You can run VxWorks too!

(this is a guest post from Tenox)

VxWorks is an embedded operating system that typically runs on things like Mars probes, Boeing 787 or Apache helicopters, but today you can run it too! WindRiver has an evaluation target that you can run on an Intel CPU, meaning you can spin it up on your favorite hypervisor at home.

Go to this page: http://www.windriver.com/evaluations/bsp/ register, download the two ZIP files and follow the instructions.

VxWorks running on VMwareVxWorks comes with two shell modes C and admin. In C shell you execute C code and you can write simple programs or even patch existing running code like they did on Mars Pathfinder. This is the default one with -> prompt. You can enter to admin shell by typing “cmd”. If you are familiar with KSH “vi” mode you can use it for history and editing command line.

The evaluation target is very basic and limited. If you want to do and learn more stuff, you need to download evaluation of VxWorks Platform and spin up the VxWorks Simulator, or build your own target. This is a picture of a slightly older version running on Windows:

vxworks-emulatorThe operating system was also recently featured in Forbes

Local mirrors:

4 thoughts on “You can run VxWorks too!

  1. Is vxworks available free for study or learning purpose?
    If(yes)
    kindly provide the link to download.
    else
    sorry for wasting your time.

  2. I have been trying to do the same and obviously the evaluation is not longer downloadable until u contact the sales team of Windriver.
    The author has mentioned that it includes the steps to run it on Vmware, i have the BSP , but i need the steps to do it.
    Can anyone help?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.