fix: pin the vgpu region resident (raise working set, then VirtualLock)

The fallback path committed the region but left it demand-zero (not resident). VirtualLock can pin only up to the process minimum working set, and the default quota is far below the 96 MiB region, so a bare lock fails with ERROR_WORKING_SET_QUOTA. Raise the minimum first via SetProcessWorkingSetSize, then VirtualLock; pre-fault every page as a last resort. Neither needs SE_LOCK_MEMORY (that is for large pages / AWE).

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ add_executable(vgpu-streamer
     src/stream/win32/region.c
     src/stream/win32/present.c
     src/stream/win32/cursor.c
+    src/stream/win32/geometry.c
     src/stream/win32/capture.c
     src/stream/win32/capture_nvfbc.c
     src/stream/win32/capture_dda.c

include/vgpu_perception.h

@@ -0,0 +1,270 @@
+#ifndef VGPU_PERCEPTION_H
+#define VGPU_PERCEPTION_H
+
+/* vgpu_perception.h — host-side, read-only perception over the vgpu region.
+ *
+ * A pure functional core that builds vgpu semantics ON TOP OF a guest
+ * address-space root handed in by the caller. It only PERCEIVES: it discovers
+ * the region by structural invariants, samples frames and reads cursor /
+ * geometry / lifecycle, and returns SNAPSHOTS (POD values). It never owns
+ * coherence, never opens RW guest memory, never decides control or behavioural
+ * timing, never emits events upward.
+ *
+ * Where the region lives (the correction that shapes this API): the region is a
+ * RW shared mapping projected into the USER address space of a producer PROCESS,
+ * NOT a kernel VA in the System address space. So the core is handed a RO win32
+ * context (which the caller opened with the System kcr3), enumerates processes
+ * with proc_list, and finds the region in a process user-AS under that process's
+ * own cr3 (process.cr3). The System kcr3 is needed ONLY to open the context and
+ * walk processes; once the region is found, it is always read under the
+ * producer's process.cr3 (cached in the handle). The handle carries proc_cr3.
+ *
+ * What this core does NOT do (by design — those belong to the caller):
+ *   - It does NOT own the vmie_win32 context / vmie_mem: both are BORROWED. The
+ *     caller opens the RO win32 context (its lifetime is tied to the guest
+ *     address-space mapping epoch) and closes it when that mapping goes stale.
+ *     The core never opens or closes either.
+ *   - It does NOT sleep / poll / spawn threads / arm timers: the two-phase
+ *     liveness handshake is two calls; the WAIT between them is the caller's.
+ *   - It does NOT transport frames. Frame transport is the caller's concern;
+ *     the core is a PULL source — the caller takes desc+bytes from
+ *     vgpup_sample_frame and routes them. No sink callback here.
+ *   - It does NOT write control. vgpup_build_control_write only BUILDS the
+ *     desired frame + offsets; the actual write is performed elsewhere, by a
+ *     component that holds read-write access to the region.
+ *
+ * Two epochs + producer restart (the caller owns the policy; the core only
+ * reports facts — this is a flat pull model, no polling from below):
+ *   - Address-space invalidation (new kcr3 / new epoch): the caller closes the
+ *     win32 context, drops the old vgpup_region, opens a fresh context on the
+ *     new epoch and re-discovers (vgpup_open). The old handle is invalid (a
+ *     different address space entirely).
+ *   - vgpu run_epoch advance while the context stays live (session break, same
+ *     process): vgpup_read_status records r->run_epoch; vgpup_run_epoch reports
+ *     it. The caller compares and decides whether to reset vgpu state — the
+ *     region/process are unchanged. The core holds no reset policy.
+ *   - Producer process restart (new pid/cr3 under the same live kcr3): the win32
+ *     context is still valid (kernel alive), but the old handle's proc_cr3 /
+ *     region_gva point at a dead process address space. Symptom: a read under
+ *     r->proc_cr3 returns <0 (the process pages are gone). The core only REPORTS
+ *     this (<0 from a read); the DECISION to re-discover is the caller's — it
+ *     calls vgpup_close(old) + vgpup_open(v) so a fresh proc_list finds the
+ *     restarted producer with its new cr3.
