CODEWITHSUNDEEP
windowsarmwindows-cewindows-embedded
zgrkpnr89
zgrkpnr89

Reputation: 325

Does windows CE work on ARM processors?

I am a little confused. When I search the internet I see examples of Windows CE running on Raspberry Pi or Samsung ARM11. However, I cannot be sure if they hacked it somehow or CE officially runs on ARM devices.

If it does not, should I use Windows Embedded products to target arm processors?

And the last question is that How does Windows CE fare when compared to Windows Embedded 7 in terms of footprint?

Can anybody enlighten me please?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 5866

Answers (2)

Valter Minute
Valter Minute

Reputation: 2210

Yes, Windows CE (lately renamed Windows Embedded Compact) runs on ARM. Up to version 6 it supported also SH4 and in Compact 7 MIPS. Latest version is named (confusingly) Windows Embedded Compact 2013 and Microsoft is committed to support it up to 2023. It's a different kernel (real-time) but provides some compatibility at the API level with desktop and server versions. The new Windows IoT Core version runs on Raspberry Pi 2 (ARMv7) and uses the same kernel of the PC version.

Upvotes: 2

VoidStar
VoidStar

Reputation: 5421

Microsoft used an ARM build of Windows CE for Windows Phone 7, 7.5, 7.8, before they jumped to running NT on their ARM phones. For sure it exists.

I can't figure out if you can actually get it though. They have "Windows Embedded Compact 7", but from the documentation, it sounds like it's only x86 and amd64. But maybe there's some way to get the ARM version... maybe an MSDN license or by being some kind of business partner with Microsoft?

On second thought, this link: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded/en-us/windows-embedded-compact-7.aspx suggests that it does work for ARM.

Bonus: Apparently Windows 10 will run on the Raspberry Pi 2: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/02/windows-on-arm-lives-on-even-as-it-dies/ The only question is if they'll keep requiring every non-app .exe to be signed by Microsoft like they did with the surface RT, preventing normal win32 or .NET programs from being possible to develop for ARM on NT. If they don't give us that crazy restriction, this could be pretty neat.

Upvotes: -1

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