Top Stories
Windows 8 Released to OEMs and MSDN Subscribers, Plus Trial Version for Everyone
Earlier this month, Windows 8 released to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and to MSDN subscribers, as well as to everyone as a trial evaluation edition. Read the announcement and download the bits:
New Versions of Windows 8 Kits and Tools Available
The latest versions of developer kits are now available for building and certifying Windows 8 production-ready drivers, devices, and apps. Get Visual Studio Professional 2012, Windows Driver Kit 8, Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 8, and the Windows Hardware Certification Kit. All of these tools work together to help you develop, test, certify, and maintain quality hardware and drivers for Windows.
Get the latest hardware kits and tools: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/gg454513
News for Hardware Developers
Submit for Windows 8 Hardware Certification
You can continue to submit your devices, systems, and drivers for Windows 8 certification using the Windows Dev Center Hardware Dashboard. Register or sign in using the Dashboard tab at the top of the Hardware area of the Windows Dev Center to submit Windows Hardware Certification Kit packages, device metadata, and drivers for distribution, and to view telemetry reports for Windows 8 and other supported versions of Windows.
Get the latest Windows HCK and filters
Learn more about Windows Hardware Certification: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/gg463010
Re-Run Failing Certification Tests with Latest Windows HCK Bits and Filters
If your device or system certification tests are failing, be sure to download the latest build of the Windows Hardware Certification Kit (HCK) and apply the latest errata filters.
Get the latest Windows HCK and filters: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/hh852366
Update Your Windows HCK Test Environment Weekly
We'd like to remind you to keep your test environment current when you're using the Windows Hardware Certification Kit (HCK). Starting with Windows 8, hotfix updates to the Windows HCK are published regularly and are included cumulatively as part of the latest Windows HCK release.
We recommend that you plan for weekly updates to your certification test environment.
QFE packages will sometimes be required for submission. These requirements will be noted in the Logo Newsletter and on the Windows Dev Center at the page indicated here.
Learn more about QFEs, installation, and changes in each package: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/hh852376
Subscribe to the Logo Newsletter: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/gg462957
BUILD is coming to Redmond
BUILD 2012 is taking place on the Microsoft Campus in Redmond, WA, from 2012 from October 30 to November 2. Although registration is sold out, you can join the wait list.
Learn more about BUILD 2012: http://www.buildwindows.com
Recently Published for Hardware Developers
Discover New and Updated Hardware Documentation, Kits, and Tools
We've made significant revisions to our driver documentation, white papers, kits, and tools for Windows 8 RTM (release to manufacture). You can always view the latest hardware documentation, kits, and tools published in the Hardware area of the Windows Dev Center by visiting these pages:
Windows Certification News
Enforcement of UEFI POST Time Requirement Deferred Until April
Based on feedback from our industry partners, and to give them more time to prepare their supply chains, the enforcement of full UEFI POST Time requirement as a part of Windows 8 certification is now deferred until April 15, 2013. Until then, systems must meet the temporary requirements that follow.
Partners should review the requirements thoroughly, meet the relaxed conditions exactly as described, and include ID 478 in a README file when making a certification submission.
Condition of deferral for laptops, notebooks, and tablets:
- Laptops and tablet systems using spinning disk drives are eligible to certify, provided such systems POST within 4.3 seconds or less.
- Systems with spinning disk drives may include systems that use SSD for caching, not booting.
- Systems shipping after April 15, 2013, must meet requirements as published.
Condition of deferral for all-in-one systems
- All-in-one systems using spinning disk drives are eligible to certify, provided such systems POST within 10 seconds or less.
- Systems with spinning disk drives may include systems that use SSD for caching, not booting.
- This deferral does not apply to laptops/notebooks/tablets.
Systems shipping after April 15, 2013, must meet requirements as published.
UEFI POST Time enforcements relaxed further
In addition to postponing the POST time requirement, we've added more allowances to the enforcement of UEFI POST Time requirement between now and the enforcement date.