+ *
+ * Ownership convention:
+ *   - vmie_win32* v, vmie_mem* m — BORROWED. The caller owns their lifecycle
+ *     (tied to the address-space mapping). The core only reads through them.
+ *   - vgpup_region* — heap-owned by the core (small private state). Create with
+ *     vgpup_open, release with vgpup_close. Closing it does NOT touch v / m.
+ *
+ * Conventions (mirror memmodel.h):
+ *   - The System kcr3 opens the RO win32 context; the REGION lives in the USER
+ *     address space of the producer process and is read under its process.cr3
+ *     (cached in the handle as proc_cr3). A "GVA" is a 64-bit guest VA in that
+ *     process address space.
+ *   - All guest reads go through gva_read into a local copy; no borrowed
+ *     pointer into guest memory ever escapes a seqlock window or this API.
+ *   - Integer returns: 0 success / negative failure for deterministic calls.
+ *     Lossy read calls (sample/cursor/geometry) are tristate: 1 = consistent
+ *     snapshot produced, 0 = no fresh data / writer kept it busy past the retry
+ *     limit / would not fit (a SKIP, never an error — do not block), <0 = a
+ *     hard memory-read error (page gone / process restarted — the caller
+ *     re-discovers; see "Two epochs + producer restart" above).
+ *
+ * Example (the caller drives the two-phase liveness and the read loop):
+ *
+ *     // caller already opened a RO win32 context with the System kcr3:
+ *     vmie_win32* v = caller_ctx;        // BORROWED by the core
+ *     vmie_mem*   m = vmie_win32_mem(v); // BORROWED; for the generic gva_*
+ *
+ *     vgpup_region* r = vgpup_open(v);   // phase 1: find producer + candidate
+ *     if (!r) { return; }                // no region in any process
+ *
+ *     // phase 2 is the caller's: it waits >= VGPU_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD_MS, then
+ *     uint64_t proc_cr3, region_gva, hb0;
+ *     vgpup_discover_candidate(v, &proc_cr3, &region_gva, &hb0); // (or reuse open's)
+ *     // ... the caller sleeps here, NOT the core ...
+ *     int alive = vgpup_confirm_alive(m, proc_cr3, region_gva, hb0);
+ *
+ *     // sampling (lossy pull):
+ *     static uint8_t buf[VGPU_SLOT_STRIDE];
+ *     vgpup_frame_info fi;
+ *     if (vgpup_sample_frame(r, m, buf, sizeof buf, &fi) == 1) {
+ *         // route fi.desc + buf[0..fi.bytes) to the chosen transport
+ *     }
+ *
+ *     vgpup_close(r);   // frees core state only; v / m stay with the caller
+ */
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+
+#include "vgpu_stream.h"   /* region ABI: producer/control types, slot geometry */
+#include "win32.h"         /* vmie_win32*, proc_list, process, vmie_win32_mem;
+                            * pulls in memmodel.h for vmie_mem / gva_* — the
+                            * producer is found via proc_list under the System
+                            * kcr3, then the region is read under process.cr3   */
+
+/* Opaque found vgpu region in a producer's user address space. Heap-owned by the
+ * core; holds only small private state (proc_cr3, region/ctrl/ring GVA, last
+ * frame_id, last run_epoch). It does NOT own v / m — those are passed back in on
+ * every read. */
+typedef struct vgpup_region vgpup_region;
+
+/* ---- handle / lifecycle (the core does NOT own the win32 context) --------- */
+
+/* Phase-1 discover + bind: enumerate processes (proc_list) over the BORROWED RO
+ * win32 context v, scan each process user-AS by structural invariants, snapshot
+ * hb0, and build a handle carrying the producer's proc_cr3 + region/ctrl/ring
+ * GVA. v is BORROWED — the core reads through it but never closes it (its
+ * lifetime is the caller's, tied to the address-space mapping epoch). Returns a
+ * heap-owned vgpup_region*, or NULL if no region is found in any process.
+ * Liveness is NOT
+ * yet proven: the caller must call vgpup_confirm_alive after waiting
+ * >= VGPU_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD_MS. Sampling before confirmation is allowed (lossy);
+ * "producer alive" is true only after a positive confirm.
