Add a Device Driver Package to the Driver Store
Applies To: Windows Server 2008
You can use this procedure to stage a device driver package in the driver store. By default, standard users can install only driver packages that are present in the driver store.
Membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. Review the details in "Additional considerations" in this topic.
To add a device driver package to the driver store
At a command prompt, type the following, and then press ENTER:
pnputil -a driverpackage.inf
| Value | Description |
|---|---|
-a driverpackage.inf |
Specifies that the device driver package described by this .inf file is to be staged in the driver store. |
Formatting legend
| Format | Meaning |
|---|---|
Italic |
Information that the user must supply |
Bold |
Elements that the user must type exactly as shown |
Additional considerations
By default only an administrator can write a driver package to the driver store. Standard users can be allowed to install device drivers by using settings in Group Policy. For more information, see Controlling Which Devices Can Be Installed by Standard Users.
After a device driver package is present in the driver store, a user can install the device by plugging it in. Windows installs the device driver package from the driver store with no interaction required on the part of the user.
The device driver package you specify must be digitally signed by using a certificate that is in the Trusted Publishers certificate store on the computer. For more information about installing certificates on your computer, see Deploying Certificates to the Trusted Publishers Store.
The device driver package must not be modified after it is signed. This includes any editing of the .inf file. The digital signature includes an encrypted hash of every file that is part of the driver package, and if any of the files do not match their hash value, then PnPUtil cannot successfully stage the package.