Conditions:
- All-in-one PC systems, laptops, or notebooks with a 17 inch (or larger) integrated display that use a rotational hard disk are eligible for Windows 8 certification, as long as such systems pass UEFI POST TIME test within 4 seconds (or 4.3 with TPM enabled) using any other rotational disk.
- Systems manufacturers should prepare their system submissions normally, including the failing Post time results as measured with the shipping hard drive. To have that failure overturned by the certification review team, mention ID 478 in the README file and include in the README folder a log file showing that any other rotational disk was able to pass the UEFI POST TIME test.
- Systems shipping after April 15, 2013, must meet requirements as published.
These and all other UEFI requirement relaxations expire on April 15, 2013.
HCK RTM required for submissions as of November 15, 2012
We would like to remind our partners that starting November 15, 2012, submissions to the Hardware Dashboard must use the Release to Market (RTM) version of the Windows Hardware Certification Kit. The HCK Release Preview is being retired on that date.
Download Windows HCK RTM: http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/hh852359
Windows RTM required for submissions as of Jan. 1, 2013
We would like to remind our partners that starting January 1, 2013, submissions to the Hardware Dashboard must use the RTM versions of Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 releases.
Early Bird Special for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
The Windows Certification Program ensures that every certified product has been tested to install readily and run reliably on Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.
To help our hardware partners achieve logo qualification, the Windows Certification Program team is pleased to announce that for a limited time we're reducing the submission fee. Until general availability of Windows 8 on October 26, 2012, the fee for every new submission for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 certifications is only $100, a $150 discount.
This is a great opportunity for device and system partners to lower development costs by downloading the latest Windows Hardware Certification Kit (HCK) and testing your system or device for submission during this limited time frame.
Windows Logo Kit 1.6 usage guidelines
Windows Logo Kit (WLK) 1.6 will remain open to submissions for the foreseeable future. To help WLK 1.6 test kit partners properly time their transitions to the new test kit version, we'll provide at least 90 days' notice before retirement comes.
How to handle a product type mismatch in HCK Studio
Question: When I select my device, the Product types summary in the right pane doesn't display the product type that I want to certify. What should I do?
Answer: Sometimes, features that are required for a product type aren't automatically detected on a device. In those cases, you must manually select the missing feature(s) that correspond to your product type. After all of the features have been selected, the product type appears. When you add features to your selection, the tests that are required for those features are automatically added to your list of tests.
To manually configure a product type
- Find your product type in the Windows HCK Product Type Test Matrix (http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/3/6/23662F33-71E8-43C1-8547-5DE49B0374AB/windows-hck-product-type-matrix.xlsx).
- Determine the list of features that are required for your product type.
- In the Selection tab in HCK Studio, right-click your selection to see a list of features. The check boxes for features that have been automatically detected display as selected.
- Select the check box for any missing feature that corresponds to your product type.
Hardware Certification Program FAQ Updated
We've updated the Certification Program FAQ in the Windows Dev Center and highly recommended that all partners participating in the program read it.
