user mode drivers

[rookie1010]

Hello

I am a bit confused, if all the drivers need to be part of the kernel, then how can we have user mode drivers?

 

[Win2kpatcher]

Kernel mode drivers is old skool..like NT 4.0 I thought..it was bad times for us cause I remember when the kernal based drivers would crash your entire system would hault..Now with the user mode drivers it simply kills the process it had issues with which saves some time. Not all drivers need to be part of the kernel though..ughh I am not sure my head hurts when I have to deal with this real technical stuff

 

[rookie1010]

thanks for the reply,

i read that in vista they have this new driver framework which allwos user mode and kernel mode drivers?

which hardware would hve kernel mode drivers and which would have user mode drivers?