Overview for Workstation PC 97

This section presents the key design features for Workstation PC 97. PC 97 Hardware Design Guide provides the first definition of this PC category for the "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logo program.

Although the design requirements for Workstation PC 97 can support running either the Windows 95 or Windows NT operating system, these requirements are optimized to support complex Win32-based applications, which usually run on Windows NT Workstation, for users whose principal computing work involves using mission-critical networked applications, engineering or scientific applications, or media-authoring or software development tools. Although Windows NT Workstation is used on standalone systems, the PC 97 requirements support the more common use of Windows NT Workstation as a platform for network productivity.

These are the key design issues for Workstation PC 97:

• PC 97 requirements for implementing the new Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), new bus class and device class power management requirements, and implementing USB in the system.
• Recommendations for input components and graphics adapter capabilities, based on the intended use of the workstation.

Important The system requirements defined in PC 97 Hardware Design Guide provide guidelines for designing PC systems that best run Windows 95 and Windows NT. These design requirements are not the basic system requirements for running the Windows operating system. Also, hardware features are described as Required, Recommended, or Optional for the "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logo program:

• Required: These are the basic hardware features that must be implemented to qualify for the "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logo.

  Recommended: These features add functionality supported by the Windows operating systems. For "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logo testing, if a recommended feature is implemented, it must meet the standards for that feature as defined in this guide. Some recommended features might become requirements under the logo program in the future.

• Optional: These features are neither required nor recommended, but if the feature is implemented in a PC 97 system, it must meet the specified requirements. These features will not become requirements under the logo program in the future.