After reinstalling Windows, our software can no longer control the DIO and watchdog. Where do we get drivers and the SDK, and how is it programmed?

DIO, watchdog, status LEDs and temperature sensors on industrial machines do not use generic Windows drivers. They need the vendor's own driver package and library (SDK), which is usually lost when the operating system is reinstalled. How to restore them: 1. Go to the vendor support page for the exact model, under driver and utility downloads. Get the version for your operating system in 64-bit. 2. Install the chipset driver first, then the vendor driver package, and the SDK last. 3. SDKs usually provide DLL libraries for C/C++ and C# with sample programs. Run a sample first to confirm the hardware works, then test your own software. On the watchdog: the software sets a timeout (typically configurable from 1 to a few hundred seconds) and sends a regular refresh. If the software hangs and stops refreshing, the machine reboots itself. Disable the watchdog during maintenance, or the machine may reboot mid-task. Tip: once everything is installed and stable, create a system image so you never have to start from scratch again.