This knowledge base from MiniTool official web page mainly talks about the current type of device driver named – DCH driver. It discusses its meaning, definition, upgrading, and advantages. Read the below content for more information!
What Is a DCH Driver?
DCH refers to Declarative Componentized Hardware. Windows DCH (Declarative Componentized Hardware supported apps) drivers are device driver packages that will install and run on Universal Windows Platform (UWP) based editions of Windows 10. So, DCH drivers are also called Universal Windows drivers.
Declarative
Installs the driver using only declarative INF (information) directives. Does not include co-installers or Register DLL (Dynamic Link Library) functions.
Componentized
Edition-specific, OEM-specific, and optional customizations to the driver are separate from the base driver package. As a result, the base driver that only offers core device function can be targeted, flighted, and serviced independently from the customizations.
Hardware support APP
Any user interface (UI) components associated with a universal driver must be packaged as a hardware support app (HSA) or preinstalled on the OEM device. A HAS is an optional device-specific app that is paired with a driver. The app can be a UWP or desktop bridge app. You have to distribute and update a HAS via the Microsoft Store.
- Built-in user interfaces or apps are stripped from the driver package. Therefore, when the driver is installed, it will pull the appropriate app from the Microsoft Store or be pre-installed on Windows 10.
- UWP based editions of Windows 10 started with version 1709 (Fall Creators Update).
DCH drivers enable developers to create one driver package for Win10 that works on all devices including desktops, laptops, tablets, as well as embedded PCs. The sizes of DCH drivers are supposed to be smaller and the installation is supposed to be faster.
Upgrade to DCH Driver
Upgrading to DCH drivers is a requirement from Microsoft for all developers who are writing drivers for Windows 10 version 1709 and later including the latest Windows 11. If you do not update the system and drivers and keep them up to date, there is a chance that you will encounter driver problems.
What Is NVIDIA DCH Driver?
In general, an Nvidia DCH driver means a DCH driver developed by Nvidia. NVIDIA DCH drivers don’t contain the NVIDIA Control Panel to make the drivers compatible across devices. Instead, you have to download the Control Panel from the Microsoft Store.
NVIDIA DCH Driver vs Standard
Functionally, there is no difference between Nvidia’s DCH and Standard drivers. While the base core component files remain the same, the way DCH drivers are packaged and installed differs from previous Standard drivers. Generally, the DCH driver package has a smaller size and a faster installation time than the Standard package.
How to Tell Which Type of Nvidia Driver Is Installed on Your Computer?
You can rely on NVIDIA Control Panel to do so. Just launch Nvidia Control Panel, choose System Information from the lower left, and you will find which type of driver you are using behind the Driver Type column.
Windows 11 Assistant Software Recommended
The new and powerful Windows 11 will bring you many benefits. At the same time, it will also bring you some unexpected damages such as data loss. Thus, it is strongly recommended that you back up your crucial files before or after upgrading to Win11 with a robust and reliable program like MiniTool ShadowMaker, which will assist you to protect your increasing data automatically on schedules!
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Helen Graduated from university in 2014 and started working as a tech editor in the same year. Her articles focus on video creation, editing, and conversion. She also has a good knowledge of disk management and data backup & recovery. Through an in-depth exploration of computer technology, Helen has successfully helped thousands of users solve their annoying problems.