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Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 8.1 Preview

The Windows Software Development Kit for Windows 8.1 Preview (Windows SDK) contains headers, libraries, and tools you can use when you create apps that run on Windows operating systems. You can use the Windows SDK, along with your chosen development environment, to write Windows Store apps and desktop apps for Windows 8.1 Preview, however, don’t use this pre-release SDK to build production code. 

The Windows SDK also includes the Windows App Certification Kit (ACK) to test your app for the Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 Certification Programs.

The Windows SDK no longer ships with a complete command-line build environment. You must install a compiler and build environment separately. If you require a complete development environment that includes compilers and a build environment, you can download Visual Studio 2013 Preview, which includes the appropriate components of the Windows SDK.

For access to additional resources and information, go to the Windows Dev Center.

 

Quick details

Version: Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 Preview

Windows ACK Version: 3.0

Date published: June 26, 2013

File name: sdksetup.exe

 

On this page

Windows Update Introduction What’s new in the Windows SDK

Windows Update Introduction System requirements

Windows Update IntroductionInstalling and uninstalling

Windows Update Introduction Release notes

Windows Update Introduction Related links

 

What's new in the Windows SDK

  • .NET Framework 4.5.1 SDK The Windows SDK includes the reference assemblies, tools, headers, and libraries needed to build apps that target the .NET Framework 4.5.1.
  • ARM Kit Policy A new ARM Kits policy (Microsoft-Windows-Kits-Secure-Boot-Policy .p7b) comes with the Windows SDK. To run the Windows SDK tools on an ARM device, make sure the ARM Kits policy is installed.  See ARM Kit Policy Installation for instructions.
  • Device Metadata Authoring Wizard Device manufacturers and service operators can use this tool to develop a metadata package for their devices and services. This metadata package provides info that appears to Windows users, including the photorealistic icon and name for the device or service.
  • Integrated DirectX SDK The DirectX SDK is now part of the Windows SDK. Many tools and components that originally shipped in the DirectX SDK now ship as part of the Windows SDK. These tools support building great DirectX apps for Windows using only a single SDK. If you need to use the DirectX SDK for access to legacy components, we’ve provided directions for using it with the new Windows SDK through Visual Studio 2012.
  • Direct3D shader compiler ships with Windows The d3dcompiler_47.dll now ships with Windows 8.1.  If you’re targeting Windows 8.1, you no longer need to ship the DirectX Redist.
  • Windows ACK 3.0 is now available with enhanced user experience; this version can be used to pre-certify Windows Store apps for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 before onboarding, as well as for Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 Desktop App Certification Programs. The Windows App Certification Kit has been updated to provide the developers a seamless user experience – run tests in parallel to save overall time, selective test selection to name a few. This updated version is an in-place update for any earlier versions of Windows ACK.

Updated or Removed Features

We changed or removed these items from this version of the Windows SDK.

  1. Command-line build environment The Windows SDK no longer ships with a complete command-line build environment. Instead, the Windows SDK requires a compiler and build environment to be installed separately.
  2. .NET Framework tools and reference assemblies The Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 Preview supports the .NET Framework 4.5.1 development tools and reference assemblies. Tools and reference assemblies for previous versions of the .NET Framework aren't included in this version of the Windows SDK. You can still download and install the Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4 to get tools and reference assemblies for previous versions of the .NET Framework.
  3. Samples We have moved all Windows samples to the Windows Dev Center. You can find hundreds of demos that you can filter by technology, programming language, and development platform. Samples are available for Windows Store apps and desktop apps.


You can find other examples in the MSDN Code Gallery.

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System requirements

Supported architectures:

The Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 Preview supports building apps for these architectures:

  • x86
  • x64
  • ARM (Windows Store apps)

Note: The Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 Preview cannot be installed directly on the ARM architecture. To build apps for the ARM architecture, you can install the Windows SDK on an x86 or x64 platform.

Supported operating systems:

You can install the Windows SDK is supported on these operating systems:

  • Windows 8.1 Preview
  • Windows 8
  • Windows Server 2012
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Server 2008 R2

You can use the Windows SDK to build apps that target these operating systems: Windows 8.1 Preview

  • Windows 8
  • Windows Server 2012
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows Server 2008

Prerequisites:

To install the .NET Framework 4.5 Software Development Kit feature, you first need the .NET Framework 4.5 redistributable package installed. This release of the Windows SDK doesn’t include a .NET Framework Redistributable Package. You can download it from Microsoft Download Center.

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Installing and uninstalling

To make your Windows SDK setup experience run smoothly, first install the latest updates and patches from Microsoft Update before you install the Windows SDK.

