Hi, Timo
Thanks for chiming in. Your second link clearly shows the technical differences between Vista (WDDM 1.0) and Windows 7 (WDDM 1.1). So, I checked with DXDIAG, and here is what I got (excerpt from dxdiag.txt) :
_------------------
System Information
Time of this report: 7/13/2011, 07:23:55
Machine name: I870
Operating System: Windows 7 Professionnel 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.110408-1631)
Language: French (Regional Setting: French)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 08/27/10 13:04:41 Ver: 08.00.15
Processor: Intel® Core™ i7 CPU 870 @ 2.93GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.9GHz
Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8190MB RAM
Page File: 1032MB used, 7155MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode
\
DxDiag Notes
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
\
DirectX Debug Levels
Direct3D: 0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)
\
Display Devices
Card name: ATI Radeon HD 5400 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x68F9)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_68F9&SUBSYS_E157174B&REV_00
Display Memory: 3559 MB
Dedicated Memory: 500 MB
Shared Memory: 3059 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1200 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Moniteur Plug-and-Play générique
Monitor Model: ASUS VW266H
Monitor Id: ACI26A4
Native Mode: 1920 x 1200§ (59.950Hz)
Output Type: DVI
Driver Name: aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx32,aticfx32,aticfx32,atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.17.0010.1036 (English)
Driver Version: 8.753.0.0
DDI Version: 11
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 7/7/2010 03:53:20, 594432 bytes
WHQL Logo’d: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-2BB9-11CF-F770-5DC1BEC2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x68F9
SubSys ID: 0xE157174B_
Guess my card driver is up to the task of using Aero. I also checked with the Windows 7 troubleshooting tool for Aero and it doesn’t report any error either.
So, I am still wondering why all my Aero and Windows Basic themes are deactivated. I’m afraid that I’ll have to look in the registry but, as I read here and there, it seems that several keys are involved, so I would rather avoid it…