What is WHQL?

Windows Hardware Quality Labs

• Facility to tests and certifies third Party hardware
and Software products for compatibility with
Windows operating systems

• Products that meet the compatibility requirements

are then allowed to display Windows logos on
product packaging, advertising and other marketing
materials

• Once a product has received the WHQL logo it is

listed on the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility List
Certification tools history:

• HCT – Hardware Compatibility Test

• DTM – Driver Test Manager

• WLK – Windows Logo Kit

• WHCK – Windows Hardware Certification Kit

HCT:- Hardware Compatibility Test
During the Windows 2000, XP, 2003 timeframe there
was an old tool Hardware Compatibility Test (HCT) to certify
devices.

DTM:- Driver Test Manager

When Windows Vista was released the tool was
replaced by Driver Test Manager (DTM) which can certify
drivers for all then-supported platforms. At that time DTM was
part of Windows Driver Kit (WDK)
WLK:- Windows Logo Kit
Later DTM was separated from WDK and changed to
its current name, Windows Logo Kit.

WHCK:- Windows Hardware Certification Kit

For Windows 8, the name WLK was changed to
Windows Hardware Certification Kit
 Windows Hardware Certification Kit

• Windows Hardware Certification Kit (Windows

HCK) is a test framework used to certify hardware
devices for Windows.

• To qualify for a Windows certification, your

product must pass testing using the Windows
HCK.
 HCK Pre-requirements

Windows HCK is comprised of two components:

1. HCK test server

2. Test computers

Test
Test computers
Server
HCK Test server:
Also called as controller, a test server has two
parts: Windows HCK Controller and Windows HCK
Studio.

The Controller software is the engine that

manages tests that are run on test computers.

The Studio software is the management tool

that lets you select and schedule tests against any
test computer connected to the test server.
Controller and Studio are installed from the Windows
HCK installation source.

Once established, the test server contains separate

installers to install a remote Windows HCK Studio and
Windows HCK Client.

A maximum of 150 clients can be connected to a

single controller.
 Hardware requirement for test server

Component Minimum

Single Intel or AMD-based x64 platform with a speed

Processor of 2.0 GHz

System memory 2 GB main memory

300 GB minimum to accommodate the volume of

Hard disk capacity
logs that can be generated.

Network connection 100 megabits per second (Mbps)

Operating system Server 2008 or server 2012

Install a remote HCK Studio
You can optionally install HCK Studio on a separate computer.
The computer must be able to connect to the installation folder that is
shared from the HCK Controller computer. Therefore, before you can
install HCK Studio, you must have already installed HCK Controller.

 From your remote computer, click Start, click Run,

type \\ControllerName\HCKInstall\Studio\Setup.exe, and
then click Yes.
Test
computers

Test
Server
Remote
HCK Studio
Install standalone HCK Studio
You can install a standalone Windows HCK Studio if you
want to view .hckx certification packages without installing the
Windows HCK Controller.

Enables you to complete the following scenarios:

 View log files from the package.

 View test results in the package.

 Regenerate the package.

 Merge with another package.

 Add additional drivers to the package.

Test computer:
Also referred to as a client computer, each one can have
a different configuration that's appropriate for various
testing scenarios, including different hardware, operating
systems, service packs, and drivers.

Each test computer can only be associated with one test

server.

You can configure each test computer by running the

Windows HCK Client software installer directly from a shared
network location on the test server
How to Deploy above setup?
 Deployment scenarios

There are two deployment scenarios for Windows HCK:

1. Domain-joined environment
2. Workgroup environment
Domain-joined environment:
In a domain-joined environment, a domain controller is
present and all computers designated for Windows HCK
features are joined to the same domain controller.

If you plan to deploy Windows HCK in a domain-joined

environment, you need a minimum of three computers: a
Windows domain controller, a Windows HCK test server, and
one Windows HCK test computer.
 * Your domain controller and HCK controller cannot be
on the same server.
Workgroup environment:
A workgroup environment has no domain controller. If you
plan to deploy Windows HCK in a workgroup, you need at least
two computers: a test server and a test computer joined to
the same workgroup.
Test Levels
Test Levels
• Windows HCK introduces a new feature called test levels.
• Test levels let you scope the testing from basic testing to an
increasing level of functionality (that includes stress).
• Previous kits were only focused on one scenario--
certification.
• This new kit now supports (6) six scenarios.
Test Level Description

Basic These are simple and direct tests for developers to run quickly and catch fundamental
issues early on.

Functional These are feature level test. At this stage, all functionality should be complete.

Reliability These are stress level test. These tests may require special setup and requirements.

Certification These are all test required for Windows Certification.

At this stage, you are ready to submit your drivers/devices/systems for certification. If you
passed all previous levels (basic, functional, reliability), this stage should be simple.

