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ERROR_GRAPHICS_MONITOR_NO_LONGER_EXISTS
Why this is not a generic GPU failure: graphics monitor no longer exists
ERROR_GRAPHICS_MONITOR_NO_LONGER_EXISTS, value 0xC026258D, is produced by monitor when the monitor PDO or display configuration changed after the handle was obtained. The investigation should stay attached to physical monitor object existence and to the exact generation in which it was obtained.
Physical monitor handles are not durable identifiers. They become stale after topology changes and must never be persisted or reused across enumeration generations.
The smallest evidence set
| Capture item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Supporting trace | physical-monitor handle generation, monitor description, VCP feature, DDC/CI exchange and display-change timestamp |
| Object identity | physical monitor object existence |
| Rejected condition | the monitor PDO or display configuration changed after the handle was obtained |
| What to capture | handle acquisition time, PnP removal, mode change, docking event, HMONITOR mapping and current enumeration |
| Current graph state | HMONITOR-to-physical-monitor enumeration and DDC/CI transaction |
A/B test for the exact condition
- Capture the failing state. Record handle acquisition time, PnP removal, mode change, docking event, HMONITOR mapping and current enumeration.
- Remove or reconfigure the monitor after obtaining a handle, then reacquire and repeat.
The comparison with ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_PHYSICAL_MONITOR_HANDLE is especially useful: ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_PHYSICAL_MONITOR_HANDLE can also be caused by caller lifetime mistakes without device removal.
Safe remediation
Discard all monitor handles on topology changes and enumerate the current physical monitors.
- debug-layer, ETW or driver diagnostics no longer report the rejected physical monitor object existence contract during the same scenario.
Implementation notes
Log physical-monitor handle generation, monitor description, VCP feature, DDC/CI exchange and display-change timestamp.
Technical references
- Microsoft: Using high-level monitor configuration functions — background for the physical monitor object existence.
- Microsoft: High-level monitor configuration API
- Microsoft: GetMonitorCapabilities
- Microsoft: Graphics error codes
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