Is it possible to create Windows CE 5.0 images (ie: nk.bin) from VS2005/VS2008 without using Platform Builder? If so, how? Can a vendor BSP for WinCE 5 be loaded into VS2005/2008? Are there the parts to do this available for download from Microsoft (ie: the SDK), or must you buy the special bits (a la PB) from a "special distributor"?
I know it is possible to build binaries (.dll, .exe) for WinCE 5.0 using VS, my question is about creating entire bootable CE 5.0 images for embedded platforms.
No it is not possible to build an actual operating system image from Visual Studio.
You can build it from the command line without actually running the Platform Builder IDE, but you still need to have it installed.
Simply said the Platform Builder installation contains all of the public/driver source code and the private libraries required to build the OS.