DEV ID
Definition
The PCI Device ID field that identifies a vendor-defined device or function.
Detailed explanation
DEV ID means Device ID in a PCI hardware identifier. The vendor assigns this hexadecimal value to a product or function within its VEN namespace. The same DEV value can appear in many systems, so SUBSYS and REV fields provide additional implementation context. Publishers can reuse a product family across revisions while distinguishing board-level designs through subsystem values. Public ID databases are useful naming references, but an INF’s models section remains the authoritative declaration that a particular package claims support for that identifier.
Where you are likely to see it
This term usually appears in Device Manager, Windows recovery tools, Event Viewer, or the installation details for a device package. The definition above gives the short meaning; the detailed explanation describes the term's role in the operating system and hardware stack.
Device status, hardware IDs, and event text identify which Windows subsystem produced a label. This glossary is informational and does not provide repair, installation, or technical-support services.
Related vocabulary
Explore connected concepts and nearby entries in the Windows hardware vocabulary.
- WHQLWindows Hardware Quality Labs, Microsoft’s certification program for drivers.
- INF FileA Setup Information file that declares package installation and hardware support.
- Device ManagerThe Windows interface that displays Plug and Play devices and driver associations.
- DirectXMicrosoft APIs for graphics, media, audio, and related Windows workloads.