Author Topic: Windows XP Drivers in Windows 8  (Read 1598 times)

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Windows XP Drivers in Windows 8
« on: February 04, 2012, 09:50:42 PM »
The following question was presented to Microsoft concerning compatibility for Windows XP Drivers in Windows 8, here is their response.

Support for XP graphic card drivers (XDDM) is removed in Windows 8. YOU'RE UNABLE TO INSTALL THEM. Windows 8 requires WDDM drivers and in the case that there is no WDDM driver available it uses a new software rendering driver called Microsoft Basic Display Driver:
 
Microsoft will be providing a WDDM-based Basic Display Driver that is a replacement for today’s in-box XDDM Standard VGA driver that will provide basic display functionality and software-based 2D and 3D rendering.
 
Microsoft Basic Display Driver

On Windows 8, The Microsoft Basic Display Driver will be the in-box display driver that will replace both the XDDM VGA Save and VGA PnP drivers. Following are the key benefits of this change:
 
  • MSBDD helps enable a consistent end user and developer experience, because it is compatible with the newer versions of DirectX APIs and technologies such as the “Desktop Composition”.

  • Server scenarios can benefit from the higher functionality (specifically, features like reboot-less updates, dynamic start and stop, and so on) provided by the WDDM driver model.

  • MSBDD will support Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Graphics Output Protocol (GOP).

  • MSBDD will work on both XDDM and WDDM hardware.
 
The Microsoft Basic Display Driver is the default in-box display driver that is loaded during setup, in safe mode, in the absence of an IHV graphics driver or when the inbox installed graphics IHV driver is not working or is disabled. The primary purpose of this driver is to enable Windows to write to the display controller’s linear frame buffer.

Making drivers compatible with Windows 8 is the responsibility of the device maker. If your device doesn't have Windows 8 drivers, request them from the manufacturer.
 
If the drivers don't work/install, try installing them in compatibility mode. This can sometimes, but not always, work.
 
Troubleshoot Compatibility

This can help with some (but not all) programs/drivers:

  1) Uninstall the program if it's already installed. Then when you install/reinstall it instead of double clicking on the install file right click it and select "Troubleshoot Compatibility"

  2) Then click "Try Recommended Settings" and in the next windows click "Start the Program" to install it.

  3) After it installs see if it works correctly. Please note - some programs may not be able to run in Windows 8.