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Watch Build 2012 videos on demand
The Windows sessions from last week's Build 2012 conference are available on Channel 9. Watch presentations about designing and building beautiful and unique apps for Windows 8 delivered by Microsoft engineers and program managers.
Watch the videos:
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2012
News for hardware developers
Linking your device to a Windows Store app
Now that Windows 8 has hit the marketplace, more partners are realizing the potential of Windows Store apps that can be connected to devices, known as Windows Store device apps. Although the device app experience is simple and seamless for end customers, the process for device makers to create these linkages requires keen attention to detail. We're finding that metadata submissions for device apps often are failing because of minor issues.
The white paper "Windows Store Device App Lifecycle" details the process. It describes the .xml files that are needed to make the linkage, how to test the app and .xml files, and how to submit packages properly.
Dual-booting your PC
Want to try Windows 8, but need to keep Windows 7 or Windows XP handy? Here are a few tips to boot two versions of Windows on the same PC.
Install from older to newer, when possible
Typically, if you're starting from scratch, install the older version of Windows first, and then install the newer version. This generally makes it easier for Windows to set up the boot files.
Back up your data
If you already have an older version of Windows installed, back up your existing data. We're talking about formatting partitions. Better to be safe than sorry.
Make space for the new version of Windows
If your hard drive has enough space, you may be able to shrink the size of the Windows partition to make room for the new version of Windows.
- For Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista: Right-click Computer, and then select Manage. Click Disk Management. Right-click the Windows partition, and then select Shrink Volume.
- For Windows XP, use a third-party disk partitioning tool to shrink the Windows XP partition.
If you're installing Windows over an existing partition, or adding a second hard drive, format the partition. This step is optional, but it's helpful to make sure that there are no straggler files from a previous installation.
While you're setting up the partition, it's a good idea to label the partition. This also is optional, but it's helpful in the next step to identify the partition.
Install the new version of Windows
Boot the PC using the Windows installation DVD.
When you're asked where to install Windows, be sure to select the new partition that you've created. You don't want to wipe out the data on your original partition!
After installing the new version of Windows, you have the option to boot either the new or the old version of Windows.
Troubleshooting: The dual-boot menu doesn't appear
If this menu doesn't appear, you may need to add an entry in the boot files for the version of Windows that's not booting. This typically happens when you install an older version of Windows after a newer version of Windows, or you wipe out the active partition while upgrading.
- Open a command prompt as an administrator.
- Add a boot file entry, pointing to the Windows directory for the version of Windows that isn't booting. From Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can use the BCDBoot command to do this quickly:
Bcdboot D:\Windows - Reboot the PC. The dual-boot menus should appear.
Submit for Windows 8 hardware certification
Partners should continue to submit devices, systems, and drivers for Windows 8 certification by using the Windows Dev Center Hardware and Desktop 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 (HCK) packages, device metadata, and drivers for distribution, and to view telemetry reports for Windows 8 and other supported versions of Windows.
Learn more about Windows hardware certification:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/gg463010
Recently published for hardware developers
Windows driver doc updates
Although nearly all of our new driver development content was released at RTM in August, we've recently created a few new topics and made many hundreds of bug fixes. Most of our bug fixes were made in response to customer feedback. Thank you-and keep it coming!
These updates to our Windows driver documentation were recently published on the Windows Dev Center:
Tools and tests
You can run these tests to test your driver and device on a target (or test) computer. You can run these tests from Microsoft Visual Studio or from the command prompt window.
Networking
Sensors
The primary update to the sensors documentation entailed adding tables to the programming guide that describe the recommended Current Report Interval (CRI) and Change Sensitivity (CS) for the six sensors found on the tablet platform:
Display devices
Streaming Media Devices
System Builders: Deploying Windows 8 with the Windows ADK
Step-by-step training videos are now available to Windows 8 system builders. These videos and sample files define the end-to-end process for customizing Windows 8 and deploying it to new PCs using the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit. Speed up your Windows 8 deployments with the Windows ADK.
Watch the videos and download the sample files:
http://www.microsoft.com/OEM/en/installation/windows/Pages/deploying-windows-8-video-training.aspx#fbid=qk2RDpIJnFQ
White paper: "Design recommendations for Windows 8 touchpads"
Windows 8 introduces a new Windows user interface (UI) built for touch. The new Windows UI also accommodates a mouse and keyboard. This document summarizes the engineering, user experience, and feature recommendations for touchpads. Anything not explicitly mentioned is not recommended or supported. In some cases, unsupported practices may result in unexpected behaviors.
Read the white paper:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/jj248722
White paper: "Power Handling for Windows 8 Touch Controllers"
This paper provides information about touch controller power states for Windows 8 and guidelines for touch controller IHVs, PC ODMs, and PC OEMs. It assumes that the reader is familiar with the touch hardware requirements in the Windows HCK and PC and device power states in general.
