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.

Learn what's in the QFE

Download and install HCK to get the QFE

Download the QFE now

Note: Before applying the QFE, close all active HCK 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.

We've updated all active errata filters for the Windows Hardware Certification Kit (HCK).  All active errata that weren't fixed in the test kit are now extended until 12/31/2014. We'll reevaluate all active errata again about 3 months before the new expiration dates. We'll either retire errata or extend the expiration date again, depending on whether fixes are in place for the test issues.

A few errata are set to expire between now and 12/31/2013 by design for delayed enforcement reasons or because fixes were implemented into the next HCK release. Those errata won't be extended again.

You can check the status of all errata any time on the Windows Dev Center hardware dashboard. To narrow down the list, use the filters to view only active, expired, or expiring within 30 days. You can also search by ID and title.

To help our hardware partners achieve certification qualification, the Windows Certification Program team is pleased to announce that all hardware certification fees will be dropped starting on 1/1/2014. Any hardware certification submissions that arrive on 1/1/2014 or later will not be invoiced for submission fees.

This is a great opportunity to lower your development costs by downloading the latest Windows Hardware Certification Kit (HCK) and testing your system or device for submission at this time.

The Windows Hardware Certification Policy document will be updated shortly to indicate that no hardware certification fees will be charged after 1/1/2014.

This post provides an update to the September 17, 2013, Windows requirements publication on MSDN. The below requirement changes are intended to relax the Windows 8.1 system and device requirements and give our partners greater flexibility in designing and differentiating their tablet and PC products in 2014.

It’s important to understand that the changes remove or modify the specific requirements listed under the summary of changes only. (See tables below.) All other requirements will remain as before to support device interoperability, compatibility with Windows, and app platform consistency. The tests associated with these removed or modified requirements will remain in the Windows Hardware Certification Kit (HCK) to aid in the testing and measurement of your system’s quality. We’ll provide a set of HCK filters by January 1, 2014, to help you achieve the passing result needed for certification.

We’ve made these requirement changes to give you greater flexibility in bringing to market systems that customers demand. We encourage our partners to do the due diligence to understand the implications of these changes, especially the ones related to user experience. Additionally, these changes have no effect on any of the existing system designs that our partners have built for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 platforms.

Device requirements - summary of changes

System requirements - summary of changes

The current requirement documents (pdf and web versions) can be found here: Windows Hardware Certification Requirements.

On January 1, 2014, the touch device and precision touchpad (PTP) certification program enabled a self-test submission model. Partners can now submit touch devices and precision touchpads for certification without sending hardware to WTTL/WPTL for full-test validation. We believe the self-test submission model will provide predictable submission turnaround time as well as standardized submission review criteria that are based on the provided submission test logs (HCKX logs). A certified THQA Blob will be granted when the submitted logs are validated.

The WTTL/WPTL full-test service will still be available as a certification path. We strongly recommend that you continue use the WTTL/WPTL service as part of development validation to ensure consistency in testing touch and PTP quality. WTTL/WPTL services will remain free of charge.

For more information about the process changes, see these documents:

· Windows Touch Device Certification Processes and Windows Touch Test Lab (WTTL) Service

· Windows Precision Touchpad Certification Process

Touch and PTP certification FAQs

What are the permissible ways to integrate a PTP?

A PTP module can be integrated into any system (clamshell or convertible) or dock accessory that also has an integrated keyboard. Standalone external PTP modules can’t currently be submitted.

I’m an OEM, and I’m building a dock accessory with an integrated PTP module. The dock is compatible with multiple systems, and the IHV submitted the dock with one of the supported systems. Do the other systems need to be submitted for certification?

No, the other systems don’t need to be submitted for device certification because each system is using the same module. We strongly recommended that the system certification tests be performed on all systems that can interface with the dock accessory.

I’m an IHV, and I’ve received device certification for a touch stack up module or a PTP module. I have multiple customers for the module, and each customer’s system requires different firmware. Do I need a separate device submission for each system into which the touch stack up or PTP module will be integrated?

Yes, if your architecture requires unique firmware for each integration project, the module must be certified with each firmware version. The module’s VID/PID will remain the same, but its revision ID is different for each project.

Upon resubmission of the updated firmware, you can continue to use the previously issued certified BLOB once the resubmission is approved. WTTL/WPTL will not be issuing new THQA BLOBs for resubmissions in this scenario.

I’m an IHV, and I’ve received device certification for a touch stack up module or a PTP module. I have multiple customers for the modules. If one customer wants a slightly smaller touch stack up or PTP, do I need a separate device submission for each customer?

Yes, a change in sensor size represents a new module and requires a new device submission, even if the controller and associated firmware remains constant. WTTL/WPTL will issue new THQA BLOB once the submission is approved.

When I have recertified the touch stack up or PTP module at the device level, do I need to recertify at the system level as well?

