For the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) interested in creating a custom version of Windows CE, Microsoft offers the Microsoft® Windows CE Platform Builder. Platform Builder is a development tool that combines the Windows CE operating system with an integrated development environment (IDE) and a rich set of embedded development tools, including cross-compilers, assemblers, kernel debuggers, and remote debugging tools.
Platform Builder enables you to select Windows CE components to include in your custom OS. Although your OS can contain any combination of components, Microsoft provides several sample configurations from which to choose. For more information about the sample configurations, see the appendixes of the Platform Builder document.
Platform Builder includes programming guidelines, an API reference, and a device driver kit to help you create custom drivers and applications that run on your particular version of Windows CE. Platform Builder is available through standard retail channels. No additional tools or products are required to build a Windows CE–based OS.