diff --git a/.github/scripts/Install-Vsix.ps1 b/.github/scripts/Install-Vsix.ps1
index 24c7ef458..50ef088b0 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/Install-Vsix.ps1
+++ b/.github/scripts/Install-Vsix.ps1
@@ -1,68 +1,38 @@
 <#
 
 .SYNOPSIS
-Checks WDK vsix version and downloads and installs as necessary.
+Download and install the latest WDK VSIX.
 
 #>
 
-[CmdletBinding()]
-param(
-    [bool]$optimize = $false
-)
-
-$root = Get-Location
-
-# launch developer powershell (if necessary)
-if (-not $env:VSCMD_VER) {
-    Import-Module (Resolve-Path "$env:ProgramFiles\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\*\Common7\Tools\Microsoft.VisualStudio.DevShell.dll")
-    Enter-VsDevShell -VsInstallPath (Resolve-Path "$env:ProgramFiles\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\*")
-    cd $root
+# set uri by resolving amd64 vsix
+$uri = "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com$((Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=DriverDeveloperKits-WDK.WDKVsix").Links | Where-Object outerHTML -like '*(amd64)*' | select -expand href)"
+
+# set download version
+$uri_version = ([regex]'(\d+\.)(\d+\.)(\d+\.)(\d+)').Matches($uri).Value
+
+# set msbuild path
+$msbuild_path = (Resolve-Path "$env:ProgramFiles\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\*\MSBuild\")
+
+# download vsix, expand, and store the downloaded version extracted from the extension manifest
+"Downloading WDK VSIX version: $uri_version..."
+Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "$uri" -OutFile wdk.zip
+"Expanding WDK VSIX archive..."
+Expand-Archive ".\wdk.zip" .\
+"Extracting version from manifest..."
+$downloaded_version = ([xml](Get-Content .\extension.vsixmanifest)).PackageManifest.Metadata.Identity.Version
+"Downloaded WDK VSIX version: $downloaded_version"
+
+# copy msbuild files, extension manifest, and check installed version from the extension manifest
+"Copying WDK extension files to build path..."
+cp (".\`$MSBuild\*", ".\extension.vsixmanifest") "$msbuild_path" -Recurse -Force
+"Extracting version from copied manifest..."
+$installed_version = ([xml](Get-Content ${msbuild_path}\extension.vsixmanifest)).PackageManifest.Metadata.Identity.Version
+"Installed WDK VSIX Version: $installed_version"
+if (-not ("$downloaded_version" -eq "$installed_version")) { 
+    "WDK VSIX installation failed due to version mismatch"
+    exit 1
 }
 
-# source environment variables
-. .\Env-Vars.ps1
-
-$version = $env:SAMPLES_VSIX_VERSION
-$uri = $env:SAMPLES_VSIX_URI
-
-function PrintWdkVsix {
-    $installed = ls "${env:ProgramData}\Microsoft\VisualStudio\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.DriverKit,version=*" | Select -ExpandProperty Name
-    "WDK Vsix Version: $installed"
-}
-
-function TestWdkVsix {
-    Test-Path "${env:ProgramData}\Microsoft\VisualStudio\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.DriverKit,version=$version"
-}
-
-if ($optimize) {
-    "---> Downloading vsix and configuring build environment..."
-    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "$uri" -OutFile wdk.zip
-    Expand-Archive ".\wdk.zip" .\
-    cp ".\`$MSBuild\*" (Resolve-Path "$env:ProgramFiles\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\*\MSBuild\") -Recurse -Force
-    "<--- Finished"
-}
-else {
-    "Getting installed WDK vsix..."
-    PrintWdkVsix
-    "Checking the WDK.vsix version installed..."
-    if (-not (TestWdkVsix)) {
-        "The correct WDK vsix is not installed."
-        "Will attempt to download and install now..."
-        Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "$uri" -OutFile wdk.vsix
-        "Finished downloading."
-        "Starting install process. This will take some time to complete..."
-        Start-Process vsixinstaller -ArgumentList "/f /q /sp .\wdk.vsix" -wait
-        "The install process has finished."
-        "Checking the WDK.vsix version installed..."
-        if (TestWdkVsix) {
-            PrintWdkVsix
-            "The WDK vsix version is OK"
-        }
-        else {
-            "The WDK vsix install FAILED"
-            Write-Host "`u{274C} wdk vsix install had an issue"
-            Write-Error "the wdk vsix cannot be installed at this time"
-            exit 1
-        }
-    }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+# set github environment variable for vsix version
+"SAMPLES_VSIX_VERSION=$installed_version" | Out-File -FilePath "$env:GITHUB_ENV" -Append
diff --git a/.github/workflows/Code-Scanning.yml b/.github/workflows/Code-Scanning.yml
index 32bb5a657..cd0d8abfd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/Code-Scanning.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/Code-Scanning.yml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ jobs:
           submodules: 'recursive'
 
