Knowledge Base
Q0138: When installing the Driver/Display Chain Manager (DCM) an error message is displayed, what does it mean?
The problem:
When installing the Driver/Display Chain Manager (DCM) an error message is displayed, what does it mean?
The solution
There are various error messages that may be encountered when attempting to install the Driver/Display Chain Manager (DCM), the following gives details of what these messages mean:
(a) Message: DCM Error 1 Registry access error.
Meaning: The expected registry key did not exist or was not accessible. This could mean a corrupted registry, or insufficient access to the registry for example a user who does not have local administrator rights trying to install the DCM.
(b) Message: DCM Error 2 Invalid parameter error.
Meaning: This is an internal code fault, theoretically it should never happen. If there is an occurrence, please report it to Technical Support.
(c) Message: DCM Error 3 Can't find IDD key error.
Meaning: DCM cannot locate the correct "InstalledDisplayDrivers" key in the registry for the primary display. This could indicate a corrupted registry, or maybe a “non standard” monitor configuration. Maybe the user does not have a graphics card or is using multiple monitors, or it is a terminal server session.
(d) Message: DCM Error 4 Chain driver not found error.
Meaning: This means that the set of registry keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlDisplayChainingDisplay0 has become corrupted. Specifically, the DCM is trying to remove a driver from the chain, thus it is deleting one of the keys, however it can not find which other key points to the key that it is deleting, which it needs for reconnecting the chain.
(e) Message: DCM Error 5 General error.
Meaning: This is an internal code fault; it occurs if the DCM client tells DCM to insert a driver in the chain next to an existing driver, however the existing driver does not exist. Theoretically this should never happen, if there is an occurrence, please report it to Technical Support.
(f) Message: DCM Error 6 Insufficient Buffer error.
Meaning: This may occur if the list of DLL names of each chaining driver and the name of the graphics card DLL exceeds 260 characters.
(g) Message: DCM Error 7 Already in chain error.
Meaning: This is an internal code fault, the DCM client is attempting to insert a driver into the chain, however it is already in the chain. Theoretically this should never happen, if there is an occurrence, please report it to Technical Support.
(h) Message: DCM Error 8 Chain loop.
Meaning: This means that the set of registry keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlDisplayChainingDisplay0 has become corrupted. Specifically, if you follow the chain from "First Entry" it ends up going around in circles.
(i) Message: DCM Error 9 Chain shortcut.
Meaning: This means that the set of registry keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlDisplayChainingDisplay0 has become corrupted. Specifically, one or more of the entries in the list is not referenced by any of the other entries. Thus, there is a driver that is missing from the chain.
(j) Message: DCM Error 10 No chain.
Meaning: This means that the set of registry keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlDisplayChainingDisplay0 has become corrupted. Specifically the "First Entry" key is missing.
(k) Message: DCM Error 11 Misplaced multi.
Meaning: This means that the set of registry keys under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlDisplayChainingDisplay0 has become corrupted. Specifically one of the drivers in the chain, which is NOT the last driver, has more than one DLL listed. Theoretically this should never happen. It's not a critical error and it is likely that the system will boot OK.
(l) Message: DCM Error 12 Chain bypassed.
Meaning: The contents of the InstalledDisplayDrivers key has changed, this could be caused by a new graphics card, driver update or more likely, some other non-DCM compatible software. DCM was unable to correct the problem, you need to remove the non-compatible software before you can change the DCM chain.
(m) Message: DCM Error 13 Uninstall failed.
Meaning: You were installing DCM on a machine with some non-DCM chaining display driver already installed. DCM attempted to uninstall the incompatible software, however it failed. Check the IDD key to find out what was installed.
(n) Message: DCM Error 14 Driver not in chain.
Meaning: This basically means that the driver the client asked for information about was not in the chain. Normally this message will never be displayed, however another message – “graphics interceptor not found” may be displayed.
(o) Message: DCM Error 15 Fixed new driver.
Meaning: The contents of the InstalledDisplayDrivers registry key has changed. This was because the graphics driver has been upgraded, or the graphics card has been changed. DCM corrected the problem automatically, you will need to restart Windows to apply the fix and get the chain drivers to load.
(p) Message: DCM Error 16 Bypassed. Needs reboot.
Meaning: The contents of the InstalledDisplayDrivers registry key has changed. This could be caused by some other non-DCM compatible software. DCM corrected the problem automatically, you will need to restart Windows to apply the fix and get your chain drivers to load.
Applies to:
- Supernova, Hal, Lunar and LunarPlus version 5.20 (and above) when installing under Windows NT/2000/XP.
- SuperNova
- SuperNova Pro
- Lunar
- LunarPlus
- Hal
- Hal Pro
- Dolphin Pen
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