How to force Windows Photo Gallery to display images by using GDI on a Windows Vista-based computer

This article describes how to force Windows Photo Gallery to display images by using graphics device interface (GDI) on a Windows Vista-based computer.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Windows Photo Gallery displays an image by writing to a Microsoft DirectX surface. However, you may want to force Windows Photo Gallery to display an image by using GDI for the following reasons:

• You may encounter issues with video card drivers that are incompatible with how Windows Photo Gallery displays an image to a DirectX surface.
• You may use a utility that must force Windows Photo Gallery to write by using GDI to gain access to screen bits.

To make Window Photo Gallery display images by using GDI, you must create a registry key. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   , type regedit in the Start Search box, and then click regedit.exe in the Programs list.
   
   
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
2. Click the following registry subkey:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Photo Gallery
3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click Key.
4. Type Viewer as the name of the new entry, and then press ENTER.
5. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD (32-bit) Value.
6. Type ForceSoftwareRender as the name of the new entry, and then press ENTER.
7. In the details pane, double-click the ForceSoftwareRender entry.
8. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
9. Exit Registry Editor, and then restart the computer.