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From the Editor
Microsoft Windows Vista provides a mechanism for ranking Microsoft-signed and third party-signed drivers equally, so driver developers can install private builds of inbox drivers for testing purposes. Ordinarily, a Microsoft-signed driver outranks a driver signed by a third party, which makes it difficult for driver developers to install private builds of an inbox driver.
Installing Test Builds of Inbox Drivers on Windows Vista describes how driver developers can use a group policy to configure Windows Vista (or Windows Server codename "Longhorn") to install updated versions of drivers that were originally Microsoft-signed. When you set this group policy, Windows Vista treats your signed driver the same as those signed by Microsoft. This applies, however, only to driver installation packages that contain an INF file and a CAT file. You can read more about how Windows Vista Setup ranks drivers in the Windows Driver Kit.
Note that this group policy setting should be used only by driver developers who are testing private builds of inbox drivers or by enterprise network administrators who sign driver packages internally for installation within their enterprise. It must not be used in setup applications in production environments for drivers to be delivered by Windows Update.
Of course, your driver testing and installation packages need to be code-signed. So please remember these key topics:
— Annie Pearson
for the WHDC Web team
WHDC After Dark:
Staying busy eating super burritos: What better is there to contemplate on a hot, muggy day than a dark and stormy night? (I'm hoping you'll excuse my northern hemisphere-centric world view.) It's that time of the year again: Bulwer-Lytton contest finals. This year's top winner is a Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory alumnus--and we are so jealous! (Excuse me while I go check whether the WHDC writing team has taken to using six superfluous adjectives or only five.)

Device Design for Windows Vista
Update How to Build and Use Microphone Arrays for Windows Vista 
This paper--for hardware manufacturers and application developers--focuses on the firmware required for USB microphone arrays, and it describes how the array-processing code is packaged and how to use microphone arrays in Windows Vista applications. This paper has been updated to provide additional information on the microphone array property set.
Media Center Extenders Guidelines 
Windows Media Center Extender Technology (MCX Technology) is platform-independent software that enables network-connected consumer electronics devices to deliver full, high-definition Media Center experiences, including live and recorded standard and HD TV, movies, photos, personal and premium music, and third-party applications and services designed for Media Center.
MCX Technology-capable devices can provide full access to personal content stored on DLNA-compatible digital media servers and digital rights-managed content stored on any Windows Vista PC or Windows XP PC through Windows Media Connect. Learn more about designing with MCX Technology and how to implement Windows Media Connect support.

Kits and Tools for Developers
Debugging Tools for Windows Version 6.6.7.5
The new release of Debugging Tools for Windows includes new UI enhancements, new Source Server features, additional Symbol Server support, !analyze enhancements, and new and updated extensions and commands.
Download for 32-bit version 
Download for 64-bit version 
WDK Beta Update 
The WDK EDW Beta Build 5472 is now available on Microsoft Connect. You can also download the WDK Driver Test Manager Help on WHDC Web.

Windows Logo Program Updates
Serial ATA International Organization for SATA Device Testing 
Microsoft is partnering with the Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) group for pretesting Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives, optical drives, and controllers for the Windows Logo Program. Manufacturers are strongly encouraged to engage with SATA-IO and begin testing devices and controllers. Learn more at Windows Logo Program News: SATA-IO Testing for SATA Devices.
New Logo Program Requirements for RFID Devices and Printers
Two new logo program requirements have been published for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices and printers. The related logo program is expected to begin in 2007, when the tests will be added to the WDK. Download and review the new RFID requirements in Windows Logo Program 3.04. Send your feedback to the Windows Hardware Logo Program team at logofb@microsoft.com.
Update: Download Windows Start Button Specification V.1.01 
This updated specification provides hardware designers and product planners with the requirements and recommendations necessary to implement the Windows Vista Hardware Start Button in their products.
Microsoft Hardware Newsletter
Edition for

July 25, 2006
In This Issue:
Device Design for Windows Vista
Kits and Tools for Developers
Windows Logo Program Updates
Events
PCI-SIG Compliance Workshop
August 21-25, 2006
Milpitas, CA
Windows Vista - Driver Developer Kits, Tools, and Programs
Windows Driver Kit (WDK) and UMDF Beta Releases
Kernel-Mode Driver Framework (KMDF) 1.1
Windows Symbols (May 2006)
Debugging Tools for Windows 6.6.7.5
Kernel-Mode Code Signing Information
Windows Logo Program 3.0 Suite
WinHEC 2006 Proceedings
Conference Papers and Slides
Order WinHEC DVD--media streaming presentations
Hardware and Driver Developer Community
XML Paper Specification (XPS) Developers Forum
Blogs, Newsgroups, Video on WHDC 
Notes from Windows Development Teams 
This newsletter is composed and formatted on PCs running a Microsoft Windows Vista operating system and the 2007 Microsoft Office system.
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