Windows Hardware Certification Program FAQ

Updated: August 2, 2012

On This Page

Getting Started with Windows Hardware Certification

Establishing a Hardware Dashboard Account

Creating .hckx submission packages

Using the Dashboard

Product Catalogs

Help & Support

Getting Started with Windows Hardware Certification

How can I get the all the latest news and information and about the certification program?

Go to Windows Hardware Development Newsletters: How to Subscribe.

Where I can find past certification program newsletters?

Go to Windows Logo Program Newsletter Archive.

What are the required legal agreements for hardware and software submissions?

For hardware submissions, you need to sign:

• Windows Logo License Agreement for Hardware 2013
• Windows Logo Program Testing Agreement 3

For software submissions, you need to sign:

• Windows Logo License Agreement for Software 1.6
• Windows Logo Program Testing Agreement 3

For Windows Error Report (WER), you need to sign:

• Windows Error Reporting Agreement 1.3

For test-sign submissions, you need to sign:

• Test Sign Driver Agreement 1.2

For UEFI driver signature submissions, you need to sign:

• UEFI Firmware Agreement

How do I receive certification for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008 using Windows HCK?

Windows HCK only supports Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012 for certification; other operating systems aren't eligible for certification with Windows HCK. However, you can still get digital signatures for preceding operating systems, including Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008.

How do I submit feedback about the certification program requirements?

From the dashboard, click Bug Management > File a new bug.

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Establishing a Hardware Dashboard Account

What's the Hardware Dashboard in the Windows Dev Center?

The Hardware Dashboard enables you to certify your hardware for Windows, distribute drivers by using Windows Update, and more. The dashboard replaces the former Windows Quality Online Services (Winqual) site. It can also be found at https://sysdev.microsoft.com.

How do I establish a dashboard account for my company? What are the requirements?

Go to Establish a Hardware/Desktop Dashboard Account.

Why don't I see my company name in the list on the dashboard sign-up page?

You first need to establish the dashboard account manually by purchasing the VeriSign certificate for your company. We don't update your company name in the list automatically.

Which code-signing certificates can I use to create a dashboard account?

We only accept certificates issued by VeriSign.

Why do I see the message “Your user account is pending approval by your company’s administrator” when I sign in?

There are two possible reasons:

• Your company's account administrator hasn't approved your account yet.
• You created the account under another company's name.

Can I renew the VeriSign certificate using the same PROMOTIONAL CODE and same $99?

No. The $99 and PROMOTIONAL CODE offers are for new customers only. You may need to renew the certificate with standard fees, depending on the validity of the certificate.

Why don't I see the Password reset tab for the user accounts in our company dashboard account?

If any user linked their Winqual legacy user account to their Microsoft account, you don't see the Password tab to reset the password. You need to get the new password for their Microsoft account via the Forgot password option on the sign-in page.

How can I update the VeriSign certificate in our dashboard account?

In the dashboard, click Administration > Digital certificate. Download the WinQual.exe file, code sign it with your certificate, and upload it.

What is the X.509 certificate? How it is different from a standard VeriSign certificate?

The X.509 certificate is your Microsoft VeriSign Authenticode certificate. It's the same as your standard

VeriSign certificate.

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Creating .hckx submission packages

What certificates support signing the .hckx package?

You can sign the .hckx package with .pfx and .cer format certificates (VeriSign Authenticode).

How do I sign the .hckx package?

Using HCK Studio, you have two options.

• From the Certificate Store, install the certificate on your controller machine and choose the Use the certificate store option.

-or-

• Use the Certificate File to create the .hckx file and sign it with the Use a certificate file option. Make sure that the certificate is .cer format.

Can I sign the .hckx file with SignTool?

No. SignTool doesn’t support .hckx files.

How can I review my VeriSign certificate details in the .hckx package?

Change the extension to .zip, navigate to .zip\package\services\digital-signature\certificate, and open the file with a text editor.

Do I need to create the .cab file and .xml file with Winqual Submission Tool (WST) for .hckx submission?

No, but you do need to merge all operating system .hckx files from HCK Studio using the Merge tab.

Can I merge .cpk and .hck files to create a single submission?

No. That approach isn't supported by HCK Studio or the dashboard.

Can I still get a free Windows XP signature with an .hckx submission?

Yes. If you have a common driver for Windows XP and other operating systems, you see check boxes for free Windows XP signatures when you submit through the dashboard.

How do I upload the Readme file with .hckx files?

In HCK Studio, click Package tab > Add Supplemental Folder, browse to the folder that contains the Readme file, and then select it.

How can I get a single, common .cat file for all operating systems using the Windows HCK?

Test the driver on all operating systems, merge the .hckx files, and then use the merged file in your submission.

Do I need to include .cat files in the driver package?

