Using the normally helpful DirectX Error Lookup Utility (comes with the SDK), I found the very unhelpful error message...

HRESULT: E_FAIL
Description: An undetermined error occurred

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i''ve got that too. very unhelpful.

in the debug window i get this:

Loaded ''ntdll.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\kernel32.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\user32.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\gdi32.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\advapi32.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\rpcrt4.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ddraw.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\msvcrt.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dciman32.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\imm32.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\lpk.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\usp10.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded ''C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\nvdesk32.dll'', no matching symbolic information found.
handle is null
The thread 0x60C has exited with code 0 (0x0).
The program ''C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\MyProjects\directx_ex2\Debug\directx_ex2.exe'' has exited with code 0 (0x0).

is that bad?