Read more: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/gg463054
What's New in Blogs for Hardware and Driver Developers
Collaborating to Deliver Windows RT PCs
Building Windows 8 Blog, August 13, 2012
Since RTM on August 1, PC manufacturers have been using the released software to ready new PCs designed for Windows 8. Collectively, we are all very excited by the innovation and creativity that will arrive in market this October. Our engineering collaboration has been better than ever as we work to bring better performance, reliability, and battery life to new PCs designed for Windows 8. We also know many are interested in how we extended this process to a new generation of PCs built on the ARM platform. This post details how we have collaborated on the development of Windows RT and new PCs designed for the operating system. Mike Angiulo, the vice president of our Ecosystem and Planning team, authored this post. - Steven Sinofsky, President, Windows
Read more: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2012/08/13/collaborating-to-deliver-windows-rt-pcs.aspx
Microsoft's Setting a Blistering Pace This Summer
The Official Microsoft Blog, August 2, 2012
Iten, Kenya, produces some of the world's fastest runners. Runners there train at 8,000 feet above sea level, and the valley is six miles down. Kenya's elite runners run up and down these hills every day. And they keep it simple. If these runners want to build their leg strength, they run up more hills. We've been doing our own bit of hard core training here at Microsoft, and our engineers across the company have been setting a blistering pace. Let's go to a tale of the tape." - Frank X. Shaw, Corporate Vice President, Corporate Communications
Read more: http://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/08/02/microsoft-s-setting-a-blistering-pace-this-summer.aspx
Large Collection of Free Microsoft eBooks for You
Microsoft SMS & Partner Community Blog, July 27, 2012
Throughout the year I try to share resources and information with you that I think will be helpful for you. Often times these resources will include links to free eBooks that we make available on a variety of topics. Today, I thought I would post a large collection of eBooks for you here so that you can find them in one place and consume them as you see fit. Also, if you find this list helpful, please share it with your peers and colleagues so that they too can benefit from these resources." - Eric Ligman, Director, Partner Experience
Read more: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/mssmallbiz/archive/2012/07/27/large-collection-of-free-microsoft-ebooks-for-you-including-sharepoint-visual-studio-windows-phone-windows-8-office-365-office-2010-sql-server-2012-azure-and-more.aspx
Industry News
Windows 8 Takes Security to the Next Level
InfoWorld, August 21, 2012
Windows 8 is meeting mixed reviews, to put it mildly - just ask InfoWorld's Woody Leonhard or J. Peter Bruzzese. ... From a security perspective, that bad press is too bad, because security improvements in Windows 8 make it one of the most secure operating systems on the planet. That might sound like hyperbole - until you consider all the new stuff that's been rolled in.
Read more: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/windows-8-takes-security-the-next-level-200554
Microsoft's Windows 8: Will It Breathe New Life into Older PCs?
ZDNet, August 16, 2012
With Microsoft making available the final released to manufacturing (RTM) Windows 8 bits to some customers starting on August 15, it's a good time to contemplate whether it's worth grabbing them.
Yes, Windows 8 is a touch-centric operating system which will work best - or, at least, most like the way its designers intended - on touch-enabled tablets, PCs and monitors.
But I've heard from several readers that they believe Windows 8 includes enough under-the-hood improvements in security, reliability and performance to convince them it's worth putting on older, non-touch enabled hardware, too. Even without (or despite) the new user interface and touch gesture support, the rest of the OS is a worthy upgrade, some claim. They like the less flashy features, like faster boot times and fewer required restarts after updating.
Read more: http://www.zdnet.com/microsofts-windows-8-will-it-breathe-new-life-into-older-pcs-7000002634
Eight Windows 8 PCs to Watch
PCWorld, August 9, 2012
Announcements and speculation about upcoming Windows 8 tablets are coming in fast. Lenovo recently announced the Windows 8-based ThinkPad Tablet 2, following companies such as Asus, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard and Samsung into the Windows 8 fray.
The ThinkPad Tablet 2 features a Clover Trail Intel Atom processor, 10.1-inch screen, 3G and 4G connectivity options, HDMI and USB ports and runs Windows 8 Pro. Pricing was not announced, but Lenovo's new tablet will be available in October.
Lenovo's ThinkPad Tablet 2 sounds promising and will likely be a solid choice if you're thinking about getting a Windows 8 tablet. Lenovo products such as the original Android-powered ThinkPad Tablet and the IdeaPad U300S ultraportable regularly make PCWorld's top 10 lists. But there's a whole lot more coming to store shelves near you starting in October. Here's a look at seven other tablets you'll want to keep your eye on as we get closer to the Windows 8 launch on Oct. 26.
Read more: http://www.pcworld.com/article/260622/eight_windows_8_tablets_to_watch.html
