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ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_MONITOR_FREQUENCYRANGE_CONSTRAINT
Interpret the result in its owning layer: graphics invalid monitor frequencyrange constraint
The useful interpretation of ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_MONITOR_FREQUENCYRANGE_CONSTRAINT (0xC0262358) starts at the vidpn boundary: a frequency-range constraint is malformed or inconsistent with the monitor capability set. In practical terms, inspect monitor timing constraint before changing application-wide graphics settings.
Normalize timing units and interval ordering
Frequency constraints combine horizontal rate, vertical rate and pixel-clock limits originating from monitor descriptors, overrides or driver data. Capture raw numerators, denominators and units before conversion; then verify minimum does not exceed maximum and that the origin is retained. Use one timing known from the monitor target mode set as a control. A malformed custom constraint must be removed without discarding the monitor's valid EDID-derived modes.
This result: VidPN handles and subobjects are generation-bound. A monitor hot-plug, docking action, session switch or mode commit can invalidate an otherwise well-formed cached object. The built-in one-line message identifies the immediate result; diagnosis also needs the producing API, object ownership and the display generation current at the time.
Capture before recreating objects
| Capture item | Why it matters for it |
|---|---|
| Current graph state | VidPN, topology, source and target mode sets, and the present path connecting them |
| Supporting trace | source and target IDs, topology generation, path descriptors, pinned modes, mode-set handles and monitor timing data |
| Object identity | monitor timing constraint |
| Rejected boundary | a frequency-range constraint is malformed or inconsistent with the monitor capability set |
| Decisive capture | horizontal/vertical ranges, pixel-clock limits, constraint type, target mode and descriptor origin |
Preserve the unsigned HRESULT, symbolic name, first failing API and timestamp in one record. If cleanup later fails too, keep that secondary result separately from this result.
Reproduce one variable at a time
- Freeze the result generation. Record horizontal/vertical ranges, pixel-clock limits, constraint type, target mode and descriptor origin. Before diagnosing this result, do not resize, hot-plug, recreate or release the object under examination.
- Run the narrow this result comparison. remove the custom constraint and validate against the monitor-reported range. During the result comparison, keep every driver, monitor, resource format and unrelated policy unchanged.
- Observe the layer after it. for it, if the exact check passes, record the next HRESULT or visible outcome. A different downstream result shows that the boundary was crossed.
- Repeat it through a lifecycle transition. for it, exercise one relevant resize, mode switch, device recreation, hot-plug or session change and confirm that it does not reuse stale handles.
The comparison with ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_MONITOR_FREQUENCYRANGE is especially useful: ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_MONITOR_FREQUENCYRANGE rejects the underlying range record itself. Recording both names prevents a broad “graphics error” label from merging distinct ownership, capability and lifetime problems.
Recovery contract
Normalize units, range ordering and origin before pruning modes. Repair of it is complete only when the original call succeeds or returns its documented nonfatal status and the same lifetime test remains correct after a second display transition.
- The result trace identifies one producing API and one current graphics object, rather than only the final UI symptom.
- The passing run changes exactly the condition described for it; unrelated adapter, monitor and application state remains unchanged.
- debug-layer, ETW or driver diagnostics no longer report the rejected monitor timing constraint contract during the same scenario.
- The application handles recurrence of it without an unbounded retry loop, leaked resource, duplicate composition target or stale topology handle.
Implementation notes
Log source and target IDs, topology generation, path descriptors, pinned modes, mode-set handles and monitor timing data. When the path returns a count, size, status flag or replacement object, retain it even on a nonfatal result because it can direct the next call.
A production fallback for it should be explicit: pause rendering, re-enumerate, rebuild one cache entry, recreate a device, or decline a protected path only when this layer calls for that action. Reinstalling every display component, deleting all caches or forcing a resolution change is not an evidence-based fix for it.
Technical references
- Microsoft: Introduction to Video Present Networks — background for the monitor timing constraint boundary involved in it.
- Microsoft: VidPN objects and interfaces
- Microsoft: Enumerating cofunctional VidPN modes
- Microsoft: Determining VidPN support
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