The screenshots in this section were captured on a Windows 7 (SP1) system. The instructions in this section also apply to installing AoE on Windows 8.1 (including Update 1) and possibly other NT 6.* versions of Windows. Attempts to network boot Windows 8/8.1/10 have so far proved unsuccessful when using the AoE driver - try using iSCSI on these systems.
64-bit Driver Signing
Microsoft introduced a Driver Signing Policy in Windows Vista and later versions of Windows (see here). Unsigned drivers, including the AoE driver, cannot be installed in 64-bit versions of Windows unless certain settings are changed. The requirement for digitally signed drivers was introduced in 64-bit Windows as a security measure - unfortunately the costs of obtaining a digital certificate can be prohibitive.
The current release of the WinAoE driver is version 0.97g - the official download (refer to the WinAoE site) does not contain a digitally signed driver and I have not found a method of installing the official release on 64-bit Windows. An alternative self-signed version of the driver is available, however I am unsure of its origins - click here to download the file(s). Unfortunately this alternative driver package is the only way of installing WinAoE on 64-bit versions of Windows.
There are various documented methods for installing drivers without a valid digital signature (this includes the self-signed version of WinAoE), including combinations of the following -
Edit the BCD store and set DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS - this setting should be applied to the {bootmgr} object (e.g. bcdedit /set {bootmgr} loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS).
Edit the BCD store and set TESTSIGNING ON - this setting should be applied to the Windows OSLOADER object/entry in the BCD store (the {default} GUID can usually be used - e.g. bcdedit /set {default} TESTSIGNING ON).
Edit the BCD store and set nointegritychecks ON - this setting should be applied to the Windows OSLOADER object/entry in the BCD store (the {default} GUID can usually be used - e.g. bcdedit /set {default} nointegritychecks ON).
F8 (Advanced Boot Options) > Disable Driver Signature Enforcement. This setting does not persist when the system is restarted.
Changing group policy settings using gpedit.msc (User Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Driver Installation - change settings in Code signing for device drivers). On a Windows 7 (SP1) system this policy setting states that it only applies to "...Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 operating systems...".
In my own tests the only reliable method I have found involved completing the following steps BEFORE installing the AoE Driver -
Edit the system BCD store and set TESTSIGNING ON (run the following command in an administrator command prompt bcdedit /set {default} TESTSIGNING ON). After applying this setting the system must be rebooted to apply the change. Following the reboot a Test Mode watermark will appear on the desktop.
After checking the Test Mode setting was applied correctly in step 1 > reboot the PC and press the F8 key to enter the Advanced Boot Options menu > select Disable Driver Signature Enforcement. Tip - pressing the F8 key at the right time can be difficult - to automatically display the Advanced Boot Options menu at start-up, edit the BCD store and set ADVANCEDOPTIONS YES (e.g. bcdedit /set {default} ADVANCEDOPTIONS YES).
Install the AoE driver following the instructions in the Installing the AoE Driver section of this page.
If the BCD store was modified in step 2 with the ADVANCEDOPTIONS YES option added, disable this option by running the bcdedit command with ADVANCEDOPTIONS NO - the Advanced Boot Options > Disable Driver Signature Enforcement is only required when installing the driver.
NOTE - Test Mode (BCD > TESTSIGNING ON) MUST be left enabled in order for the AoE driver to be loaded for diskless boot.
Installing the AoE Driver
Start the Add Hardware Wizard (e.g. windows key + R (to open a Run dialog box) and type hdwwiz.exe) - this should open a windows similar to the screenshot below (Welcome to the Add Hardware Wizard). Click on Next -
Select Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced), then click on Next -
When prompted to select the type of hardware you are installing, scroll down the list and select Storage controllers, then click on Next -
When prompted to select the device driver you want to install for this hardware, click on Have Disk... -
The preceding step will open the Install From Disk window, click on Browse... -
Now browse to the folder containing your AoE drivers and select aoe.inf
The folder path to the AoE driver should be displayed in the Copy manufacturer's files from: field. Click on OK -
Ensure that AoE Driver is displayed in the Model field and click on Next -
The wizard is ready to install your hardware screen should now display the AoE Driver, click on Next -
A Windows Security warning will be displayed. Click on the Install this driver software anyway option -
Assuming the driver installed without any problems you should see a screen similar to the following. Click on Finish -
