VMM32 Real Mode Loader

All VxDs were loaded under Windows 3.x by the real-mode VxD loader. Windows 95 supports both dynamically loaded drivers and static VxDs. Static VxDs can have a real-mode initialization portion.

Windows 95 has added several new capabilities for statically loaded VxDs:

• Access to the registry
• Ability to enumerate devices
• Can pass a block of data from real mode to protected mode
• VxDs can be loaded from the registry

The VMM32 loader loads VxDs in three distinct steps:

1. Base drivers specified in the registry
2. Static VxDs for devices enumerated by other VxDs
3. Static VxDs specified in SYSTEM.INI