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ERROR_GRAPHICS_NO_PREFERRED_MODE
VidPN mode set has no preferred mode
ERROR_GRAPHICS_NO_PREFERRED_MODE is HRESULT 2499358 (0x0026231E) from winerror.h. The documented description is “Specified mode set does not specify preference for one of its modes.” In the Windows display topology or Desktop Window Manager operation, the value reports a nonfailure state that must not be collapsed into plain S_OK.
Accepting this result requires proving the documented state rather than checking only SUCCEEDED(hr).
Where the status is encountered
- VidPN mode-set, topology, and path negotiation; capture the exact API, object, and phase because the same numeric success severity does not define the state by itself.
- Display miniport and graphics-kernel dataset enumeration;
- DWM composition and GDI redirection-surface handling;
What must be true before accepting it
Verify that the absence of preference is allowed and another deterministic selection rule is available. Validation of it keeps a success-severity result from becoming a broader promise than the API made.
Difference from nearby results
MODE_NOT_PINNED concerns the active pin; NO_PREFERRED_MODE concerns preference metadata within a mode set.
Using one generic success branch for this status and its neighbor can lose output, repeat work, or misreport completion.
Correct handling and recovery
Enumerate all valid modes and choose using policy, current mode, or user selection. Do not assume the first enumerated mode is stable across drivers.
Practical scenario
A monitor descriptor exposes several valid modes but no preferred flag. The display service chooses the current native-sized mode by policy.
References
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