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Setting the Feature Score for Windows 7 Display Drivers

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This section applies only to Windows 7 and later, and Windows Server 2008 R2 and later versions of Windows operating system.

The FeatureScore directive is required for all drivers that install and run on Windows Vista and later operating systems. The feature score settings that apply for Windows Vista are described in Setting the Driver Feature Score. The following table shows the feature score settings that apply for Windows 7 and later.

Feature
score		 Driver Model and Distribution Method

E6

Vendor-supplied drivers that are written to the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) are optimized for the model's Windows 7 features, and are packaged in a Windows 7 driver package that is qualified by the Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL)

E6

Vendor-supplied drivers that are written to the WDDM are optimized for the model's Windows 7 features, and are packaged with a unified Windows 7 and Windows Vista driver package that is certified by using the Windows Hardware Certification Kit

EC

In-box drivers that are written to WDDM are optimized for the model's Windows 7 features, and are packaged with a Windows 7 driver package

F4

Vendor-supplied drivers that are written to WDDM with a unified Windows 7 and Windows Vista driver package, with certification of the package by using the Windows Hardware Certification Kit

F4

In-box drivers that are written to WDDM with a Windows 7 driver package

F6

Vendor-supplied drivers that are written to WDDM with a Windows Vista driver package that is qualified by WHQL

F8

In-box drivers that are written to WDDM with a Windows Vista driver package

FC

Vendor-supplied drivers that are written to the Windows 2000 display driver model

FD

In-box drivers in Windows Vista that are written to the Windows 2000 display driver model

FE

Video graphics array (VGA) drivers

For drivers written to WDDM, graphics hardware vendors must place the FeatureScore directive under the DDInstall section of their INF file and use FeatureScore to apply the feature score to the drivers.

For Windows 2000 Display Driver Model drivers, Microsoft applies the appropriate feature score through the class installer at the time of driver installation, or in the INF for in-box Windows 2000 Display Driver Model drivers. Vendors must not use the FeatureScore directive to insert a feature score for drivers written to the Windows 2000 Display Driver Model.

An unsigned driver receives a feature score that is equal to FF. This value is the default and indicates no score.