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##### A.2.4.1 Windows NT/2K/XP

On Windows NT, 2000, and XP user applications cannot directly access the parallel port. However, kernel mode drivers can access the parallel port. giveio.sys is a driver that can allow user applications to set the state of the parallel port pins.

Before using AVRDUDE, the giveio.sys driver must be loaded. The accompanying command-line program, loaddrv.exe, can do just that.

To make things even easier there are 3 batch files that are also included:

1. install_giveio.bat Install and start the giveio driver.
2. status_giveio.bat Check on the status of the giveio driver.
3. remove_giveio.bat Stop and remove the giveio driver from memory.

These 3 batch files calls the loaddrv program with various options to install, start, stop, and remove the driver.

When you first execute install_giveio.bat, loaddrv.exe and giveio.sys must be in the current directory. When install_giveio.bat is executed it will copy giveio.sys from your current directory to your Windows directory. It will then load the driver from the Windows directory. This means that after the first time install_giveio is executed, you should be able to subsequently execute the batch file from any directory and have it successfully start the driver.

Note that you must have administrator privilege to load the giveio driver.