Direct3D functionality not available (again)

On 17 Apr, 14:43, PhilT wrote:
Well, my plan was to install XP onto a spare HD and have a dual boot.
Then I came across some notes about NetSupport screwing upDirectX.... guess what, all the PC's I have seen with the problem
have NetSupport installed.

I have tried this on two works PC's and it works - DxDiag now shows
the enable/disable options for DirectDraw and Direct3D (both with
onboard intel graphics).

I had to change a timeout value from 0 to 7 in the registry and then
reboot.http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc779884.aspx

I will try my home PC when I get home tonight. I was unable to try
today as I have remote registry changes disabled *

I'm hoping this works - if so, this might be an extra solution to add
to the 'update the drivers' recomendation.


WOW, it worked on my home PC too. All sorted ... now lets see how
slow it is

"PhilT" wrote in message
...
On 17 Apr, 14:43, PhilT wrote:
Well, my plan was to install XP onto a spare HD and have a dual boot.
Then I came across some notes about NetSupport screwing upDirectX....
guess what, all the PC's I have seen with the problem
have NetSupport installed.

I have tried this on two works PC's and it works - DxDiag now shows
the enable/disable options for DirectDraw and Direct3D (both with
onboard intel graphics).

I had to change a timeout value from 0 to 7 in the registry and then
reboot.http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc779884.aspx

I will try my home PC when I get home tonight. I was unable to try
today as I have remote registry changes disabled

I'm hoping this works - if so, this might be an extra solution to add
to the 'update the drivers' recomendation.


WOW, it worked on my home PC too. All sorted ... now lets see how
slow it is

Congrats! I'm not familiar with this NetSupport software and I'm very
surprised that it broke DirectX. Glad you you were able to find the root
problem and fix it without a Windows reinstall.

Tony

Congrats! I'm not familiar with this NetSupport software and I'm very
surprised that it brokeDirectX. Glad you you were able to find the root
problem and fix it without a Windows reinstall.

I've been using NetSupport for over 10 years now (in a number of
jobs). It has always been a tough choice between NetSupport and VNC.
The only reason to pick NetSupport in the begining was support for
Alpha & Intel processors - something we needed at the time.

I beleive the Direct3D problem can occur with a number of remote
desktop packages. In order to view the desktop over the internet, they
disable all acceleration.

I have just recommected to my office PC and DxDiag is showing that
Direct3D is disabled again. Checking the registry (running regedit on
the office PC) shows the value set back to zero. However, running a
remote registry editor I see it is still set to 7. I'll find out on
Monday if the office PC is still ok.
I suspect that NetSupport will disable Direct3D for the duration of
the connection and then set it back to it's previous state. The
original installation of NetSupport must set the registry to zero.

"PhilT" wrote in message
...
Congrats! I'm not familiar with this NetSupport software and I'm very
surprised that it brokeDirectX. Glad you you were able to find the root
problem and fix it without a Windows reinstall.

I've been using NetSupport for over 10 years now (in a number of
jobs). It has always been a tough choice between NetSupport and VNC.
The only reason to pick NetSupport in the begining was support for
Alpha & Intel processors - something we needed at the time.

I beleive the Direct3D problem can occur with a number of remote
desktop packages. In order to view the desktop over the internet, they
disable all acceleration.

I have just recommected to my office PC and DxDiag is showing that
Direct3D is disabled again. Checking the registry (running regedit on
the office PC) shows the value set back to zero. However, running a
remote registry editor I see it is still set to 7. I'll find out on
Monday if the office PC is still ok.
I suspect that NetSupport will disable Direct3D for the duration of
the connection and then set it back to it's previous state. The
original installation of NetSupport must set the registry to zero.

I used VNC for a little while (late 90's) and then switched to program
called Remote Admin up until about 2003. Since then, I've been using RDP
solely. It's significantly faster than VNC or similar remote frame buffer
protocols, especially over lower bandwidth connections. Also, it's free and
built into Windows. RDP clients exist for *nix, Mac, pick your poison.
Another reason to use RDP is that you might want your console session to
remain undisturbed while you utilize the PC remotely (I can have some
program run in the foreground on the PC at home and the login to a brand new
remote session on the same machine).

I'm not surprised at all that DirectX is inactive during the VNC or
NetSupport connection. All of your DirectX tests should be done while
sitting at the console for reliable data.

Tony

Hi there

I have the same problem with the Direct3D functionality not available.
I only know the basics when it comes to computers so I was wondering if
you could let me know how to change the timeout value?

Thanks for your help

NJW

On 21 July, 13:02, NJW wrote:
Hi there

I have the same problem with the Direct3D functionality not available.
I only know the basics when it comes to computers so I was wondering if
you could let me know how to change the timeout value?

Thanks for your help

NJW

NJW,

If you're not familiar with editing the registry I would advise
against trying to do it yourself as you could cause more damage.
However, that's Microsofts advice - if you are really careful you
should be able to do it

Click Start-Run and then type regedit and press OK
You should now see a window that looks like explorer - a tree of items
in the left portion and other data in the right part.
Depending on whether this has been run before, the tree in the left
may be partly expanded. Start by collapsing all of the open nodes
(click on the [+] symbols)

If, at any point, you cant findthe data or are not happy, then simply
close regedit without making any changes.

ok, now to find the key to be edited - we eventually want to get to
'HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\GraphicsDri vers\DCI'

expand the branch called 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE'
now expand the branch called 'SYSTEM' (can you see where this is
going?)
Then expand 'CurrentControlSet' (not any other that might look
similar!!!)
nowexpand 'Control' then 'GraphicsDrivers' and finally 'DCI'

So far we have not made any changes but this is the final stage.

Hopefully on the right you will see a data item called Timeout.
If it is not there then it will have a default value which should be 7
- DirectX should work.
If it is there (and it isn't set to 7), double click on the word
timeout and you should be able to edit the value.
Make sure the 'decimal' option is checked and then type a value of 7
and click OK - (actually hex or decimal wouldn't matter but I just
want to make sure you dont have any more questions)

That's it all done. Now close regedit and reboot - you may be able to
change graphics mode and see the fix but a reboot should do it.

Finally run DxDiag and see if the options are there.

Hi there

Thanks for the instructions. I found the data item called Timeout but I
wasn't sure if anything needed to be corrected/changed this is how it
read:

Name Type Data
(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
Timeout REG_DWORD 0x00000007 (7)

Thanks again for your help

NJW

On 23 July, 11:00, NJW wrote:
Hi there

Thanks for the instructions. I found the data item called Timeout but I
wasn't sure if anything needed to be corrected/changed this is how it
read:

Name * * * * * * * *Type * * * * * * * * * * * *Data
(Default) * * * * * REG_SZ * * * * * * *(value not set)
Timeout * * * * * *REG_DWORD * * * *0x00000007 (7)

Thanks again for your help

NJW

That figure of 7 is fine - DirectX should work - as long as the
hardware and drivers are all ok.

I'm guessing that you have something else wrong - possibly a driver
install problem.

Sorry this didn't help.