FluxDeployDocs
Topics: OEM Catalogs

OEM Catalogs

FluxDeploy integrates directly with HP, Dell, Lenovo, and Microsoft Surface driver catalogs, allowing you to browse, search, and download model-specific driver packs without visiting vendor websites. Catalogs are available on both the Windows Drivers and WinPE Drivers pages.

Supported Vendors

HP

  • Catalog source: HPClientDriverPackCatalog.cab from ftp.hp.com
  • Deployment packs: Per-model SoftPaq .exe files, cross-referenced from the catalog's SoftPaq list and ProductOS driver pack list
  • WinPE packs: Universal driver packs from the HP_WinPE_DriverPack.html page
  • Extraction: 5-step fallback chain - self-extract, InstallShield, expand.exe, bundled 7za.exe, extrac32.exe

Dell

  • Catalog source: DriverPackCatalog.cab from downloads.dell.com
  • Deployment packs: Per-model .cab files (type "win")
  • WinPE packs: Universal .cab files (type "winpe")
  • Extraction: Standard CAB extraction via expand.exe (Windows) or cabextract (Linux)

Lenovo

  • Catalog source: catalogv2.xml from download.lenovo.com
  • Deployment packs: Per-model SCCM self-extracting .exe files
  • WinPE packs: Same SCCM packs (no dedicated WinPE packs). On the WinPE page, downloaded packs are automatically filtered to network and storage driver classes only.
  • Extraction: 5-step fallback - 7-Zip, /VERYSILENT, /extract, expand.exe, extrac32.exe

Microsoft (Surface)

Surface works differently from the other three vendors, because Microsoft publishes its driver packs differently.

  • Catalog source: none. Microsoft publishes no machine-readable catalog - the model list is maintained inside FluxDeploy from Manage and deploy Surface driver and firmware updates. New Surface models appear in FluxDeploy when that list is updated in a release.
  • Deployment packs: Per-model .msi files (every other vendor ships CAB or self-extracting EXE)
  • WinPE packs: none published by Microsoft
  • Extraction: msiexec /a - an administrative install, which unpacks the payload to a folder. Nothing is installed onto the FluxDeploy server itself.

Choosing the right model. Wi-Fi and LTE variants, Consumer and Commercial variants, and Intel and Snapdragon variants all need different driver packages, so they are listed as separate catalog entries exactly as Microsoft lists them. Pick the entry that matches the devices you are deploying - for example "Surface Pro 5 (Wi-Fi)" and "Surface Pro 5 (LTE)" are not interchangeable.

How the download link is found. Microsoft's catalog entry points at a Download Center page, not a file, and the actual .msi URL changes with every driver revision. FluxDeploy reads the page and picks the newest package for your Windows release automatically.

If Microsoft changes that page and the link cannot be read, the download shows "Microsoft's download page could not be read automatically" together with a Download manually link. Open it, download the .msi, and add it with the Upload button. This is a fallback, not an error in your setup.

Using Catalogs

  1. Open Drivers and pick the Windows or WinPE (boot media) pill
  2. Open the Catalog tab and pick the vendor (HP, Dell, Lenovo, or Microsoft for Windows)
  3. Use the search bar to find your hardware model
  4. Click Download on the desired pack
  5. The system downloads, extracts, and registers the driver package automatically

Downloads run concurrently with individual progress tracking. Each download creates a DriverDownloadJob record visible on Activity > Jobs.

Catalog Caching

Catalog data is cached for 24 hours to avoid repeated downloads from vendor FTP/HTTP servers. To force a refresh, click the Refresh button on the Catalog tab. The DriverPackCatalogService uses SemaphoreSlim locking for thread-safe catalog access.

Auto-Tagging

When downloading from OEM catalogs, the driver package's Manufacturer and SupportedModelsJson fields are automatically populated from catalog metadata. This enables Auto Driver Matching without any manual configuration.

URL Security

All catalog download URLs are validated against known vendor domains before downloading:

  • ftp.hp.com, ftp.ext.hp.com
  • downloads.dell.com
  • download.lenovo.com
  • download.microsoft.com

URLs pointing to any other domain are rejected.

Cancellation

Active catalog downloads can be cancelled from the Jobs page. The cancel signal propagates through the download and extraction process via CancellationToken, and partial files are cleaned up automatically.