No. We generate the .cat files for you. We recommend that you check the INF files with INF2CAT to make sure your INF files generate the .cat file before you create the submission.

How can I see the driver locale and operating system info in the .hckx file?

Change the extension to .zip, navigate to .zip\package\services\digital-signature\certificate, and open the file with a text editor.

Where can I review OS info in the .cat file?

You can see it on the General tab of the .cat file:

Why do I see different characters in my Windows 8 signed .cat file?

If you open it on any other OS, tags appear as formatted characters.

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Using the Dashboard

Why is the screen blank when I sign in to the dashboard? What are the supported browsers?

The dashboard supports all browsers, but if you're using Internet Explorer, it must be Internet Explorer 8 or later.

Why don't I see the Windows XP OS details in the Driver Distribution section after I receive Windows XP qualification?

If you want to distribute the driver for Windows XP, you first need to test the driver and submit the fully passed Windows XP .hckx or .cpk files.

How do I sign legal agreements?

The user profile must have permission to sign Master Legal Agreements. You might need to change a setting to enable it.

To enable signing permission

1. From the dashboard, click Administration > Your Profile > Permissions tab.
2. If Sign Master Legal Agreements isn't selected, select it. If you can't change this setting, contact your account administrator.
3. Sign out and sign in again for the change to take effect.

To sign legal agreements

1. From the dashboard, click Administration > Legal Agreements.
2. Click the Logo License Legal agreement that you want to sign.
3. Scroll down to the Signature Block, type or paste the name and date, and click Submit.

All agreements must be signed online. All agreements are countersigned automatically.

How can I download the countersigned agreements?

To download an agreement

1. From the dashboard, click Administration > Legal Agreements.
2. Change the right-side filter to Countersigned.
3. Click the agreement.
4. Download the PDF agreements that contain your signature and Microsoft signature.

Do multiple product types affect my dashboard submission?

No. The product types in the dashboard and HCK Studio match. Just select the correct product type during submission.

How do I get a Windows 8 test signature in the dashboard?

Generate the test .cat files using the INF2CAT tool for Window 8, create a .cab file from the .cat file, and submit the .cab file from the TestSign option on the Hardware Logo page. You must install the certificate from one of the signed catalog files that you get from the Test-Sign website.

To install the test certificate

1. Open the test-signed catalog file.
2. Click View Signature.
3. In the new window, click View Certificate.
4. In the new window, click the Certification Path tab.
5. Select the Microsoft Test Root Authority certificate and click View Certificate.
6. In the new window, click the Details tab and click Copy to File.
7. Follow the instructions in the wizard to export the certificate to a file, noting the file location.
8. Locate the .cer file that you just exported and open it.
9. Click Install Certificate.
10. Follow the instructions in the Certificate Import Wizard, ensuring that you place all certificates in the Trusted Root Certification Authorities certificate store.

This procedure installs the test-signing certificate so that test-signed catalogs work properly. The method to have drivers test-signed and the acceptable uses for test-signed drivers is the same.

How can I get the Certification Report for my approved submission?

Enter the Submission ID at Certification Report.

What is Bug Management and why can’t I use it?

Right now, Bug Management is enabled for only a small set of partners to report Windows bugs.

Where can I map drivers and apps to receive Windows Error Reports?

In the Reports section of the dashboard.

Where can I see the various processes for Windows HCK submissions, such as Driver Update Acceptable (DUA) and resell?

Go to Manage Hardware Logo Submissions.

Why don't I see the Announcement Date and Publication and Distribution options during the submission process?

You can’t see those options for the Other Device category, but you can distribute the drivers from the Driver Distribution section.

Why can’t I download the WST file for my DUA submission?

The WST file isn't available for multi-category DUA submissions. Please contact sysdev@microsoft.com for a workaround.

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Product Catalogs

Where can I see the Windows Certified Products List for Client and Server?

Windows Client: https://sysdev.microsoft.com/Hardware/LPL/

Windows Server: http://www.windowsservercatalog.com/

Why can’t I see my approved submissions in product catalogs?

We update products in the catalogs according to the announcement dates. Make sure you provide one.

To provide an announcement

1. From the dashboard, click Hardware Certification > Manage Submissions, and then select the Submission ID by applying filters.
2. Click the Submission Info tab.
3. Under Publication and distribution, adjust the Announcement date, and then click Update.

Note: We don't update Other Device category submissions in the public marketing channels and catalogs because they're not qualified for certification.

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Help & Support

Whom can I email for more information?

Whom can I contact for Windows HCK test issues?
Open a support case at https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?prid=14634.

Whom can I contact for WLK test issues?
Customers with Premier support contracts should work with their TAMs to open support incidents. 

Non-Premier customers can review other professional support options at http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&prid=11880.

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