Using the Windows 95 Compatibility Tests At Your Site

WHQL distributes Windows 95 compatibility tests (CTs) and instructions for using them to independent hardware vendors (IHVs) and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This enables third-party engineers to test hardware devices and drivers at their site before submitting them for certification. The compatibility test items for a hardware class are the same ones used by WHQL during the certification testing at Microsoft Corporation.

If you perform compatibility tests at your own site before submitting the hardware device and driver to WHQL for certification, you will greatly increase the probability of obtaining certification on your first submittal.

On previous releases of the Windows 95 Device Development Kit (DDK), WHQL (then known as MCL) distributed the compatibility tests and instructions for using them on the \Ct subdirectory of the DDK. On this release of the DDK, WHQL has completely revised the contents of the \Ct subdirectory. You should not use any of the compatibility tests installed in the \Ct subdirectory from previous versions of the Windows 95 DDK.

WHQL also distributes the compatibility tests on both an FTP server and a Web site. You can always obtain a copy of the most recent version of the compatibility tests for a device class, instructions for using them, and any special test tools you will need to carry out the tests by downloading files from the URLs listed below:

• ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/services/whql. The instructions are in one self-expanding .exe file and the compatibility tests are in another self-expanding .exe file.
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/hcl/home.htm. To get to the appropriate files to download, click on the hardware class icon that corresponds to your device.