Force Enable Windows Aero Glass or WDM on Unsupported and WDDM-Incomptible Graphics Card

If your graphic card doesn’t support Windows Aero Glass, here a trick that you can try to force Windows Vista to enable Windows Aero Glass on Non-WDDM Compatible or Not Aero Supported graphics accelerator card or processor, by disabling the check Windows Vista made to determines if your system hardware fulfills minimum requirements for Aero Glass window frame transparency.

Note: This method may or may not works with current RTM release of Windows Vista (user feedback welcome), and may cause a blue screen loop or constant flicker, so use with care and proper backup is a must.

  1. Click on Start button, then select Run.
  2. Type “regedit” (without the quotes). (If you do not turn of UAC, you have to run as administrator: Right click on Command Prompt accessible from All Programs -> Accessories, then select “Run as Administrator”, click on “Allow” from the Windows Security dialog, then run “regedit”.)
  3. Browse or navigate to the following registry branch:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft

  4. Create a new registry branch called DWM. (If DWM doesn’t work, try to create and use WDM registry branch instead.)
  5. Inside the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\DWM\ registry branch, create a new DWORD subkey called EnableMachineCheck.
  6. Right click on EnableMachineCheck (or double click on it) to set the value to 0.
  7. Repeat above two steps to create another DWORD called Blur, and set the value to 0.
  8. Repeat again the steps to create another DWORD called Animations and set that to 0.

Last two steps is to disable the blurring and animations effects to lessen the load burden on your graphics card so that the system will be responsive.

You can also disable slow animation effect, which slowly minimize or slowly close the window(s) when the “Shift” Key is held when you minimize or close a window with “AnimationsShiftKey”, disable use of Elongated Buttons with “UseAlternateButtons”, or disable Aero Glass Copy and Paste with “Glass”. To enable any of them, simply modify the value to 1.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, December 17th, 2006 at 10:19 pm and is filed under Operating Systems. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

23 Responses to “Force Enable Windows Aero Glass or WDM on Unsupported and WDDM-Incomptible Graphics Card”

  1. Get and Enable Windows Vista Aero Glass Transparency Effect and Desktop Windows Manager (DWM) » My Digital Life
    December 17th, 2006 22:22
    1

    [...] You can try to enable and get Windows Aero Glass interface for non-support or non-WDDM compatible graphic card too. [...]

  2. Sachleen
    January 2nd, 2007 07:58
    2

    Thanks, I will try it on my computer since I have an integrated video card and the glass effect doesn’t work.

  3. Force Enable Windows Aero Glass or WDM on Unsupported and WDDM-Incomptible Graphics Card « Kubix Blog
    January 2nd, 2007 08:03
    3

    [...] Thanks to My Digital Life [...]

  4. Jacob
    January 24th, 2007 07:21
    4

    This is for WindosBlinds.

  5. Alex
    January 25th, 2007 13:06
    5

    []I have a question, though.

    If I enable Windows Aero, will I be able to use
    these features?

    *Windows Movie Maker
    *Windows DVD Maker
    *Windows Media Center

  6. Mike
    February 12th, 2007 02:41
    6

    Alex,
    Windows Media Centre should be enable by default. I don’t belive that this will enable DVD maker and Movie maker, because you are only adding reg keys which will enable the effects. These apps are controled by the DWM, not the effects which dwm creates. My suggestion is that you buy a new video card, or find a WDDM driver for your card. I for example have an integated Intel 915GM GPU. Although it is integated, I can replace it because it is built onto the HeatSync. (I am using a Dell Inspiron i60000.) I

  7. Mike
    February 12th, 2007 02:43
    7

    have not done this yet because If I do, Dell will VOID my warrenty.

  8. Ryan
    February 28th, 2007 23:02
    8

    Tried this and it does not work on my version of Vista… :(

  9. shameroo
    March 13th, 2007 12:53
    9

    this doesn’t work for Vista Ver. 6

  10. kp
    March 15th, 2007 01:21
    10

    doesn’t work with Vista RTM. I think you aught to update the post becuase google keeps bringing this page up in search and it’s frustrating.

  11. admin
    March 15th, 2007 07:30
    11

    kp, do you have any idea how to do it so that I can update the post?

  12. bas
    March 28th, 2007 01:15
    12

    maybe you can insert themes with a transparent effect when you have patched your uxtheme.dll an 2 other files.

    in xp you can also make your windows transparent when you have patched your uxtheme.dll, in vista you must patch 3 files.

    copy this link to your browser: http://mahmood1.com/vista.aspx

    when you have load the page scroll down untill you se this sentence: How to apply new themes in Windows vista !!

    below that sentence you can read how to patch it.

    i dont know it works, but i will post a comment when itworks properly. a working theme with glass affects i also will post.

    grtz, bas

    ps: excuses for my bad english, i am dutch…

  13. bas
    March 28th, 2007 01:18
    13

    pps: for opening the file with the patched dll’s, you need winrar.

  14. bas
    March 28th, 2007 02:22
    14

    i only cant find some themes to use, maybe someone else have one?

  15. Muhammad Irfan
    July 8th, 2007 22:15
    15

    Not working man

  16. sopan
    July 11th, 2007 19:48
    16

    [8)]how use windows aero in winxp

  17. saif
    July 16th, 2007 22:07
    17

    I had used the reg to disable the aero.
    But i want to use the aero back again to use dreamscene.
    i tried a lot, but unable to do so.
    please help me in this.
    geforce 6200, latest driver suppoerted vista. 1.2ghz,786 ram,readyboost enabled.
    thanks

  18. Vista-Tweaker
    November 25th, 2007 10:39
    18

    Oh S*** I never found a way to Force it on RTM Vista…… or a theme with Glass effect

  19. jose
    April 14th, 2008 22:27
    19

    Not working man…. Running Vista enterprise but graphic card has no update for vista (and unlikely in the future). this tweak doesnt work. any help?

  20. fco lara
    July 6th, 2008 05:00
    20

    no me funciona
    lo he intentado miles de vecesfr

  21. holem
    July 27th, 2008 12:42
    21

    thanks man it worked on my windows vista basic im so stoked it looks so cool its a bit dragy but it works no neeed for upgrade thankssssss

  22. bilal zahid
    October 27th, 2008 21:24
    22

    not working on windows vista enterprise and i cannot open windows color and appearance please give me a solution

  23. Soham
    November 4th, 2008 15:16
    23

    hI i TRIED THIS METHOD BUT i CAN’T CREATE A NEW registry branch. Can someone tell me how to do it.

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