I am trying to run a game that is full screen and the destop window manager, I think, is trying to initiate itself and locks up my game. It could be a fault in the game but I doubt it. How do I disable the Desktop window manager? I have tried disabeling the screen saver, the power features, I am ruiing Aero. I have Windows Vista 64 bit OS. 3 gig of ram @1333 Mhz, dual ATI 3870 GPU, Intel E8400 CPU and DBX38BT MoBo. MY system should handle anything. I am not an expert or anything like that but this shouldn't be happening.

Thanks, Mike

Log Name: Application
Source: Desktop Window Manager
Date: 4/15/2008 8:51:12 AM
Event ID: 9013
Task Category: None
Level: Information
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: upstairs
Description:
The Desktop Window Manager was unable to start because composition was disabled by a running application
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Desktop Window Manager" />
<EventID Qualifiers="16384">9013</EventID>
<Level>4</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2008-04-15T13:51:12.000Z" />
<EventRecordID>17364</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>upstairs</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
</EventData>
</Event>

[tfl - 22 04 09] You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or 
the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a
quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

Mikey, Sorry to hear about your game lock-up. Aero relies on the fancy features that DWMAPI.DLL provides. Try disabling Aero, if you have not already.

Hi Mikey, change your theme to be "Windows Standard" then go into services and stop and disable "Themes" and "Desktop Windows Manager Session Manager" your Vista interface won't look as good but your game should run.

Why does Desktop Windows Manager (DWM) need access to the internet? ZoneAlarm flashes a security alert telling me that DWM is requesting access to the internet. Is it safe to grant this access or is there a danger that my system has been hacked?

Thanks

[tfl - 10 Aug 08] You should post questions like this to the Technet Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/technet or the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a quick response using the forums than through the Community Content. You could also start at: http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.games/topics?lnk.

is this thing is normal that dwm takes 53243k of physical memory in my computer

[tfl - 22 04 09] You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or 
the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a
quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
All Public : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

My Computer desktop is black. It said that the Desktop Windows Manager has stopped working can some please offer me some kind of help that it would start back working properly.

[tfl - 22 04 09] You should post questions like this to the MSDN Forums at http://forums.microsoft.com/msdn or 
the MSDN Newsgroups at http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/. You are much more likely get a
quicker response using the forums than through the Community Content. For specific help about:
Visual Studio  : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.vstudio%2C&
.NET Framework : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public.dotnet.framework
All Public     : http://groups.google.com/groups/dir?sel=usenet%3Dmicrosoft.public%2C&

To those who have, or who might consider asking a questions regarding end-user/consumer facing application or Windows issues: This is not the correct place for these questions. This page is for developer documentation regarding the Desktop Window Manager API. Try http://www.vistaforums.com/forum/ or a newsgroup, or call Microsoft technical support, or your computer vendor.
Thanks.