Add Hardware Wizard (hdwwiz)

Run: hdwwiz.exe

The Add Hardware Wizard is a legacy tool for manually triggering Plug-and-Play detection or installing hardware that Windows cannot auto-detect. It walks you through selecting device type, manufacturer, and driver from a curated list, or pointing to a vendor-supplied INF file. Requires elevation — UAC will prompt on launch.

When You Actually Need This

Modern Windows handles 99% of hardware automatically via PnP on plug-in. Reach for hdwwiz when:

• A device lacks a PnP ID and Windows never prompts to install it
• Deploying legacy industrial hardware such as PLCs, ISA-bus devices, or serial-connected equipment
• You need to manually specify an INF file for a driver that will not auto-install
• Working with non-enumerable bus hardware in older embedded systems or virtual environments

Wizard Flow

1. Windows first attempts automatic detection (scans all buses for new hardware)
2. If not found, select hardware category (network adapters, modems, ports, etc.)
3. Choose from manufacturer/model list, or use "Have Disk" to point to an INF file
4. Driver installs and the device appears in Device Manager

Alternatives

# Add driver to driver store and install
pnputil /add-driver driver.inf /install

# Scan for hardware changes (faster than the wizard for most cases)
# Device Manager > Action > Scan for hardware changes

# Enumerate all installed drivers
pnputil /enum-drivers

Via Device Manager: Action > Add legacy hardware — same wizard, different entry point.

Security Note

Manually installing drivers via INF bypasses Windows Driver Signature Enforcement if the driver is unsigned and test signing is enabled. Never install unsigned drivers from untrusted sources — kernel-mode drivers run with full system privilege and are a common rootkit delivery mechanism. Verify driver publisher via the INF file's [Version] section and check the digital signature before installation.