Windows Hardware Lab Kit: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:18, 28 January 2008

Latest revision as of 09:09, 9 December 2024

(45 intermediate revisions by 31 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{short description|Automated testing software from Microsoft}}

The '''Windows Logo Kit''' (WLK) is a [[test automation]] framework provided by [[Microsoft]] to certify devices for

{{Infobox software

Windows.

| name = Windows Hardware Lab Kit

| logo =

| screenshot =

| caption =

| author =

| developer = [[Microsoft]]

| released =

| latest release version = 1809

| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2018|11|01}}

| latest preview version =

| latest preview date =

| operating system = [[Microsoft Windows]]

| platform = [[x86-64|x64]] and [[IA-32|Intel x86 32-bit]]

| language = [[English language|English]]

| genre =

| license =

}}

The '''Windows Hardware Lab Kit''' ('''Windows HLK''') is a [[test automation]] framework provided by [[Microsoft]] to certify devices for Windows. Earlier similarly released frameworks were called ''Windows Hardware Certification Kit'' (Windows HCK) and ''Windows Logo Kit'' (WLK).

It provides automated scheduling and execution of the [[Device driver|driver]] tests that [[Computer hardware|hardware]] vendors are required to pass in order to qualify to use the [[WHQL Testing|Microsoft Designed for Windows Logo]]. Besides, it also enables users to automate driver tests which they have created themselves. These tests can be mixed and matched with the Logo tests provided by [[Microsoft]] to create a custom test pass enabling organizations to use the DTM to validate [[Device driver|drivers]] in any way they see fit.

It provides automated scheduling and execution of the [[Devicedevice driver|driver]] tests that [[Computercomputer hardware|hardware]] vendors are required to pass in order to qualify to use the [[WHQL Testing|Microsoft Designed for Windows Logo]]. Besides, itIt also enables users to automate driver tests which they have created themselves. These tests can be mixed and matched with the Logo tests provided by [[Microsoft]] to create a custom test pass, enablingwhich enables organizations to use the DTM to validate [[Devicedevice driver|driversdriver]]s in any way they see fit.

==History of Windows Logo Kit==

During the [[Windows 2000]], [[Windows XP|XP]], [[Windows Server 2003|2003]] timeframe there was an old tool '''Hardware Compatibility Test''' (HCT) to certify devices. 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). Later DTM was separated from WDK and changeed to its current name, Windows Logo Kit.

==History==

During the [[Windows 2000]], [[Windows XP|XP]], [[Windows Server 2003|2003]] timeframe there was an old tool '''Hardware Compatibility Test''' ('''HCT''') to certify devices. 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'''). Later DTM was separated from WDK and changeedchanged its name to its'''Windows currentLogo Kit''' ('''WLK'''). For Windows 8, the name was changed to '''Windows Hardware Certification Kit''' ('''Windows HCK'''), as announced at the [[Build (developer conference)|//Build/]] conference. Subsequently, its name was once again changed into '''Windows LogoHardware Lab Kit''' (Windows HLK) for Windows 10 release, intended for testing of hardware and drivers on Windows 10 platform. The Windows Hardware Certification Kit continues testing hardware on Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 (and their server products respectively) platforms.

==See also==

* [[Inquisitor (hardware testing software)|Inquisitor]] — free/open-source hardware testing framework.

*[http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/winlogo/wlk/default.mspx Windows Logo Kit home page]

* [[WHQL Testing]] — Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing.

==External links==

* {{Official website}}

* [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/hardware/hck/jj124227(v%3dvs.85) Windows Hardware Certification Kit User's Guide]

* [http://channel9.msdn.com/events/BUILD/BUILD2011/HW-659T Craig Rowland of Microsoft at 2011 Build confererence presentation on Certifying hardware with the Windows Hardware Certification Kit]

{{Microsoft development tools}}

[[Category:Device drivers]]