What Does Windows Driver Model (WDM) Mean?
The Windows Driver Model (WDM) is a driver framework or architecture that makes source code compatible with Windows 98, 2000, Me, XP and all later Microsoft Windows versions, i.e. all 32-bit versions of Windows. WDM was designed to replace “VxD,” the driver technology used on previous versions such as Windows 3.1, Windows 95 and Windows NT.
Also known as the Win32 Driver Model.
Techopedia Explains Windows Driver Model (WDM)
With less required source code, the Windows driver model is more efficient than VxD and it standardized code requirements. However, WDM drivers are not backward compatible with Windows versions prior to Windows 98, e.g. Windows 3.1, 95 and NT 4.0 or versions older than the OS they were originally written for. WDM is forward compatible with later versions. One problem this creates is that new OS features may, or may not, work using drivers written for previous OS versions.
WDM drivers are classified into three types:
