Editing VxD (section)

== Name and design ==
The name "VxD" is an abbreviation for "virtual xxx driver", where "xxx" is some class of hardware device. It derives from the fact that most drivers had filenames of the form <code>vxxxd.386</code> in [[Windows 3.1x|Windows 3.x]]. Some examples are vjoyd.386 (joystick) and vmm.386 ([[Memory management|memory manager]]). VxDs under Windows 3.x usually have the [[filename extension]] <code>.386</code>, while those under Windows 9x have <code>.vxd</code>. Windows 9x VxDs are in [[Linear Executable]] format; its code can be 16-bit and 32-bit hybrid, or pure 32-bit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Writing Windows Virtual Device Drivers |url=https://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~heha/vxd/vxd.htm |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=www-user.tu-chemnitz.de}}</ref> VxDs written for Windows 3.x can be used under Windows 9x but not vice versa.