How To Install Microsoft User Mode Driver Framework 1.9 On Windows
How to Install Microsoft User Mode Driver Framework 1.9 on Windows
Microsoft User Mode Driver Framework (UMDF) is a library that supports user-mode drivers that are written specifically to use it. User-mode drivers can run in a driver host process and communicate with applications through the Win32 API. UMDF driver packages that are built by using Windows Driver Kit for Windows 7 can automatically redistribute and install version 1.9 of the files.
How to Install Microsoft User Mode Driver Framework 1.9 on Windows
In this article, we will show you how to install UMDF 1.9 on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008 operating systems.
Prerequisites
Before you install UMDF 1.9, you must be running one of the following operating systems:
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) or Service Pack 3 (SP3)
Windows Vista
Windows Server 2008
You can check your operating system version and service pack level by clicking Start, right-clicking Computer, and then clicking Properties.
Download and Install UMDF 1.9
To download and install UMDF 1.9, follow these steps:
Go to the User-Mode Driver Framework version 1.9 update for Windows XP, for Windows Vista, and for Windows Server 2008 page on the Microsoft Support website.
Select your language from the drop-down list and click Download.
Save the file to your computer and run it as an administrator.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation.
You may have to restart your computer after the installation is finished.
Verify the Installation
To verify that UMDF 1.9 is successfully installed on your computer, follow these steps:
If you are running Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008, click Start, click Control Panel, click Programs and Features, and then click View Installed Updates. If the update is installed, you should find User-Mode Driver Framework v1.9 (KB970159) in the list of installed updates.
If you are running Windows XP, click Start, click Control Panel, click Add or Remove Programs, and then click Show Updates. If the update is installed, you should find Microsoft User-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack v1.9 in the list of installed updates.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed UMDF 1.9 on your Windows operating system.
Benefits of User-Mode Drivers
User-mode drivers have some advantages over kernel-mode drivers. One of them is improved stability, since a poorly written user-mode driver cannot crash the system by overwriting kernel memory[^5^]. If an error occurs, the new framework allows for an immediate driver restart without impacting the system[^1^]. This also improves security, as user-mode drivers are subject to the same access restrictions as user-mode applications.
Another benefit of user-mode drivers is the ease of development and deployment. User-mode drivers can be written in higher-level languages, such as C#, and can use common frameworks, such as .NET[^4^]. User-mode drivers can also leverage existing user-mode libraries and tools, such as Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Windows Imaging Component (WIC). User-mode drivers do not require a reboot to install or update, and they can be distributed through Windows Update or Microsoft Store.
Limitations of User-Mode Drivers
User-mode drivers also have some limitations compared to kernel-mode drivers. One of them is performance, as user-mode drivers incur additional overhead for context switching, memory mapping, and message passing between user mode and kernel mode. User-mode drivers may also have higher latency and lower throughput than kernel-mode drivers for some scenarios.
Another limitation of user-mode drivers is functionality, as user-mode drivers cannot access some kernel-mode resources or features, such as interrupts, DMA, or power management. User-mode drivers also cannot communicate directly with other kernel-mode drivers or components, and they must use the Win32 API or other interfaces to do so. User-mode drivers may not be suitable for devices that require high performance, low latency, or complex functionality. 04f6b60f66