R
Ray Trent
I was just forwarded an email response we received from WinQual when we
inquired about getting a PIC for signing our drivers for the new x64
signing policy. I'm hoping I'm just over reacting, but...
I was disturbed to hear that they are not available at this time. In
fact, there was a strong implication in this email that PICs would not
be available until the last release candidate for Vista.
Here is the relevant portion of this email: "This is not available yet,
but should be in time for Vista launch. The PIC is a new signing program
for files we couldn’t sign before. We’ll be making more announcements
regarding the availability of PIC to sign drivers as we get closer to
the Vista logo program launch, which will be at the last Release Candidate."
Microsoft has done this in the past (i.e. not releasing full WHQL tests,
signing tools, etc. until just before RTM), and it always has caused
problems. So I'm trying to head this off at the pass this time.
I don't know about the rest of you, but we need time to get a PIC,
integrate signing with it into our build process, build a driver, test
it internally, fix any problems that signing caused (and rebuild and
retest) and deliver a candidate driver to the OEMs early enough that
they have time to test it themselves (and get any needed bug fixes)
before their deadline for burning a golden master for manufacturing of
their first x64 machines.
And that's assuming that the Vista Beta community doesn't find any bugs
in the kernel embedded signing code in Windows...
I'm crossposting this to m.p.d.d.d because I think this issue is of
wider interest than just the winlogo newsgroup. And yes, I've already
sent an email to WinQual about this.
inquired about getting a PIC for signing our drivers for the new x64
signing policy. I'm hoping I'm just over reacting, but...
I was disturbed to hear that they are not available at this time. In
fact, there was a strong implication in this email that PICs would not
be available until the last release candidate for Vista.
Here is the relevant portion of this email: "This is not available yet,
but should be in time for Vista launch. The PIC is a new signing program
for files we couldn’t sign before. We’ll be making more announcements
regarding the availability of PIC to sign drivers as we get closer to
the Vista logo program launch, which will be at the last Release Candidate."
Microsoft has done this in the past (i.e. not releasing full WHQL tests,
signing tools, etc. until just before RTM), and it always has caused
problems. So I'm trying to head this off at the pass this time.
I don't know about the rest of you, but we need time to get a PIC,
integrate signing with it into our build process, build a driver, test
it internally, fix any problems that signing caused (and rebuild and
retest) and deliver a candidate driver to the OEMs early enough that
they have time to test it themselves (and get any needed bug fixes)
before their deadline for burning a golden master for manufacturing of
their first x64 machines.
And that's assuming that the Vista Beta community doesn't find any bugs
in the kernel embedded signing code in Windows...
I'm crossposting this to m.p.d.d.d because I think this issue is of
wider interest than just the winlogo newsgroup. And yes, I've already
sent an email to WinQual about this.