Hack to Force Enable Aero in Windows 7
Windows 7 has a nice little Windows Aero troubleshooting tool to find and fix problems with transparency and other visual effects, and then enable and turn on Aero support (and also Aero Peek) in Windows 7. If the tool does not work to enable Aero feature in Windows 7, the trick to force enable Aero in Windows Vista may still work in Windows 7.
Follow these steps in the instruction below to force enable Windows Aero Glass Transparency effect on system with video card (graphic accelerator adapter) that does not meet the WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model ) specifications, which provides functionality required to render the desktop and applications using Desktop Window Manager, a compositing window manager running on top of Direct3D 9.0Ex, and provides device driver interfaces required by Direct3D 10 runtime used in Windows 7.
- Open Registry Editor (RegEdit).
- Navigate to the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM
If the DWM registry key is not found, right click on Windows and then select New -> Key to create new branch and name it as DWM.
- In the right details pane, create a new DWORD (32-bit value) named UseMachineCheck, and set its value to 0.
- In the right details pane, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named Blur, and set its value to 0.
- In the right details pane, create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value named Animations, and set its value to 0.
- Restart the Desktop Window Manager Session Manager in Services in Control Panel (type Services.msc in Start Search), or run the following commands in a command prompt with administrator privileges:
net stop uxsms
net start uxsms - Attempt to enable and apply Windows Aero in Windows 7. Restart the computer if required.
The trick above also may work to enable Aero on Windows 7 and Windows Vista installed on virtual machine (VM), especially in Virtual PC 2007. VPC 2007 uses S3 as virtual display adapter, which is capable of running Windows Aero. When the guest Windows 7 or Vista OS uses software-based hardware check after hack above, it will find only S3, couple with actual Aero-capable video card, may allow Aero to run in VMs as in real physical machine.
Related Articles
- Force Enable Windows Aero Glass or WDM on Unsupported and WDDM-Incomptible Graphics Card
- How to Turn On and Enable Aero in Windows 7 (Enable Aero Peek)
- Enable or Disable Aero Border Frame in Windows Live MSN Messenger (with Auto Switcher)
- Disable Aero Snap Auto Maximize and Arrange Window in Windows 7
- Shortcuts to Enable and Disable Vista Aero Theme
- Hack to Enable Windows Aero in Vista Home Basic Edition
- How to Enable Aero Glass in Windows 7 Virtual Machines on Windows Virtual PC
- Make Maximized Window Has Aero Glass Transparency Effect with VistaGlazz (Support Custom Theme Visual Styles)
- How to Show Desktop in Windows 7 (Quick Launch Alternative)
- Hack to Enable Aero Shake to Minimize Unfocused Windows in Vista and XP (AeroShake)
Entries (RSS)
December 20th, 2009 10:13
It Worked!! Yea! Wish I had found this site 3 hours ago. Thank you!
December 17th, 2009 09:16
I tried this very carefully, and I got nothing. When I try to change themes, only the background changes, no Aero. on Build 7100 with intel 915.
December 17th, 2009 03:31
I follwed the instructions, and it’s not working for me.
November 14th, 2009 06:37
hey “rt”, comment #30,
i have an intel 915 chipset too, could you notify me should you find a solution? i know there HAS to be a way because from running some 3rd party apps, the graphics card is able to create (or replicate) the transparency effect… (gipfeli@gmx.ch) thanks!
November 8th, 2009 21:58
This will NOT work on asus eee pc 701 it will turn the screen black and just left the watermark
November 8th, 2009 07:39
I was wondering if anybody knew if a Intel GMA 900 integrated graphics would work… On wikipedia it says it theoretically works but there is no WDDM driver so this is what this hack is for, right?
November 6th, 2009 21:37
this does not work.. any other solutions for that? I have a intel 915 on my notebook, so I need a hack to enable aero..
October 12th, 2009 23:02
Those last 2 comments 27 & 28 are complete bullshit this does not work on RTM, I know this because it worked for me fine on the beta versions *Before RC… then the rest *betas after RC it stopped working.
October 4th, 2009 23:05
this worked fine on Windows 7 Final Version.
September 16th, 2009 09:50
This WORKED for me on Windows 7 RTM!
After I installed my ASUS Radeon 4870 Dark Knight 1GB, aero stopped working and the Win 7 fixer couldn’t fix it. This “hack” did the trick!
July 31st, 2009 09:32
1 Read the article carefuly
2 comments allready state that this does not work
for those who screens turned black, you need to have had met all hardware req.(128 Mb vcard) but didn’t have driver
if you had req., nothing should have happened instead of a black screen
this is a vista and early w7 trick
does not work for later and rtm