Windows SDK disk space requirements

Depending on how you set it up, you’ll need 10 megabytes (MB) to 1 gigabytes (GB) hard disk space to install the Windows SDK. Make sure the computer you’re installing on has the minimum required disk space, otherwise, setup will return an error.

How to uninstall SDK components

When you use Programs and Features to uninstall the SDK, most of the components are uninstalled automatically. However, a few shared components might need to be uninstalled separately. Here’s some guidance for uninstalling those shared components.

Note:  If you uninstall components that other apps use, you’ll run into problems. For example, Visual Studio 2013 also uses the Windows SDK.

To uninstall shared SDK components:

  1. In the Control Panel>Programs, open Programs and Features.
  2. In the list of installed programs, choose Windows Software Development Kit.
  3. Choose Uninstall.
  4. Remove the shared components. Here are some components you might see:
    • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.1 SDK
    • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.1 Multi-Targeting Pack

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Release notes

Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 Preview upgrades the Windows App Certification Kit, AppVerifier, and Windows Performance ToolKits.  If you install the Windows SDK for Windows 8.1 Preview on a machine that includes the Windows SDK for Windows 8.0, the tools will be upgraded and moved to the Windows Kits\8.1 folder.

This release has these known issues:

AppVerifier

You might not be able to uninstall AppVerifier, a tool for testing and verifying the correctness of running apps, separately. To remove it from your computer, uninstall the App Certification Kit or uninstall the Windows SDK.

UI Automation Verify UI Automation Verify is a tool designed for manual testing of UI automation. In the Windows 8.1 preview, this tool does not run on ARM devices.

Signtool

If you use the x64 version of signtool included in the SDK, certain operations might fail. Use the x86 version of signtool available under <SDK install location>\Windows Kits\8.0\bin\x86 for all your code signing needs.

ARM Kit policy installation

To install the policy:

  1. Copy the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.1\bin\arm\SecureBoot to your ARM device.
  2. Open an elevated command prompt and navigate to the newly copied folder and run the InstallKitsPolicy.cmd. Just double-clicking the script (or right-clicking and selecting Run as administrator) doesn’t work.
  3. When the machine reboots, follow the instructions on the screen.

If you have a keyboard, use the Down key to select Accept and Install and press Enter.

If you don’t have a keyboard, use the Volume Down button to select Accept and install and press the Windows button. (Volume Up and Volume Down Buttons can be used for selecting between options.)

Note that there is no equivalent of ESC without the keyboard. Users will have to reboot the machine or connect a keyboard.

Run these steps one time per machine to apply the kits policy. The kits policy setting persists on the machine over its lifetime.

Uninstall and repair

If you install the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 8.1 Preview on a machine with the Windows 8.0 SDK, and then uninstall it, the upgraded tools: Windows App Certification Kit, AppVerifier and Windows Performance ToolKits, stay in the 8.1 folder.  To recover the 8.0 version, repair the Windows SDK from the Control Panel.

WinRT MetaData APIs

If you want to use the WinRT metadata functions, you must install the .NET Framework SDK 4.5 to have access to the complete set of necessary header files. The WinRT metadata functions are RoGetMetadataFile, RoParseTypeName, and RoResolveNamespace in RoMetadataResolution.h. Also, you need the IMetaDataDispenser definition in RoMetadataApi.h and MetaDataGetDispenser in RoMetadata.h.

Windows App Certification Kit

  • Windows Metadata tests have known issues when Windows ACK 3.0 is used on Windows 8.1 to validate a Windows 8 app. Use Windows ACK 3.0 on Windows 8 to validate your Windows 8 app.
  • Port Usage: The Windows ACK installs Te.Service, which allows Windows ACK to perform automated tasks in a secure manner, for example, in the context of a standard user.  It also enables other functionality, like, remote task execution across machines. The service only starts when the kit calls it during execution and stops after the call is complete. When the service starts, it opens firewall ports and doesn’t prompt the user for consent. Though Windows ACK does stop the service and closes the port when it’s done.
  • Bytecode generation: Test fails when a developer package is updated from an older version to a newer version. Uninstall the older package before running Windows ACK on the updated package.
  • To run Windows ACK on a Windows 8.1 ARM machine, the Kits policy needs to be installed. The setup for Windows ACK on Windows 8.1 ARM gets an error if the kits policy isn’t already installed, though Windows ACK gets installed. Refer to ARM Kits policy installation section for details on installing the kits policy before running Windows ACK.
  • The Direct3D Feature level test can fail incorrectly on Windows 8 due to a known issue in the platform. Ensure that your app has no issues launching under lower level graphics settings, specifically D3D Feature Level 9_1.

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