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This newsletter contains archived content. No warranty is made as to technical accuracy of content or currency of URLs.
Here in Redmond, we're still digging out from the rather dramatic December we endured. But team members are putting away their chainsaws (we lost thousands of trees in the storm), dragging recycled holiday wrappings to the curb (we're famous for recycling here), and getting back down to business.
Back on campus, a major focus is helping engineers and developers get the details they need to build products for both the Windows Vista and Microsoft Windows Server Longhorn operating systems.
For example, Windows Vista introduces a new componetized, image-based setup and upgrade architecture that is more reliable, more flexible, and more secure than the setup and migration architecture of earlier versions of Windows. Instead of preserving state from the down-level operating system such as Windows XP during an upgrade, a clean Windows Vista image is applied to a system and then migration modules and other mechanisms apply state.
The Driver Windows Installation team has published new information about Plug and Play Device Driver Migration in Windows Vista. If you are a developer, support staff, or system manufacturer, you'll find this paper is useful for obtaining a better understanding of how Plug and Play device drivers are migrated during an in-place upgrade to Windows Vista. This paper includes an architectural overview and common scenarios, plus an especially useful walkthrough that provides detailed techniques for troubleshooting or debugging device driver migration issues. The Windows team created this paper as both a tutorial and a reference guide for debugging device driver migration issues in Windows Vista.
With the New Year, my team starts full-time planning for WinHEC. The first step focuses on you: the WinHEC 2007 Call for Presentations and white papers is online now, seeking abstracts of technical presentations to be considered for inclusion in the conference program. This is your opportunity to join other industry leaders in sharing information about engineering and design innovations for the new generation of Windows hardware products. Submissions are due February 1.
Finally, lots of new information is being highlighted this month at CES--you can catch Bill Gates' keynote at CES on the Web if you missed it.
— Annie Pearson
for the WHDC Web team
WHDC After Dark:
Stop Digital Amnesia: We're just trying to be helpful, not offering unsolicited medical advice. Pluto Replies: Here's a useful link for any of you who had an emotional reaction to the invention of new rules that led to a recent demotion.
Hardware Design for Windows Vista
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A new preview paper on the WHDC Web site describes Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) support in Windows Server Longhorn. This paper is intended as input to firmware and system designers as a guidance for firmware support and implementation requirements. Observation and adherence to these guidelines and requirements will help ensure proper functionality of the Windows Server Longhorn operating system.
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To support Web services on devices, Windows Vista provides native support for the Devices Profile for Web Services (DPWS) standard. DPWS is an open networking standard that provides a common networking solution that supports a wide range of connectivity and messaging options. Together with the other Windows Rally technologies, DPWS gives manufacturers an extensible architecture for network-connected devices. A new paper on the WHDC Web site discusses three scenarios that implement DPWS together with Windows Rally technologies. The paper introduces DPWS concepts and recommends solutions for consumer electronics, enterprise products, and vertical markets such as healthcare and fitness.
See also the additional information and white papers at " Using Web Services on Devices" on MSDN.
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Windows Home Server is an always-on node in the home, based on Windows Server 2003 technology and hardware from leading partners. Windows Home Server provides families and home-based businesses with multiple PCs the ability to easily store, share, and protect their digital content--allowing connectivity from other devices such as Xbox 360 and Windows Vista PCs. It also provides accessibility to content both in the home and from remote locations for the family and authorized guests. Each Windows Home Server customer will also receive a free Windows Live personal domain.
Windows Home Server will eventually be delivered through a multitude of hardware partners. At CES this week, AMD is announcing the AMD LIVE! Home Media Server, a reference design platform for Windows Home Server. Inventec Corporation and Quanta Computer, Inc. are also demonstrating hardware reference designs, complementing the Hewlett-Packard MediaSmart Server product demonstrated in Bill Gates' keynote address and in the Microsoft booth at CES.
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Windows Logo Program and WHQL News
The latest update to the Windows Logo Program requirements provides new information about Server System requirements for dynamic partitioning and Windows virtualization, plus clarifications related to Windows Hardware Error Architecture (WHEA) requirements. The download package includes the suite of requirements documents. For a summary of the changes, see the Windows Logo Program News and Notices.
See also: Windows Logo Program Requirements FAQ
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Driver Test Manager (DTM) is the harness used to run tests on systems, devices, and drivers for the Windows Logo Program. DTM updates are posted on the WHDC Web site as they become available, including any changes to the test harness itself or to the testing content and available jobs for a particular device category. See also: Inf2cat Signability Tool.
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WinHEC News
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In 2007, WinHEC will continue its tradition of offering deep technical content on current topics of industry-wide significance for developers of Windows-based PCs, servers, devices, and drivers. The WinHEC Web site provides comprehensive guidelines. You are encouraged to submit presentations that fit within the WinHEC session structure and that address a broad array of Windows hardware platform technologies. Proposals are due February 1.
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Sponsor and Exhibitor opportunities are now available for WinHEC 2007 in Los Angeles, May 15-17. WinHEC provides a unique opportunity to showcase your products, services, and solutions to professionals in the hardware industry.
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Edition for  January 9, 2007 |
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Windows Driver Developer Kits, Tools, and Programs
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Hardware and Driver Developer Community
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This newsletter is composed and formatted on PCs running the Windows Vista operating system and the Microsoft Office 2007 system.
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