CraitonTesting can perform a retest for you for 50% of the listed price. An inexpensive way to saveguard your logo.

You have agreed to honor the rules of the Windows Logo Program at the time you made your logo application to the Microsoft® Windows® Hardware Online Services. These rules are in effect, even long after you have passed the submission and been permitted by Microsoft to use the logo for a particular system.

Nevertheless, you have a lot of flexibility in configuration changes without violating the logo guidelines. On this page, we intend to clarify precisely why you should refresh your logo and what is allowed and not allowed. Some of it is free!

When a system is logo'd (it's listed on the Windows Catalog), Microsoft will support your configuration when customers contact them. If many customer complaints point to a problem with your system, Microsoft may decide to audit, in which case you have to send your system to Microsoft. When the system fails Microsoft's retests, you will no longer be allowed to carry the logo until you make a new and successful submission for that system. Microsoft will continue to monitor your compliance for some time. There are various other ways in which Microsoft may decide to perform an audit on your hardware. In general, it's best to make sure you comply. It's easy!

Changes you can make without retesting

• You may change any logo'd device for another logo'd device. Logo'd devices are listed on the Tested Product List (TPL).
• Microsoft allows you to change the digitally signed drivers for your devices but only if you replace them with other digitally signed drivers.
• You may f.e. switch off an onboard AC97 device and replace the functionality with a logo'd replacement. Example: You may switch off onboard Graphics and add a logo'd Graphics card.
• You may substitute the CPU for one of the same family but a lower speed.
• Memory can be changed and/or added, provided that at least 256MB is installed. 

Changes you can not make without retesting

• You may not replace the processor with one that is capable of running at higher speeds then it was logo'd for.
• You may not replace the motherboard
• You may not make major BIOS changes, such as altering the REV version, ACPI settings and increase of processor speed.
• You may not ship your systems with unsigned drivers!

Marketing extensions

We often recommend our customers to ship with as much CPU power as possible. When your machine earns the logo with a 3.06 Ghz processor Microsoft allows you to add different marketing names for the same hardware, but different configurations. Adding marketing names is free!

Example

CraitonTesting tests the Lightning Video Performer PC, which contains a maximum configuration.

After the logo has been granted, the Lightning company adds four marketing names for the logo'd system.

Although just one system was tested and logo'd, now the company will have five variations of the same logo'd system in the Tested Product List (TPL):

• Lightning Office Pro PC
  Perfect for browsing the internet and work with Microsoft office. Sound and video is not that important, but adding a Network card could be an option.
• Lightning Home PC
  Like the Office Pro but with more CPU power and graphics/sound capabilities.
• Lightning Media Pro PC
  More featured than the Home PC, more CPU power and hard disk space.
• Lightning Video Performer PC
  Maximum CPU power, more stuffed with features then the Media Pro. Video editing boards, additional hard disk and maybe a FireWire slot could be an option.
• Lightning Budget PC
  Good for browsing the Internet. Good for students or for Internet café's. People looking for an affordable, stable alternative to the Office Pro PC. Minimum CPU power and all onboard features of the motherboard enabled. Reduced hard disk space and no modem and/or network card.

These systems all ship with the same motherboard but with different specifications for processor speed and graphic/sound performance. The option to add marketing names dramatically reduces the costs for testing and submissions but with maximum flexibility and marketability. Always let CraitonTesting test your system with the "biggest" configuration to keep your marketing extension options open and your logo will be valid longer.

All communication is confidential. We do not share project details with Microsoft or with any other third party.

Contact us via e-mail or let us call you back. One of our Account Managers will contact you and address your Build-to-Specification objectives.

We are looking forward to testing your hardware!