Windows virtual device drivers (.vxd)
.vxd file signature | application/octet-stream
Windows virtual device drivers (VxDs) are low-level system components developed by Microsoft for early versions of Windows, where they provided direct access to hardware and system services. They were used for device control, virtualization of interrupts and timers, and support for peripherals and compatibility layers in Windows 3.x and Windows 9x systems. VxDs are a legacy format and are no longer used in modern Windows, so files bearing this extension are typically of historical interest.
Magic Bytes
Offset 0
4D 5A
Sources: Gary Kessler
Extension
.vxd
MIME Type
application/octet-stream
Byte Offset
0
Risk Level
Safe
Validation Code
How to validate .vxd files in Python
def is_vxd(file_path: str) -> bool:
"""Check if file is a valid VXD by magic bytes."""
signature = bytes([0x4D, 0x5A])
with open(file_path, "rb") as f:
return f.read(2) == signatureHow to validate .vxd files in Node.js
function isVXD(buffer: Buffer): boolean {
const signature = Buffer.from([0x4D, 0x5A]);
return buffer.subarray(0, 2).equals(signature);
}How to validate .vxd files in Go
func IsVXD(data []byte) bool {
signature := []byte{0x4D, 0x5A}
if len(data) < 2 {
return false
}
return bytes.Equal(data[:2], signature)
}API Endpoint
/api/v1/vxd
curl https://filesignature.org/api/v1/vxd
See the full API documentation for all endpoints and parameters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a .vxd file?
A .vxd file is a Windows virtual device drivers file. Windows virtual device drivers (VxDs) are low-level system components developed by Microsoft for early versions of Windows, where they provided direct access to hardware and system services. They were used for device control, virtualization of interrupts and timers, and support for peripherals and compatibility layers in Windows 3.x and Windows 9x systems. VxDs are a legacy format and are no longer used in modern Windows, so files bearing this extension are typically of historical interest.
What are the magic bytes for .vxd files?
The magic bytes for Windows virtual device drivers files are 4D 5A at byte offset 0. These bytes uniquely identify the file format regardless of the file extension.
How do I validate a .vxd file?
To validate a .vxd file, read the first bytes of the file and compare them against the known magic bytes (4D 5A) at offset 0. This is more reliable than checking the file extension alone, as extensions can be renamed.
What is the MIME type for .vxd files?
There is no officially registered MIME type for .vxd files. Systems typically use application/octet-stream as a generic fallback when handling this format.
Is it safe to open .vxd files?
Windows virtual device drivers (.vxd) files are generally safe to open. They are classified as low risk because they primarily contain data rather than executable code. However, always ensure files come from a trusted source.