This is in visual basic 2008. I'm unfamiliar with this error and the only clue its giving me is this line of code: device.StretchRectangle(image, source_rect, backbuffer, dest_rect, 0) Here is the whole code: Imports Microsoft.DirectX Imports Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3D Public Class Form1 REM define some useful constants Const SCREENW As Integer = 800 Const SCREENH As Integer = 600 Dim BLACK As Integer = RGB(0, 0, 0) REM Direct3D device variable Dim device As Direct3D.Device REM create image from a Direct3D surface Dim image As Direct3D.Surface Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _ Handles Me.Load REM resize the form Me.Size = New Size(SCREENW, SCREENH) Me.Text = "Bitmap Loading Demo" Me.Setstyle(Controlstyles.AllPaintingInWmPaint Or _ Controlstyles.Opaque, True) REM get the desktop display mode Dim adapterNumber As Integer = Manager.Adapters.Default.Adapter Dim mode As DisplayMode mode = Manager.Adapters.Default.CurrentDisplayMode REM set up the presentation parameters Dim params As New PresentParameters params.Windowed = True params.SwapEffect = SwapEffect.Copy params.AutoDepthStencilFormat = DepthFormat.D16 params.EnableAutoDepthStencil = True params.MultiSample = MultiSampleType.None params.BackBufferCount = 1 params.BackBufferWidth = SCREENW params.BackBufferWidth = SCREENH REM check video card capabilities Dim flags As CreateFlags flags = CreateFlags.HardwareVertexProcessing flags += CreateFlags.PureDevice REM Create the Direct3D device device = New Device(adapterNumber, DeviceType.Hardware, _ Me, flags, params) REM load the bitmap file image = device.CreateOffscreenPlainSurface(SCREENW, SCREENH, _ Format.A8R8G8B8, Pool.Default) SurfaceLoader.FromFile(image, "sky.bmp", Filter.None, BLACK) End Sub Protected Overrides Sub OnPaint(ByVal e As PaintEventArgs) REM begin rendering device.BeginScene() REM clear the back buffer device.Clear(ClearFlags.Target + ClearFlags.ZBuffer, Color.Green, 1.0, 0) REM specify the drawing rectangles for the image Dim source_rect As New System.Drawing.Rectangle(0, 0, SCREENW, SCREENH) Dim dest_rect As New System.Drawing.Rectangle(0, 0, SCREENH, SCREENW) REM get reference to the back buffer Dim backbuffer As Direct3D.Surface backbuffer = device.GetBackBuffer(0, 0, BackBufferType.Mono) REM draw the image device.StretchRectangle(image, source_rect, backbuffer, dest_rect, 0) REM stop rendering device.EndScene() REM copy back buffer to the screen device.Present() End Sub Private Sub Form1_KeyDown(ByVal sender As Object, _ ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.KeyEventArgs) Handles Me.KeyDown REM check key code for ESC key If e.KeyCode = Keys.Escape Then REM destroy the Direct3D device device.Dispose() REM destroy the image image.Dispose() REM end the program End End If End Sub End Class Thanks!

Thanks I'll give it try and see what I can find out.