Force Software Rendering on Win32

I seem to remember that there is some registry entry that you can set to force OpenGL to use Microsoft’s software rendering. Does anyone out there know what the registry setting is?

I’m not sure about the registry setting, but you could use the DescibedPixelFormat function to enumerate all pixel formats and find one that has all of the attributes you are looking for, plus the following:

  • PFD_GENERIC_FORMAT should be included
  • PFD_GENERIC_ACCELERATED should not be included

If these two conditions hold, then you know the pixel format uses the software implementation of OpenGL.

Yes, I could do that, except I’m using a GLUT program, and GLUT doesn’t give you that kind of control.

On ATi card you have the regkey pickSoftwareMicrosoft under OpenGL\Private in registry. It can easily be enabled/disabled with my Tweaker UniTuner .

rename the cards opengl driver eg nvoglnt.dll -> bollux.dll it will then use the software driver