       - name: Install WDK VSIX
-        run: .\.github\scripts\Install-Vsix.ps1 -optimize:$true
+        run: .\.github\scripts\Install-Vsix.ps1
 
       - name: Install Nuget Packages
         run: nuget restore .\packages.config -PackagesDirectory .\packages\
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-pr.yml
index a179127a0..c04f4adb8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-pr.yml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ jobs:
           submodules: 'recursive'
 
       - name: Install WDK VSIX
-        run: .\.github\scripts\Install-Vsix.ps1 -optimize:$true
+        run: .\.github\scripts\Install-Vsix.ps1
 
       - name: Install Nuget Packages
         run: nuget restore .\packages.config -PackagesDirectory .\packages\
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 13563aa8a..c35a81ec1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ jobs:
           submodules: 'recursive'
 
       - name: Install WDK VSIX
-        run: .\.github\scripts\Install-Vsix.ps1 -optimize:$true
+        run: .\.github\scripts\Install-Vsix.ps1
 
       - name: Install Nuget Packages
         run: nuget restore .\packages.config -PackagesDirectory .\packages\
diff --git a/Build-SampleSet.ps1 b/Build-SampleSet.ps1
index 2197b967b..adae8bb06 100644
--- a/Build-SampleSet.ps1
+++ b/Build-SampleSet.ps1
@@ -10,16 +10,13 @@ param(
 
 $root = Get-Location
 
-# launch developer powershell (if necessary)
+# launch developer powershell (if necessary to prevent multiple developer sessions)
 if (-not $env:VSCMD_VER) {
     Import-Module (Resolve-Path "$env:ProgramFiles\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\*\Common7\Tools\Microsoft.VisualStudio.DevShell.dll")
     Enter-VsDevShell -VsInstallPath (Resolve-Path "$env:ProgramFiles\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\*")
     cd $root
 }
 
-# source environment variables
-. .\Env-Vars.ps1
-
 $ThrottleFactor = 5
 $LogicalProcessors = (Get-CIMInstance -Class 'CIM_Processor' -Verbose:$false).NumberOfLogicalProcessors
 
@@ -56,26 +53,34 @@ finally {
 }
 
 #
-# Determine build environment: 'GitHub', 'NuGet', 'EWDK', or 'WDK'.  Only used to determine build number.
+# Determine build environment: 'GitHub', 'NuGet', 'EWDK', or 'WDK'.
 # Determine build number (used for exclusions based on build number).  Five digits.  Say, '22621'.
+# Determine NuGet package version (if applicable).
+# Determine WDK vsix version.
 #
 $build_environment=""
 $build_number=0
+$nuget_package_version=0
+$vsix_version=""
 #
-# In Github we build using Nuget only and source version from repo .\Env-Vars.ps1.
+# In Github we build using NuGet and get the version from packages and vsix version from env var set from the install vsix step.
 #
 if ($env:GITHUB_REPOSITORY) {
     $build_environment="GitHub"
-    $build_number=$env:SAMPLES_BUILD_NUMBER
+    $nuget_package_version=([regex]'(?<=x64\.)(\d+\.)(\d+\.)(\d+\.)(\d+)').Matches((Get-Childitem .\packages\*WDK.x64* -Name)).Value
+    $build_number=$nuget_package_version.split('.')[2]
+    $vsix_version = $env:SAMPLES_VSIX_VERSION
 }
 #
 # WDK NuGet will require presence of a folder 'packages'. The version is sourced from repo .\Env-Vars.ps1.
 #
-# Hack: If user has hydrated nuget packages, then use those. That will be indicated by presence of a folder named .\packages.
+# Hack: If user has hydrated nuget packages, then use those. That will be indicated by presence of a folder named '.\packages'. 
+#       Further, we need to test that the directory has been hydrated using '.\packages\*'.
 #
-elseif(Test-Path(".\packages")) {
+elseif(Test-Path(".\packages\*")) {
     $build_environment=("NuGet")
-    $build_number=$env:SAMPLES_BUILD_NUMBER
+    $nuget_package_version=([regex]'(?<=x64\.)(\d+\.)(\d+\.)(\d+\.)(\d+)').Matches((Get-Childitem .\packages\*WDK.x64* -Name)).Value
+    $build_number=$nuget_package_version.split('.')[2]
 }
 #
 # EWDK sets environment variable BuildLab.  For example 'ni_release_svc_prod1.22621.2428'.
@@ -101,7 +106,19 @@ else {
     Write-Error "Could not determine build environment."
     exit 1
 }
-
+#
+# Get the vsix version from packages if not set
+if (-not $vsix_version) {
+    $vsix_version = ls "${env:ProgramData}\Microsoft\VisualStudio\Packages\Microsoft.Windows.DriverKit,version=*" | Select -ExpandProperty Name
+    if ($vsix_version) {
+        $vsix_version = $vsix_version.split('=')[1]
+    }
+    else {
+        Write-Error "No version of the WDK VSIX could be found. The WDK VSIX is not installed."
+        exit 1
+    }
+}
+#
 #
 # InfVerif_AdditionalOptions
 #
@@ -165,6 +182,8 @@ $SolutionsTotal = $sampleSet.Count * $Configurations.Count * $Platforms.Count
 
