Windows Certification Newsletter - October 1, 2013
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In this issue
Digital signatures available for legacy operating systems in the new HCK for Windows 8.1
Windows XP and Windows Vista standalone digital signatures no longer available after November 30th
HCK QFE 03 for Windows 8.1 RTM now available
Digital signatures available for legacy operating systems in the new HCK for Windows 8.1
HCK for Windows 8.1 usage scenarios
The new Windows HCK for Windows 8.1 supports certifications for these operating systems:
Windows 7
Windows 8
Windows 8.1
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012
Windows Server 2012 R2
WLK 1.6 usage scenarios
WLK 1.6 supports certifications for these operating systems:
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 R2
Digital signatures for legacy operating systems
When you successfully complete testing for a client certification of Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1, use the Windows Dev Center hardware dashboard to create a submission package for uploading - the same process that you’ve used in the past. And, if you’re using a uniform driver that’s properly decorated to include Windows Vista and Windows XP, the dashboard has check boxes for free digital signatures.
And when you successfully complete testing for a server certification of Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, or Windows Server 2012 R2, you can also use the dashboard to create a submission package for uploading. Again, this is the same process that you’ve used in the past. And similarly, if you’re using a uniform driver that’s properly decorated to include Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008, the dashboard has check boxes for free digital signatures. You can select the check boxes only if the driver being submitted was previously fully tested for certification with an earlier version of the HCK. If you select these check boxes, you must add to the supplemental folder a Readme file that includes the previous submission IDs for the Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 certification testing. All submissions for which you select these check boxes will go into the manual review queue so that the previous certification for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 can be confirmed. If no Readme file is provided for the certification testing for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003, the submission will be canceled.
Windows XP and Windows Vista standalone digital signatures no longer available after November 30th
With the retirement of HCK 2.0 on November 30, 2013, Windows XP and Windows Vista standalone digital signatures will no longer be available. The only way to obtain a Windows XP or Windows Vista digital signature after this date will be to test by using HCK for Windows 8.1 on Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 with a uniform driver that uses the same driver binaries as the higher level operating system. If you do this, a check box will appear that will let you add a Windows XP or Windows Vista signature to the submission.
HCK QFE 03 for Windows 8.1 RTM now available
For information about QFE updates, see Windows Hardware Certification Kit QFE Updates.
To get the latest QFEs for the Windows HCK, run HCKSetup.exe. The Windows HCK download includes all previous QFE updates.
Windows Hardware Certification Kit QFE Updates
Download and install HCK to get the QFE
Note
Before applying the QFE, close all active DTM Studio sessions. Applying this QFE might affect in-progress submissions, so please complete any submissions before applying the QFE. After installing this QFE, you'll need to regenerate any affected submission that was generated before the QFE was installed.
New Certification Kit Support Matrix available
Want to know which version of the Windows HCK to use to certify a specific version of Windows? The Certification Kit Support Matrix shows you which versions of the kit can be used to certify each version of Windows.
Related topics
Windows hardware development kits and tools
Windows hardware development samples
Windows Hardware Certification