Read the white paper:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/hh974604
View all recently published hardware documentation, kits, and tools
You can always find the latest hardware documentation, kits, and tools published in the Hardware area of the Windows Dev Center from these pages:
Windows certification news
Join the Windows Hardware Testing and Certification forum
If you're testing or certifying Windows hardware, drivers, or systems, the new Windows Hardware Testing and Certification forum is the place to go to share knowledge, get answers, and learn from the collective experience of the Windows hardware community.
The Windows certification team actively monitors the forum and is committed to participating in the discussion. If you have suggestions or feedback on the kit, tests, or certification process, please feel free to post it. Note that this is a public forum, so be mindful of your privacy and your company's online posting policies.
Join the discussion:
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/whck/threads
Logos posted for Windows 8 specific hotkeys
Special Windows hotkeys now have logo assets associated with them. The addendum for use of Windows 8 hotkey glyphs is optional for signing and enables you to use the Windows glyphs for hotkeys. Note that you must sign the addendum if you intend to use these glyphs. You can use the glyphs right away upon signing. The glyphs will also be integrated into the next release of the Logo Licensing Agreement (LLA).
For more info and access to the Windows 8 hotkey glyphs, email WHQLegal@microsoft.com.
HCK 2.0 RTM release is required for submissions as of November 15
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. WLK 1.6 can still be used for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008 R2 submissions until 90 days' notice is given.
Download Windows HCK 2.0 RTM:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/hh852359
What's new in blogs for hardware and driver developers
New from NVIDIA: GeForce GTX 650 Ti - Big Power at a Small Price
Extreme Windows Blog, October 9, 2012
"NVIDIA has been hard at work this year rolling out a series of new video cards including the GeForce GTX 690, GeForce GTX 680, GeForce GTX 660 Ti, and many others. These new 600-series video cards are based on NVIDIA's latest architecture: Kepler. I recently spent some time running the GeForce GTX 660 Ti, and have been impressed with what that card can do with DirectX 11 games, and other graphics-intensive scenarios.
"Today NVIDIA launches the GeForce GTX 650 Ti, a new Kepler-based card that costs about ½ what the GeForce GTX 660 Ti costs, and still pumps out enough power to run the latest DirectX 11 games. With prices starting at $149.00, cards based on the GeForce GTX 650 Ti chipset will offer great bang for the buck."
Read more:
http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/extremewindows/archive/2012/10/09/new-from-nvidia-geforce-gtx-650-ti-big-power-at-a-small-price
Industry news
Microsoft to Team with NTT Docomo, Pitch Windows 8 Tablets for Business
CIO/IDG News Service, November 1, 2012
"Microsoft said Thursday it will team up with Japan's largest mobile operator, NTT DoCoMo, to push Windows 8 on tablets to corporate customers.
"The companies said they will work together to come up with business solutions that use Windows 8 tablets on NTT DoCoMo's LTE network. While specific details are still scarce, the partnership will include joint sales and promotions, as well as the joint development of products for corporate customers."
Read more:
http://www.cio.com/article/720488/microsoft_to_team_with_ntt_docomo_pitch_windows_8_tablets_for_business
Windows 8, the post-PC world, and Linux: Microsoft will prevail
Ars Technica, October 31, 2012
"Since the very first reveal of Windows 8, some critics have called the operating system a fatal move for Microsoft. They call it a blunder so large in its abandonment of Windows' heritage that it has created an opportunity for other operating systems to rise up and seize large portions of Windows' customer base in the consumer and enterprise markets. Others see Windows 8 as a sign that Microsoft is grasping for relevance in a world where Windows and the PC itself are waning. In this view, the once-mighty 'Wintel' platform is already dead-it just doesn't know it yet.
"Both sets of critics are wrong-or, at best, only half right. Windows 8 does create a huge opportunity for another desktop operating system to finally achieve total domination of the desktop and laptop markets, but that operating system is Windows 7. Sure, Windows 8 won't take the crown itself. But it has a slew of features that at least make its next major revision the heir apparent, not just to the desktop world but to a much more complicated computing kingdom. Even if one argues that Windows 8 is a hot mess of a user experience, it's still breaking the trail for what comes next."
Read more:
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/10/windows-8-the-post-pc-world-and-linux-microsoft-will-prevail
Windows 8: What you need to know about the new OS
CNET, accessed November 2, 2012
"Microsoft makes an aggressive, forward-thinking and bold statement for the future of PCs with Windows 8, and vast security and speed improvements more than justify the $40 upgrade price.
Read more:
http://reviews.cnet.com/windows-8