Experiences These are scenario specific test that validate an end-to-end experiences.
For example, partners can validate how devices and systems interact with other parts of
the hardware/software. The experiences can be device stack specific and would be
selectable based on the devices being tested or can be across various hardware in the
case of a system.

Optional These tests contain optional validation that you can run as part of device or system
testing.
These tests provide added value to you through diagnostic information or configuration.
For example, some test collect failure data to make failure investigation easier.
 How to download, install &

configure HCK server and Client ?

HCK Setup Download:

1. Download the Windows HCK from the Windows Dev Center

2. From the download location, click Download > Now.

Step 1: Install Controller and Studio on the test server
In this step, you install Windows HCK software on the designated
test server. The test server should be preinstalled with Windows
Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server® 2012. The setup program installs the
Windows HCK Controller and Studio, in addition to other resources.

HCK Installation sample video_1

HCK installation sample video 2

HCK After installation video

Step 2: Install Client on the test computer(s)
To install the Windows HCK ClientOn the test computer, browse to the following
location:

o For x86 and X64, type

\\<ControllerName>\HCKInstall\Client\Setup.exe

o For ARM devices, type

\\<ControllerName>\HCKInstall\ARMClient\Setup.exe

Client installation video

Step 3: Create a machine pool
A machine pool is a logical grouping of one or more test computers.
After you install Windows HCK Client on each test computer, the computers
are automatically added to the default machine pool. Before you can work
with a test computer, you must move it to a working machine pool.
Every project needs a machine pool. A machine pool can be used for
multiple projects.

Sample video
Step 4: Create a project
After you setup your test server and clients, you're ready to begin testing.
The first step is to create a project. A project defines what you want to test.
The most common project is the device you want to submit for certification. In
this example, you create a project, run all certification tests associated with
that device, and finally create a single package that contains all the passing
test results.

Sample video
Step 5: Select target to certify
Windows HCK Studio detects all features that a device implements. The
specific testable device is called the target. A device may contain multiple targets,
represented by one or more hardware IDs. Using the Selection tab, you can filter what
you want to test using the following views:
 Systems. To test a complete client or server computer.

 Devices and printers. To test an external device that's connected to a test

computer. This device typically appears in Start > Devices and Printers on the test
computer.

 Device manager. To test a component of a test computer or external device, for

example, a network card. This is the most detailed view.

 Software devices. To test filter drivers, firewalls, and antivirus software that's
installed on the test computer.
Sample video
Step 6: Select and run tests
The Tests tab displays all of the tests associated with the features found on your
device. You filter and sort the test results by:
 Level

 Status

 Test Name

 Type

 Length

 Target

 Machine(s)

Sample video
Step 7: View test results and log files

The Results tab displays detailed information about each

test. As each test completes, the status column updates with the
result—pass or fail.

Sample video
Step 8: Create a submission package
After the device passes all of the necessary tests, you
can create a submission package (.hckx file) for submission.
Windows HCK Studio supports package creation, so you
don't need to use a separate submission tool. It supports
adding resource files (drivers, symbols) necessary to complete
certification.
You can also merge multiple packages (.hckx files) into
one single package.
Package creation
Merging package
To install standalone Windows HCK Studio
1. Download the Windows HCK from the Windows Dev Center
Download page to a location accessible to your test server.

2. From HCKSetup.exe, select the Studio Only option.

3. After installation, open HCK Studio.

Windows Hardware Certification Kit QFE Updates
Quick Fix Engineering (QFE) updates are included as part of the Windows
Hardware Certification Kit (HCK) download. To get the latest QFEs for the Windows HCK, run
HCKSetup.exe.
 Windows HCK for Windows 8.1 RTM QFE list

o QFE Update 005 (Build ID: 8.100.26063)

o QFE Update 004 (Build ID: 8.100.26031)

o QFE Update 003 (Build ID: 8.100.26011)

o QFE Update 002 (Build ID: 8.100.26001)

o QFE Update 001 (Build ID: 8.100.25990)

Command-line options to install HCK
To install and uninstall the Windows HCKController, Studio, Client and/or Manager
(Unattended):
 To install the Windows HCK Controller, use the following command from the root of the Windows
HCK installation media: HCKSetup.exe /q

 To uninstall the Windows HCK Controller and HCK Studio, use the following command from the
root of the Windows HCK installation media: HCKSetup.exe /uninstall /q

 To install the Windows HCK Client \\HCKController\HCKInstall\Client\setup.exe /qn

ICFAGREE=Yes

 To install the Windows HCK Studio \\HCKController\HCKInstall\Studio\setup.exe /qn

 To uninstall the Windows HCK Client \\HCKController\HCKInstall\Client\setup.exe /qn /uninstall

 To uninstall the Windows HCK Studio \\HCKController\HCKInstall\Studio\setup.exe /qn /uninstall

Thank You