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VFW_E_DDRAW_CAPS_NOT_SUITABLE
Meaning
Windows documents VFW_E_DDRAW_CAPS_NOT_SUITABLE as “Either DirectDraw has not been installed or the Video Card capabilities are not suitable. Make sure the display is not in 16 color mode or try changing the graphics mode”. Here, the selected legacy video path requires DirectDraw capabilities that the current graphics mode or adapter does not provide.
Conditions that can produce it
- Cause 1: the display runs in an obsolete low-color mode.
- Cause 2: DirectDraw acceleration is disabled or unavailable.
- Cause 3: the adapter lacks overlay or surface capabilities required by the filter.
Relevant contract
Start with the renderer, graphics driver, display connection and negotiated surfaces.
Evidence worth preserving
Record lengths and hashes instead of raw content when the incident includes display identifiers, protected-content state, driver details and media paths.
- Evidence 1: DirectDraw capability flags and display mode.
- Evidence 2: adapter and driver version.
- Evidence 3: renderer selected and exact surface request.
Correction strategy
- Action 1: choose a renderer suited to the current Windows and adapter.
- Action 2: change the display mode only when legacy deployment requires it.
- Action 3: remove assumptions about overlay support from automatic graph construction.
Example incident
A legacy renderer is forced on a remote session where DirectDraw overlays are unavailable; selecting a software-compatible renderer prevents it.
Retry and recovery
Retry rule: Retry after changing renderer, driver or display mode; reinstalling media codecs does not add DirectDraw capabilities.
How it differs from nearby results
VFW_E_DDRAW_VERSION_NOT_SUITABLE rejects the DirectDraw version, while it rejects the capabilities exposed by the installed version and mode.
Official Microsoft references
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