driver-windows-nt-kernel-mode-driver.md

description	Learn more about: /DRIVER (Windows NT Kernel Mode Driver)
title	/DRIVER (Windows NT Kernel Mode Driver)
ms.date	11/04/2016
f1_keywords	VC.Project.VCLinkerTool.driver /driver
helpviewer_keywords	kernel mode driver -DRIVER linker option DRIVER linker option /DRIVER linker option
ms.assetid	aeee8e28-5d97-40f5-ba16-9f370fe8a1b8

/DRIVER (Windows NT Kernel Mode Driver)

/DRIVER[:UPONLY |:WDM]

Remarks

Use the /DRIVER linker option to build a Windows NT kernel mode driver.

/DRIVER:UPONLY causes the linker to add the IMAGE_FILE_UP_SYSTEM_ONLY bit to the characteristics in the output header to specify that it is a uniprocessor (UP) driver. The operating system will refuse to load a UP driver on a multiprocessor (MP) system.

/DRIVER:WDM causes the linker to set the IMAGE_DLLCHARACTERISTICS_WDM_DRIVER bit in the optional header's DllCharacteristics field.

If /DRIVER is not specified, these bits are not set by the linker.

If /DRIVER is specified:

• /FIXED:NO is in effect. For more information, see /FIXED (Fixed Base Address).

• The extension of the output file is set to .sys. Use /OUT to change the default filename and extension. For more information, see /OUT (Output File Name).

To set this linker option in the Visual Studio development environment

1. Open the project's Property Pages dialog box. For details, see Set C++ compiler and build properties in Visual Studio.

2. Click the Linker folder.

3. Click the System property page.

4. Modify the Driver property.

To set this linker option programmatically

• See VCLinkerTool.driver Property.

See also

MSVC linker reference
MSVC Linker Options