 Write-Output ("Build Environment:          " + $build_environment)
 Write-Output ("Build Number:               " + $build_number)
+if (($build_environment -eq "GitHub") -or ($build_environment -eq "NuGet")) { Write-Output ("Nuget Package Version:      " + $nuget_package_version) }
+Write-Output ("WDK VSIX Version:           " + $vsix_version)
 Write-Output ("Samples:                    " + $sampleSet.Count)
 Write-Output ("Configurations:             " + $Configurations.Count + " (" + $Configurations + ")")
 Write-Output ("Platforms:                  " + $Platforms.Count + " (" + $Platforms + ")")
diff --git a/Building-Locally.md b/Building-Locally.md
index bb9fc610b..e3db8dde7 100644
--- a/Building-Locally.md
+++ b/Building-Locally.md
@@ -79,7 +79,11 @@ To build the Windows Driver Samples you need a "driver build environment".  In e
 
 ### Option A: Use WDK NuGet Packages
 * See [Download the Windows Driver Kit (WDK)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/download-the-wdk) for instructions on how to install Visual Studio, but only complete "Step 1".  You do not need to install the SDK or the WDK.
-* Install the Visual Studio Windows Driver Kit Extension (WDK.vsix).  Open Visual Studio -> Extensions -> Manage Extensions... -> Online -> Visual Studio Market Place -> Windows Driver Kit -> 10.0.26100.0 -> Download
+* Install the Visual Studio Windows Driver Kit Extension (WDK.vsix). 
+    * Open Visual Studio -> Extensions -> Manage Extensions... -> Browse. 
+    * In the search bar type: `Windows Driver Kit`. 
+    * Find the `Microsoft` signed extension. 
+    * Click the Install button.
 * Launch a "Developer Command Prompt for VS 2022".
 * Restore WDK packages from feed :
 
diff --git a/Env-Vars.ps1 b/Env-Vars.ps1
deleted file mode 100644
index 0d37e03cc..000000000
--- a/Env-Vars.ps1
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-# Environment variables for script sourcing.
-# Note: When a new WDK ships the following need to be updated: 
-#       1. Environment variables in .\Env-Vars.ps1 (this script)
-#       2. Nuget package versions in .\packages.config 
-#       3. Nuget package versions in .\Directory.Build.props
-#       4. SDK and WDK versions and WDK vsix link in .\configuration.dsc.yaml
-$env:SAMPLES_VSIX_VERSION = "10.0.26100.0"
-$env:SAMPLES_VSIX_URI = "https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/_apis/public/gallery/publishers/DriverDeveloperKits-WDK/vsextensions/WDKVsix/10.0.26100.0/vspackage?targetPlatform=5e3e564c-03bb-4499-8ae5-b2b35e9a86dc"
-$env:SAMPLES_BUILD_NUMBER = "26100"