+ *
+ * If a later read returns <0, the producer process may have restarted (its
+ * pages are gone): the caller re-discovers via vgpup_close(r) + vgpup_open(v). */
+vgpup_region* vgpup_open(vmie_win32* v);
+
+/* Release ONLY the core state. Does NOT touch v / m — the caller closes those
+ * (their lifetime is the caller's). Safe on NULL. */
+void vgpup_close(vgpup_region* r);
+
+/* ---- two-phase discovery (the WAIT belongs to the caller) ----------------- */
+
+/* Phase 1: find a producer and a candidate region in its user-AS (no liveness).
+ * Walks proc_list over v and, for each process, scans its user-AS under
+ * process.cr3 by structural invariants. On the first hit writes the producer's
+ * cr3 to *out_proc_cr3, the region base GVA to *out_region_gva and the heartbeat
+ * snapshot to *out_hb0, and returns 0. Returns <0 if no candidate is found in
+ * any process or a read fails. Pure; does NOT wait. Needs v for proc_list. */
+int vgpup_discover_candidate(vmie_win32* v, uint64_t* out_proc_cr3,
+                             uint64_t* out_region_gva, uint64_t* out_hb0);
+
+/* Phase 2: confirm liveness. The caller calls this >= VGPU_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD_MS
+ * after phase 1. Re-reads heartbeat at region_gva under proc_cr3 and returns 1
+ * if it advanced (alive producer), 0 if it did not tick (dead / not the region),
+ * <0 on a read error. Takes vmie_mem* m (== vmie_win32_mem(v)) and proc_cr3 —
+ * the win32 surface is no longer needed here, only gva_read. Pure; does NOT
+ * wait — the inter-phase delay is the caller's. */
+int vgpup_confirm_alive(vmie_mem* m, uint64_t proc_cr3,
+                        uint64_t region_gva, uint64_t hb0);
+
+/* ---- snapshots (POD values; read under their seqlock discipline) ---------- */
+
+/* Snapshot of the last published frame's descriptor (read under seq[slot]). */
+typedef struct {
+    uint32_t width, height, stride, format;
+    uint64_t frame_id;
+    uint64_t timestamp_ns;
+} vgpup_frame_desc;
+
+/* Result of a frame sample: the descriptor plus the count of bytes copied into
+ * the caller's buffer (== height*stride, tight). */
+typedef struct {
+    vgpup_frame_desc desc;
+    size_t           bytes;
+} vgpup_frame_info;
+
+/* Cursor snapshot (read under the cursor_seq acquire gate). seq lets the caller
+ * tell "cursor idle" from "producer stopped reporting". */
+typedef struct {
+    uint32_t seq;               /* cursor_seq observed for this snapshot     */
+    uint32_t visible;           /* 1 = shown, 0 = hidden                     */
+    int32_t  x, y;              /* unpacked from cursor_pos (signed)         */
+    uint16_t hot_x, hot_y;      /* unpacked from cursor_hotspot              */
+    uint16_t glyph_w, glyph_h;  /* unpacked from cursor_glyph                */
+    uint32_t id;                /* VGPU_CURSOR_ID_*                          */
+} vgpup_cursor;
+
+/* Display-geometry snapshot (read under the geom_seq seqlock). */
+typedef struct {
+    int32_t  virt_x, virt_y;
+    uint32_t virt_w, virt_h;
+    int32_t  cap_x, cap_y;
+    uint32_t dpi, refresh_mhz;
+} vgpup_geometry;
+
+/* Lifecycle / status snapshot (cold line; single naturally-aligned atomic
+ * fields, no seqlock — "fresh enough" by the lossy contract). */
+typedef struct {
+    uint64_t heartbeat;
+    uint32_t run_epoch;
+    uint32_t status;            /* VGPU_ST_*  */
+    uint32_t backend;           /* VGPU_BK_*  */
+    uint32_t error_code;
+    uint32_t applied_fps;
+    uint32_t supported_formats;
+    uint32_t ctrl_ack;
+    uint32_t full_frame_ack;
+    uint64_t content_change_ns;
+} vgpup_status;
+
+/* ---- read API (lossy; seqlock discipline lives inside) -------------------- *
+ * All read functions read under r->proc_cr3 (the producer's cr3, cached in the
+ * handle at discovery). m is a BORROWED vmie_mem* (== vmie_win32_mem(v)); the
+ * cr3 is NOT in the signature — it travels in the handle. A <0 return is a hard
+ * memory-read error: the producer process may have restarted, so the caller
+ * re-discovers (see "Two epochs + producer restart" in the file header). */
+
+/* Sample the latest frame. Seqlock-reads latest/seq[slot]/desc, copies the slot
+ * bytes out of the RING via gva_read, then re-checks seq[slot] in one window.
