App Compat Tools

Windows Server 2008 Baseline Compatability Tool

2007-10-24T16:37:00Z

This highly-automated tool will help you quickly determine baseline compatibility with Windows Server 2008. Download here.

Note: Please use the above latest version of the Works with Tool with digital signature dated October 17, 2007.

The Technical Committee ISV Settings Manager

2007-08-31T15:08:00Z

The Technical Committee ISV Settings Manager

Developed by The Technical Committee (The TC), the ISV Settings Manager (ISM) is an application designed to assist developers in making correct registry settings for their applications on Windows® XP and Windows Vista®. It assembles registry keys gleaned from Microsoft’s® MSDN website.

Frequently, third party applications designed for the Windows platform suffer limited visibility and functional availability. After installing such an application, a user experiences difficulty in discovering the application on the main user surfaces – start menu, quick launch, desktop, folder task band and notification area. The user may experience further difficulty in making that application the default for functions like Auto Play, File Associations and Open With. As a result, other applications that are better designed for the platform enjoy prominent selection even when competing applications exist.

The ISM houses all the registry settings needed for applications to attain equal visibility and manage defaults on Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems. While this information is scattered throughout MSDN, the ISM centralizes this information so that developers have an easier job discovering and selecting registry settings for their applications.

You can dowload the ISM and find other Technical Committee content here on MSDN.

The Technical Committee Client Simulator

2007-08-31T14:57:00Z

The Technical Committee Client Simulator

Developed by The Technical Committee (The TC) for the Independent Software Vendors, the Client Simulator is a useful tool used while creating, revising or publishing a browser, mail client or media player application for Windows Vista.

The Client Simulator is an application designed to emulate the suggested behavior of a browser, media or mail client on Windows Vista® operating systems, when registering and handling its defaults.

This tool and other Technical Committee tools and testing procedures can be found here.

New x86 AppVerifier Version!! Now with AMD64 and IA64 versions!

2006-09-14T19:01:00Z

There is a new release of the AppVerifier tool (see description here) available for immediate download. Application Verifier helps developers identify potential application compatibility, stability, and security issues.

Now AppVerifier has AMD64 and IA64 support. Go here to download the latest version of the tool

Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor

2006-05-25T23:56:00Z

The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor is a small beta application that can be run on current Windows XP based computers to find out if the system is ready for a Windows Vista Upgrade. By running the Upgrade Advisor, it will scan your computer and generate an easy-to-understand report of any known compatibility issues along with recommendations on how to get the PC ready for Windows Vista

Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor Beta Application

Application Verifier

2006-05-25T23:55:00Z

Overview

Application Verifier is a runtime verification tool for unmanaged code that assists in quickly finding subtle programming errors that can be extremely difficult to identify with normal application testing.

Application Verifier is designed specifically to detect and help debug memory corruptions and critical security vulnerabilities. It makes it easier to create reliable applications by monitoring an application's interaction with the Windows operating system, profiling its use of objects, the registry, the file system, and Win32 APIs (including heaps, handles, locks, and more). It also includes checks to predict how well the application will perform under Least-privileged User Account operation, compatibility tests to be used in logoing, and print tests to verify your usage of the print subsystem.

Running Application Verifier is easy; simply turn on the tool then run your project and go through your normal testing scenarios. When your tests are completed, view the Application Verifier logs for any errors that may have been detected.

System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003; Windows Vista; Windows XP

Application Verifier can be used with any unmanaged application or program. In order to test with Application Verifier,
• You must be an administrator on the system that you are using in order to run Application Verifier.
• You must run your project with the tool turned on and go through your testing scenarios
• The system must be running a supported Windows platform: Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista.
• Application Verifier supports x86, x64 and IA64 platforms
• If full page heap is enabled, you will need to ensure you have a large page file (e.g. 1Gb).
• The Basics verification layer will require that you run your application under a debugger.
Note: WinPE is not supported with this release of Application Verifier

To learn more and download the latest version of AppVerifier go here.

Hands-on Lab

2006-05-25T23:53:00Z

Welcome to the Hands On Lab.

Windows Vista will run most applications designed for Windows XP SP2. However, there are changes that will be needed to a few applications impacted by new features in Vista. This exercise will cover all the common and significant issues that some XP SP2 applications face when running on Windows Vista.

The hands-on lab will introduce you to the essential differences between the Windows XP SP2 and the Windows Vista environments. The hands-on lab description document is divided into 10 sections covering the most impactful topics or compat issues that you might encounter.

Hands-on Lab Applications and Documents