Driver Install Frameworks Tools V2.0 Available

[Daniel Whitaker [MSFT]]

Driver Install Frameworks (DIFx) provides infrastructure and tools to
simplify device and driver installation for both developers and users. DIFx
tools includes the Driver Package Installer (DPInst), Driver Installation
Frameworks for Applications (DIFxApp) and Driver Installation Frameworks
Library(DIFxAPI).

New in Version 2.0:

· Driver Installation Frameworks Library (DIFxAPI).

· Support for install, uninstall, repair, and rollback of drivers.

· Ability to track and maintain application-driver-service
associations and provide reference counting on drivers and services.

· DIFxAPI that exports the following functions:

- DriverPackagePreinstall()

- DriverPackageInstall()

- DriverPackageUninstall()

- DriverPackageGetPath()

· Ability to create driver installation packages for 32-bit,
x64-based platforms and Itanium-based systems.

· Support for the next version of Microsoft Windows codenamed
"Longhorn."

· Driver Package Installer (DPInst).

· Ability to group packages belonging to multifunction devices.

· New XML elements and command-line switches for:

- Accepting unsigned drivers by using the legacy mode flag. The underlying
operating system still performs signing checks, but the DIFx tools don't
add any additional signing requirements.

- Scanning hardware before performing any preinstall or install to ensure
that only packages for which hardware is present get on the machine. This
allows using DPInst for batch updates, during which the system is scanned
for a large number of drivers and only those that are actually required are
selected.

- Using uninstall to delete files that have been copied to the system
during install.

· Driver Install Frameworks for Applications (DIFxApp).

· Ability to work with a scenario in which non-admins can install
admin-blessed driver packages.

· New flags for:

- Using the legacy-mode flag to accept unsigned drivers. The underlying
operating system still performs signing checks, but the DIFx tools don't
add additional signing requirements.

- Deleting files on uninstall. Uninstall can delete files that have been
copied to the system during install.

You can download the DIFx 2.0 RTM version of the tools from :
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/install/DIFxtls.mspx

Patty Esack
Device Management and Install Team

Microsoft Corp

[Liang Fu]

Can it be used to create a custom installation program for distribution with
hardware?
Thanks

Post by Daniel Whitaker [MSFT]
Driver Install Frameworks (DIFx) provides infrastructure and tools to
simplify device and driver installation for both developers and users. DIFx
tools includes the Driver Package Installer (DPInst), Driver Installation
Frameworks for Applications (DIFxApp) and Driver Installation Frameworks
Library(DIFxAPI).
· Driver Installation Frameworks Library (DIFxAPI).
· Support for install, uninstall, repair, and rollback of drivers.
· Ability to track and maintain application-driver-service
associations and provide reference counting on drivers and services.
- DriverPackagePreinstall()
- DriverPackageInstall()
- DriverPackageUninstall()
- DriverPackageGetPath()
· Ability to create driver installation packages for 32-bit,
x64-based platforms and Itanium-based systems.
· Support for the next version of Microsoft Windows codenamed
"Longhorn."
· Driver Package Installer (DPInst).
· Ability to group packages belonging to multifunction devices.
- Accepting unsigned drivers by using the legacy mode flag. The underlying
operating system still performs signing checks, but the DIFx tools don't
add any additional signing requirements.
- Scanning hardware before performing any preinstall or install to ensure
that only packages for which hardware is present get on the machine. This
allows using DPInst for batch updates, during which the system is scanned
for a large number of drivers and only those that are actually required are
selected.
- Using uninstall to delete files that have been copied to the system
during install.
· Driver Install Frameworks for Applications (DIFxApp).
· Ability to work with a scenario in which non-admins can install
admin-blessed driver packages.
- Using the legacy-mode flag to accept unsigned drivers. The underlying
operating system still performs signing checks, but the DIFx tools don't
add additional signing requirements.
- Deleting files on uninstall. Uninstall can delete files that have been
copied to the system during install.
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/install/DIFxtls.mspx
Patty Esack
Device Management and Install Team
Microsoft Corp

[Eliyas Yakub [MSFT]]

Yes. Please read the doc files that come with the tools. It has all the
information you need.