Platform update for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

Summary

This article describes a platform update for Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1. This update improves the range and performance of the following graphics and imaging components:

• Direct2D

• DirectWrite

• Direct3D

• Windows Imaging Component (WIC)

• Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP)

• Windows Animation Manager (WAM)

• XPS Document API

• H.264 Video Decoder

• JPEG XR codec

How to obtain this update

Prerequisites To apply this update, you must be running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.

For more information about how to obtain a Windows 7 or a Windows Server 2008 R2 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

976932 Information about Service Pack 1 for Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 R2

Restart requirement You must restart the computer after you apply this update.

For more information about this update, check the "Additional information for the update" section.

Third-party information disclaimer

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of these products.

Compatibility issues on certain computers that have hybrid video cards

Important Some computers that have a combination of Intel and AMD video cards in a hybrid configuration have drivers installed that are incompatible with this platform update.

After you install this update and then restart the computer, the computer may crash because of these compatibility issues. In this situation, you receive a Stop error message that resembles the following:



Note This Stop error includes the "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA" text and the Igdpmd64.sys or Igdpmd32.sys file name.

To resolve this issue, you may have to install update 2834140 ("0x00000050" Stop error after you install update 2670838 on a computer that is running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1). Additionally, use the following tables to install the latest compatible drivers for your video card.

Dell systems

HP systems

Lenovo systems

Sony systems

Note For computer systems whose Latest compatible drivers column is marked as None, Microsoft is currently working with AMD to find the cause of the problem and to determine the appropriate fix.

If you have installed the platform update for Windows 7 and you experience a compatibility issue, we recommend that you temporarily uninstall update 2670838. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Programs and Features.

2. Click View installed updates.

3. Click Update for Microsoft Windows (KB 2670838), and then click Uninstall.

Actions required for Windows 7 DirectX developers after the installation

If you are a Windows 7 DirectX developer who uses the June 2010 DirectX Software Development Kit (SDK), you'll have to update your development environments after you install this platform update. The following .dll files that are associated with this SDK are incompatible with this platform update:

• D3D10SDKLayers.dll

• D3D11SDKLayers.dll

• D3D10ref.dll

• D2D1debug.dll

You can use one of the following applications or tools to update these .dll files:

• The Windows 8 SDK: This SDK updates the current development environment with new headers, libs, and tools. These include the development .dll files from the preceding list. This update does not update the C or C++ compilers or the IDE, but it does let developers integrate the new features of the platform update into their applications.

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2012: This application includes the Windows 8 SDK, the Visual Studio 2012 IDE, and the new compilers. It also lets developers integrate the new features of the platform update into their applications.

• Remote Tools for Visual Studio 2012: These tools represent the minimum requirement in order to continue using the Direct3D debug layer. These tools update only the development .dll files from the preceding list. They do not enable developers to integrate the new features of the platform update into their applications. These tools are available in the "Remote Tools for Visual Studio 2012" section of the Visual Studio Download Center.

  
  Note The Pix for Windows tool from the DirectX SDK is incompatible with this platform update. See Debugging Shaders in Visual Studio for more information about the new tools that are available in Visual Studio 2012.

For more developer information about this platform update, see Platform update for Windows 7.

More Information

For more information about Direct2D, see General information about Direct2D.

For more information about DirectWrite, see DirectWrite.

For more information about Direct3D, see Direct3D.

For more information about Windows Imaging Component, see Windows Imaging Component.

For more information about WARP, see Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP) Guide.

For more information about Windows Animation Manager, see Windows Animation Manager.

For more information about H.264 Video Decoder, see H.264 Video Decoder.

For more information about the XPS Document API, see XPS Document API.

For more information about the JPEG XR codec, see JPEG XR Codec overview.

Learn about the terminology that Microsoft uses to describe software updates.