Yes, the system level tests must be run with the recertified module to ensure that the integration of the recertified module is successful. The passing system HCK results must be submitted.

What are the rules for third-party drivers and operating system build?

Touch/PTPs must function without any third-party drivers, except for I2C devices that might require GPIO and I2C controller drivers to function. These drivers are permissible and, if needed for device certification, should be submitted together with the system because the operating system will be clean-installed upon receipt.

HCK for Windows 8.1 usage scenarios

The new HCK for Windows 8.1 supports certification for these operating systems:

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.

Learn what's in the QFE

Download and install HCK to get the QFE

Download the QFE now

Note: Before applying the QFE, close all active HCK 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.

In the February 2014 HCK for Windows 8.1 QFE, these changes are made to the System – Sleep and PNP (disable and enable) with IO Before and After test:

• You no longer need to configure all devices on the system before the test can run.

- We also released filter 4706 to remove the need to plug in a MUTT device.

• The test run time is reduced by a factor of four.

These changes address the feedback we received about the test after we shipped Windows 8.1 HCK.

Existing filters & contingencies

As a result of reducing the test difficulty, all existing blanket errata filters and contingencies granted for this test will expire on March 31, 2014. Specifically, these filters (along with any blanket contingencies that were given) will expire on March 31, 2014:

• 4663  System - Sleep and PNP (disable and enable) with IO Before and After (Certification) to be waived while investigation is underway.
• 4664  System - Sleep and PNP (disable and enable) with IO Before and After (Certification) to be waived while investigation is underway - waiver for when logs are not generated.

Summary of changes

Driver verifier settings changes

Because of the driver verifier settings changes that we’ve made, you’ll notice a reduction in stress on the system when the test runs. This has been the case since the release of QFE 003.

Device configuration requirement change

We encourage you to plug in an optional MUTT/SuperMUTT device when running the test. We have released filter 4706 to filter out errors that occur because there is no MUTT device plugged in.

Recommendations

• We recommend that you run the test with QFE 006 changes and report any test or operating system bugs to us.
• The 0xC4 bug ensures that the test reports are legitimate WLAN driver bugs that must be fixed. Follow up with your IHV on any 0xC4 bug checks found. This can be done before or after certification. The IHV will need a copy of the .dmp file generated. If you need help with the investigation of these bug checks, you can contact driverqualitytools@microsoft.com. 
• Running the test with the MUTT/SuperMUTT device helps you find bugs in the USB controller and/or other devices enumerated on the USB bus (like webcams). So we strongly recommend that you run the test with the MUTT device connected. Simply connect the MUTT before starting the test and follow up on any issues that you find.

Late last year a new version of the MUTT software package was released. For more information about this package, please see the documentation here.

Download the MUTT software package now

The Windows Dev Center hardware dashboard site has been updated so that partners are no longer required to enter the system certification BIOS or processor information when submitting system packages. Before the update, partners had to provide this data manually, which could slow down the process and introduce errors. This information is now pulled directly from the Hardware Certification Kit (HCK) client machine gatherer.

Here are the main reasons we’ve made this change:

• To reduce human errors in providing this information.
• To help create an accurate set of information in the product catalogs.
• To help streamline the submission process.
• To reduce the need to update the Dashboard site processor list on a regular basis.

The Windows Server Catalog and Certified Products List still contains the information needed by support organizations and end users to determine whether a system is certified and supportable.

To address OEM feedback about the use of the Windows Symbol on devices, Microsoft is providing new size options and flexibility about the clear space and placement requirements for that logo.

These are the new requirements:

• The Windows Symbol is now available in sizes ranging from 3 mm to 9 mm wide.
• The required minimum clear space around the logo is being reduced to 0.5 mm from 1 mm. This is true also for the Windows 8 Hotkey Glyphs, Near Field Proximity Logo, and Application Icon.
• Button placement requirements for the Windows Symbol are now found in the Windows Hardware Certification Requirements details. More flexible placement guidelines are provided.
• The additional size and placement options for the Windows Symbol are available to all device types, regardless of screen dimensions.

If you have any questions regarding this communication or the LLA, please contact Microsoft in writing as provided in the notices section of the LLA.

Except as indicated above, the obligations under the LLA remain in full force and are neither waived nor modified.

The LLA and all communications related to it are covered under the existing non-disclosure obligations between the OEM and Microsoft Corporation.

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.

Learn what's in the QFE

Download and install HCK to get the QFE

Download the QFE now

Note: Before applying the QFE, close all active HCK 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.

Because of a recent update to the Windows Dev Center hardware dashboard site, you no longer need to enter product details manually when you submit system packages. See Dashboard system submissions process simplified for more info.

