of using the Activesync).
Locally on the device you can install software using MSI (Windows Installer Service component is required) or InstallShield or any
other XP installing service as long as you got its dependencies in place.
If you are looking for an automated way of installing software, you can use lightweight DUA client (see XPe documentation) or
heavier SUS or SMS approach.