Windows Hardware Lab Kit Filters

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When Microsoft discovers a problem in either a Windows HLK test or in the operating system itself that causes certification tests to fail incorrectly, we create an errata that allows partners to pass the problematic test. Many errata use filters to automatically filter the failure from the submission results.  Filters are applied within Windows HLK Studio.

  • Errata - These filters override tests that have errors that cause them to fail incorrectly. These filters apply to the test for all end users.

  • Contingency - These filters allow companies to pass certain tests based on a legal agreement with Microsoft to fix device or system bugs within an agreed time period. These are specific to a particular case.

  • Autotriage - These filters don't change the status of a test from fail to pass. They display information on common errors that can cause test failures.

To install filters

download imageDownload the latest HLK Filters

Note

If your HLK environment doesn't have access to the Internet, you can copy the file to your test server.

Note

Both HLK and HCK filters are stored in the same HCKFilterUpdates.cab filters file, there is no separate file for HLK.

  1. Review the ReadMe file to learn how to install the filters on the controller.

  2. Download HCKFilterUpdates.cab to your controller.

  3. Open the downloaded HCKFilterUpdates.cab file.

  4. Click and drag UpdateFilters.sql from the zip file to your desktop.

  5. Click and drag the UpdateFilters.sql file from your desktop to the %Program Files (x86)%\Windows Kits\<version>**\Hardware Lab Kit\Controller ** directory.

    Where <version> is the version of the HLK.

  6. Close all instances of HLK Studio.

  7. From that directory, run the UpdateFilters.exe command.

You can install more than one HCKFilterUpdates.cab file to your controller, and you can download and install the latest version of the HCKFilterUpdates.cab file whenever a new one is published.

To determine if the current .cab file is the latest one, see the time stamp in the ReadMe file, or use the RSS feed on the Hardware Dashboard to receive a notification whenever a new filter is available.

To apply filters

After you install a new HCKFilterUpdates.cab file, the new filters will be automatically applied to new results as they are generated.

For existing results, you must select the Apply Filters option on the Results tab to reapply the filters to the results.

Limitations

  • Existing test results, made prior to new filters being added, need to have new filters applied manually. To do this, load the project you want to apply the filters to, and click the Apply Filters button as described in the process above.

  • There is no notification that a filter has been applied, but you can view filter results in the test results.

  • If you open a package (.hlkx) in HLK Studio that previously contained a filter failed result, HLK Studio will display that result as failed. This is a known issue when opening a package.