The final phase of this enhancement can now be seen in the Windows Server Catalog. These changes affect only Windows Server system submissions that occurred after February 23, 2014. Earlier ones will continue to show manually entered product details.

New listings of Windows Server product details in the Windows Server Catalog will show several new data points about the certified server. These include actual processor name and speed, actual tested memory amount and speed, submission ID, date when the product first shows up in the Windows Server Catalog, and a link to the Certification Report.

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.

Learn what's in the QFE

Download and install HCK to get the QFE

Download the QFE now

Note: Before applying the QFE, close all active HCK 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.

The Windows Hardware Certification Requirements changed on January 1, 2014. One of these changes was the removal of the requirement System.Client.Tablet.TabletPCRequiredComponents, which outlined the hardware that was needed for tablet PCs. Specifically, webcams and sensors are no longer required.

When you design tablet products without webcams and/or sensors, you will no longer see the product types Convertible Tablet or Tablet listed in the HCK when you’re testing. This is because product types are made up of a set of required features, and these product types require the webcam and sensor features.

To make these product types show up, add the missing features:

• System.Client.Sensor
• System.Client.Webcam
• System.Client.Webcam.Specification.WNCameraRequirements

The instructions for manually adding features are here.

Once the tests show up, please run them. They are expected to fail, and manual Errata 4823 has been created to cover the failing tests.

A fix for this has been released in QFE 08.

We have discovered that HCK 2.1 QFE 007 introduced some regressions to tests that used to work in previous versions of the kit.

These are the affected tests:

• BitLocker Tpm And Recovery Password tests for AOAC devices with Legacy PCRs
• BitLocker Tpm And Recovery Password tests for AOAC devices with PCR 7
• BitLocker Tpm+PIN+ USB and Recovery Password tests for NON ARM devices
• BitLocker Tpm and Recovery Password tests for non-AOAC devices for Legacy PCRs
• BitLocker Tpm and Recovery password tests for non-AOAC devices with PCR 7
• Storage Performance CS
• BDE WLK Test
• BDE WLK Test - OS Volume Only

We’ve created a set of errata to address these issues while a fix to the kit is being developed and tested. If you’re trying to submit with HCK 2.1 with QFE 007 or QFE 008 and are getting failures in some of these tests, please use this table to identify the corresponding errata to mention in the readme.doc file of your submission:

HCK 2.1 QFE 008 introduced a bug that has had a widespread impact for customers trying to re-package or merge an .hckx package.

How do I know if this bug is affecting me?

If you’ve created a package with QFE 008 and are attempting to re-save or merge that package, you might encounter this issue. Failures will appear as this HCK Studio exception:

System.ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.

Parameter name: inArray

Help! I’ve already installed QFE 008 and I need to merge and/or re-package my .hckx files

QFE009 contains fixes for the packaging error and is available on the HCK download page.

When testing for certification, you’re required to use the latest service pack or update release 90 days after it’s made available publicly. This is to ensure maximum compatibility with your device driver and Windows.

Windows 8.1 Update will be required for all Windows 8.1 submissions starting on August 1, 2014.

To support enabling our partners to innovate on hardware design for new devices, we’re making updates to the audio component certification requirements. In the past, both integrated and externally connected audio components submitted for Windows Hardware Certification needed to meet the Device.Audio.UAACompliance requirement. With this update, partners will have more flexibility to design hardware that meets various scenarios and needs.

Device.Audio.Hardware.Architecture

Audio subsystems must use a technology compatible with Windows

Integrated audio devices

An integrated audio device is one that supports an internal component or a port that’s used exclusively for media content. Here are some examples of integrated audio devices:

• Speakers
• Microphones and microphone arrays
• Analog audio jacks (headphone jack, line out, line in, microphone jack)
• S/PDIF
• Digital outputs like HDMI and DisplayPort

For these devices, any audio hardware architecture can be used provided at least one of the following is true:

• The device provides basic functionality for all of its endpoints when used with any of the audio class drivers packaged with Windows.
• A driver is available through Windows Update that will enable basic functionality for all the device’s endpoints.

Externally connected audio devices

An externally connected audio device is one that isn’t integrated to the system and has a connection that isn’t specific to audio or media. Here are some examples of external audio devices:

• USB audio
• Bluetooth audio

For these devices, any audio hardware architecture can be used, but we strongly recommended that these devices conform to standard specifications and provide basic functionality with a Windows audio class driver. On certain Windows devices that don’t allow the installation of a third-party drivers, the only way for an external audio device to function is if it’s compatible with a class driver.

All audio devices

If the PnP ID of an audio device is compatible with any of the audio class drivers packaged with Windows, the device must provide basic functionality for all of its endpoints when using that driver.

A device provides basic functionality when it meets all the Windows Hardware Certification Kit audio device requirements.

For more info

Audio Device Technologies

Looking for more information or support for certification issues? Try these aliases: