Drivers are available which allow FTDI devices to work with the following operating systems:

 

• Windows Vista x64

• Windows XP x64

• Windows Server 2003 x64

• Windows Vista

• Windows XP

• Windows Server 2003

• Windows 2000

• Windows ME

• Windows 98

• Linux

• Mac OS X

• Mac OS 9

• Mac OS 8

• Windows CE.NET (Version 4.2 and greater)

 

For most of these operating systems two types of driver are available:  Virtual COM Port (VCP) drivers and direct (D2XX) drivers.  The VCP driver emulates a standard PC serial port such that the USB device may be communicated with as a standard RS232 device.  The D2XX driver allows direct access to a USB device via a DLL interface.

 

To locate the drivers you want to install for a device, select which of the driver types you wish to use (VCP or D2XX) and then locate the appropriate operating systems.  With the exception of Windows 98 and Windows ME, all devices are supported in each driver package.

 

 

In addition to the drivers developed by FTDI, there are a number of drivers available which have been developed by third parties.  Some of these drivers are listed on our 3rd Party Drivers page.

 

 

For customers wishing to create their own driver release, FTDI can issue you with a block of 8 product IDs (PIDs) for use with FTDI's vendor ID (VID) if you do not have your own vendor ID.  This service is free of charge, but the issued PIDs must only be used with FTDI's VID (0x0403). 

 

When requesting a PID block, please include the following information:

 

• Name
• Company
• Country
• E-Mail address

 

Please note that implementing a custom VID and PID with standard FTDI driver releases requires references to be changed in the INF and INI files. 

 

Similarly, if driver files are renamed all references to the driver files in the INF and INI files must be amended to reflect the new names.

 

Changing any of the files in a Microsoft WHQL certified driver release will invalidate the certification.  Drivers can be customised and the certification maintained through the Microsoft WinQual reseller system.