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DWM_S_GDI_REDIRECTION_SURFACE
DWM returned a GDI redirection surface
DWM_S_GDI_REDIRECTION_SURFACE is HRESULT 2502661 (0x00263005) from winerror.h. The documented description is “{GDI redirection surface was returned} GDI redirection surface of the top level window was returned.” 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 caller uses the returned surface only for the top-level window and respects DWM ownership, format, and lifetime. The caller should reject a path where outputs and state do not match the recorded condition.
Difference from nearby results
The BLT_VIA_GDI variant additionally requires GDI transfer because adapter or memory placement prevents the normal path.
Precise classification of it selects the correct wait, stop, retry, cleanup, or disclosure path.
Correct handling and recovery
Render or inspect through the documented DWM path, synchronize access, and reacquire after window or composition changes.
Do not use an unchanged tight retry loop for this HRESULT; it can duplicate effects or conceal a terminal state.
Practical scenario
A diagnostic tool requests the redirection surface for a composed window and captures it while honoring window lifetime and composition state.
References
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