Direct3D 9 is not supported in the context of a Windows service

RAPID PUBLISHING

You develop a Direct3D 9 application and attempt to execute the application within the context of a Windows Service.


 

Action

The application fails to render anything to the screen.


 

Result

Direct3D 9 is not supported in the context of a Windows service.  Direct3D 9 is only supported when executed on an interactive desktop.


 

Cause

One option is to use the Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP):


http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd285359.aspx

WARP10 is a high speed, fully conformant software rasterizer.


WARP allows fast rendering in a variety of situations where hardware implementations are unavailable, including:


  When running as a service or in a server environment


  When the user does not have any Direct3D capable hardware
  When no video card installed
  When a video driver is not available, or is not working correctly
  When a video card is out of memory, hangs or would take too many system resources to initialize.



Starting with Windows 8.1 / Windows Server 2012 R2, Direct3D 11 supports use from a Windows service. See DirectX 11.1 Features.

Resolution

MICROSOFT AND/OR ITS SUPPLIERS MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES ABOUT THE SUITABILITY, RELIABILITY OR ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE DOCUMENTS AND RELATED GRAPHICS PUBLISHED ON THIS WEBSITE (THE “MATERIALS”) FOR ANY PURPOSE. THE MATERIALS MAY INCLUDE TECHNICAL INACCURACIES OR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND MAY BE REVISED AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.


TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, MICROSOFT AND/OR ITS SUPPLIERS DISCLAIM AND EXCLUDE ALL REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, AND CONDITIONS WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES, OR CONDITIONS OF TITLE, NON INFRINGEMENT, SATISFACTORY CONDITION OR QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE MATERIALS.

DISCLAIMER