Microsoft KB Archive/831583

= Driver Signing Policy Is Automatically Elevated for Unsigned Drivers =

Article ID: 831583

Article Last Modified on 12/5/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional

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SYMPTOMS
When you install a device driver, and Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP detects that the device driver is not digitally signed, you may receive a warning message and an option to cancel or continue the installation. This message appears even though Windows is configured with the DriverSigningPolicy setting set to Ignore.

The following error message may also be written to the Setupapi.log file:

E245: The device installation digital signature failure policy has been elevated from Ignore to Warn due to a proposed replacement of a protected system file.



CAUSE
This behavior occurs because your computer is configured to display a warning message whenever an installation program tries to install a device driver that does not have a digital signature. Windows automatically raises the driver signing policy from Ignore to Warn whenever an installation program tries to install a device driver that does not have a digital signature. This is a function of Windows File Protection to promote the overall stability of the operating system.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
For additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

298503 Driver Signing Registry Values Cannot Be Modified Directly in Windows

314479 How to Add OEM Plug and Play Drivers to Windows XP

Keywords: kbinfo KB831583

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