Use the Sample Virtual Device (Compact 2013)
3/26/2014
Virtual machines can help you develop with Windows Embedded Compact 2013 in these two important ways:
You can create a virtual machine that runs Compact 2013. This use of a virtual machine is called a virtual device.
Tip
When you use a virtual device for Compact 2013 development, remember that the virtual device is only an approximation of the physical device. The virtual device usually has better performance than the physical device, so you might need to adjust your OS design to optimize the run-time image for the actual hardware of the physical device.
You can create a virtual machine that runs Visual Studio 2013 and any of the Compact 2013 development tools. This use of a virtual machine is called a virtual integrated development environment or virtual IDE.
Platform Builder includes a sample virtual hard drive—hd0_sample.vhd—that you can use as a starting point for a virtual device. This development guide focuses on how to use this sample virtual device for Compact 2013 development.
Important
Platform Builder can communicate with physical devices over a USB port, a serial port, or an Ethernet connection. Because TCP/IP is the only way to communicate with virtual devices, both Platform Builder and the sample virtual hard disk that ships with Compact 2013 are both configured to use an Ethernet connection by default.
Using hypervisor or virtualization software
The examples in this guide use Client Hyper-V on the Windows 8.1 operating system for the hypervisor or virtualization software, but the information also applies to the Hyper-V role on the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system and the Hyper-V role on the Windows Server 2012 operating system.
For general information about how to install your hypervisor, how to create and manage virtual machines, and how to configure virtual networks, refer to your hypervisor’s documentation. The following list provides links to the documentation for these tasks:
- For information about how to install Windows Virtual PC on Windows 7, Client Hyper-V on Windows 8.1, and the Hyper-V role on Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012, see Set Up a Virtual Test Device.
- For information about how to create a virtual machine that uses the sample virtual disk, see Use Windows Virtual PC to create a virtual machine or Use Hyper-V to create a virtual machine
- For information about how to create a virtual network or virtual switch in Client Hyper-V on Windows 8.1 and the Hyper-V role on Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012, see Set Up a Virtual Test Device.
- For information about how to connect Platform Builder to the sample virtual device, see Download the OS to the Device.
In this section
- Boot Sequence for the Sample Virtual Device
Provides information about the virtual device boot process.
- Troubleshoot the Sample Virtual Device
Provides information about how to troubleshoot error messages on the virtual device.
- Customize the Sample Virtual Device
Provides information about how to change virtual device hardware definitions.
- Create a Virtual Device for Use with an SDK
Provides information about how to create a virtual device that can be used by application developers.
- Create an OS and SDK for the Sample Virtual Device
Provides information about how to create an OS design and SDK that can be used by application developers.