Installing Windows Hardware Lab Kit Controller for Windows 2019

NTDEV
1

We have a legacy Password Filter DLL which we want to get signed by Microsoft so it will operate with LSA protection enabled. As I understand it, part of this process is to install the Windows Hardware Lab Kit and run qualification tests against a test machine where our DLL is installed.
Cool, let’s do that:

  • Start with a Windows 2019 AD domain controller test19 configured with our DLL.
  • Spin up another Windows 2019 VM, call it hlk19 where we can run the controller.
  • Per the instructions on Microsoft Learn, “Step 1 Install Controller and Studio on the test server”, we should download the correct HLK version for the device we wish to test.
  • Per the parent “Windows Hardware Lab Kit” page, the correct version is: “Windows HLK for Windows 10, version 1809 and Windows Server 2019”.
    From hlk19 click that link, run HLKSetup.exe and choose “Install the Windows Hardware Lab Kit - Windows 10 to this Computer.” under path C:\HLKInstall.
  • On the next page, option “Windows Hardware Lab Kit – Controller + Studio” is disabled, and it tells me it is only supported for various 2008, 2012 and 2016 server versions.

:thinking: I downloaded the HLK version for Windows 2019 but the controller won’t run on 2019?
Do I need to launch a Windows 2016 vm, and install the 2019 HLK controller on that?

2

Further debugging: successfully installed the Windows Server 2016 HLK Controller on a Windows Server 2016 vm, and the Client on a second Windows Server 2016 vm ; but the Studio shows the client vm stuck in “NotReady” state, and in its properties, “WTT\OS Unknown”. This appears to be because the vms are at build 1607 but HLK needs them to be updated to 1809, investigating how to do that…

3

Why not use the MSFT VM VHLK deployment?
VHLK Getting Started Guide | Microsoft Learn

4

Hi Mark: I only see downloadable VHLK images for Windows 11 ; but this is to try and sign a legacy component deployed on existing Windows Server 2016 or Windows Server 2019 environments (supported until 2027 and 2029 respectively), so administrators can enable LSA and not break it.

5

I went to try and find earlier VHLKs but as far as I can tell MSFT is having some issues with delivering content from their web presence right now :-).

You may have trouble signing anything for unsupported releases. MSFT is determined to force everyone off pre ‘11’ platforms.