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Installing Device Metadata Packages from WMIS

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When the operating system detects a new device, it queries an online service called the Windows Metadata and Internet Services (WMIS) for a metadata package for the device. If a device metadata package is available, the Device Metadata Retrieval Client (DMRC) that runs on the local computer downloads the package from WMIS and installs the package on the local computer.

Note  Device metadata packages are not downloaded from WMIS if the current user is logged in by using any account with only guest privileges, such as the built-in Guest account.

If you submit your device metadata package to Windows Quality Online Services (Winqual) when you submit your driver package to the Hardware Certification Kit (HCK) for digital signing, your package will be available to WMIS for download requests made by DMRC on any computer that runs Windows 7 and later versions of Windows.

Important  We highly recommended that OEMs distribute device metadata packages only through WMIS. Distribution of device metadata packages through WMIS supports the hardware-first installation scenario. In this scenario, a new device is installed before the driver and device-specific software for the device is installed. For more information about this scenario, see Hardware-First Installation.

A device metadata package is installed through WMIS in the following way:

  1. When the user opens the gallery-view window of the Devices and Printers user interface, the Device Metadata Retrieval Client (DMRC) tries to obtain device metadata for the devices that the Devices and Printers user interface displays.

    DMRC first searches the local computer's device metadata cache and device metadata store for device metadata. If the device is newly installed, or if the device is scheduled for a periodic metadata update, DMRC queries WMIS for available metadata packages for the device.

  2. If a device metadata package is available, DMRC automatically downloads the package from WMIS, extracts the package's device metadata components, and saves them within the device metadata cache.