How to Create a Board Support Package (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)

1/5/2010

A board support package (BSP) is software that implements and supports an operating system (OS) on a standard development board (SDB).

With a BSP, you can quickly build support for an OS design on an SDB and evaluate the features of the OS design. By using a BSP, OEMs and independent hardware vendors can reduce the time that is required to develop a Windows Embedded CE–based device. For more information about BSPs and the elements that make up a BSP, see Board Support Package Overview.

You have three options for creating a BSP:

  • If you do not have an existing BSP and want to create a new BSP from the beginning, follow the steps in this topic.
  • If you do not have an existing BSP and do not want to create a new BSP from the beginning, you can use the Clone BSP tool in Platform Builder for Windows Embedded CE 6.0 to duplicate a base BSP designed for similar hardware. For more information, see Cloning an Existing BSP.
  • If you have an existing BSP from a previous version and want to migrate or update it to be fully compatible with the features in Windows Embedded CE 6.0, see Migrating a BSP to Windows Embedded CE 6.0.

Hardware and Software Assumptions

  • You have decided on the microprocessor family and hardware platform to use for your Windows Embedded CE powered device.

Steps

Step Topic

1. Develop a boot loader to use when you download the run-time image to the target device.

How to Develop a Boot Loader

2. Develop an OEM adaptation layer to link to the kernel image you created in step 1 and to initialize and manage your hardware.

How to Develop an OEM Adaptation Layer

3. Create device drivers to establish direct communication with peripheral devices.

For information about the driver development process, see Developing a Device Driver.

How to Create a Device Driver

4. Modify the run-time image configuration files to configure your BSP.

The modifications you make to the files will depend on previous choices that you have made in the BSP creation process, such as your hardware and the location of your directories.

OS Design Configuration Files

See Also

Concepts

Standard Development Board Design

Other Resources

Developing a Board Support Package
Debugging and Testing How-to Topics