+ * dst is the caller's buffer, cap its capacity. Returns 1 = a fresh frame was
+ * copied (info filled), 0 = no new frame / writer busy past the retry limit /
+ * frame would not fit cap (lossy SKIP, not an error), <0 = a memory-read error.
+ * "Fresh" dedups by frame_id: a frame_id <= the last sampled one returns 0. */
+int vgpup_sample_frame(vgpup_region* r, vmie_mem* m,
+                       uint8_t* dst, size_t cap, vgpup_frame_info* info);
+
+/* Read the cursor under the cursor_seq acquire gate. 1 = consistent snapshot,
+ * 0 = writer busy past the retry limit, <0 = read error. */
+int vgpup_read_cursor(vgpup_region* r, vmie_mem* m, vgpup_cursor* out);
+
+/* Read display geometry under the geom_seq seqlock. Returns as read_cursor. */
+int vgpup_read_geometry(vgpup_region* r, vmie_mem* m, vgpup_geometry* out);
+
+/* Read the cold-line status/lifecycle. 0 = success, <0 = read error. The single
+ * atomic fields carry no seqlock; the snapshot is "fresh enough" (lossy). */
+int vgpup_read_status(vgpup_region* r, vmie_mem* m, vgpup_status* out);
+
+/* The run_epoch from the last vgpup_read_status — a session-break detector for
+ * the caller while the address space stays live. The core only reports the raw
+ * value; it holds no reset policy (what to reset is the caller's decision). */
+uint32_t vgpup_run_epoch(const vgpup_region* r);
+
+/* ---- control-write — SEAM ONLY (this never writes) ------------------------ */
+
+/* Desired control-block value (host-RW fields). The caller builds it and later
+ * forwards it to the writer; the actual gva_write is performed elsewhere, by the
+ * component that holds read-write access to the region. */
+typedef struct {
+    uint32_t desired_state;     /* VGPU_CMD_*                                 */
+    uint32_t target_fps;        /* 0 = producer default                       */
+    uint32_t draw_cursor;       /* 0/1                                         */
+    uint32_t full_frame_req;    /* edge counter (caller bumps vs the previous) */
+} vgpup_control_intent;
+
+/* Build a control frame WITHOUT writing: fill a vgpu_control_t image from `in`,
+ * and report the control-block GVA plus the offset/length of the significant
+ * field range, so an external read-write writer can perform an atomic write
+ * under the ctrl_gen seqlock. This NEVER touches guest memory (the RO fd would
+ * not allow it anyway). ctrl_gen is left zero here: the writer owns it under the
+ * seqlock. The significant range is desired_state .. full_frame_req;
+ * consumer_tick/attached carry separate heartbeat/intent semantics and are NOT
+ * part of this intent.
+ *   out_frame    — filled vgpu_control_t (significant fields from `in`)
+ *   out_ctrl_gva — control-block GVA (region base + VGPU_CONTROL_OFFSET). This
+ *                  GVA is valid in the PRODUCER's user address space: the
+ *                  external write MUST be performed under r->proc_cr3, NOT the
+ *                  System kcr3.
+ *   out_off      — offset of the first significant field (offsetof desired_state)
+ *   out_len      — length of the significant range (through full_frame_req)
+ * Returns 0 on success, <0 if r is NULL. The write itself is performed
+ * elsewhere; there is no live gva_write here and there must not be. */
+int vgpup_build_control_write(vgpup_region* r, const vgpup_control_intent* in,
+                              vgpu_control_t* out_frame, uint64_t* out_ctrl_gva,
+                              uint32_t* out_off, uint32_t* out_len);
+
+#endif /* VGPU_PERCEPTION_H */

include/vgpu_stream.h

@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ enum { VGPU_FMT_BGRA8888 = 0 };
 enum { VGPU_ST_INIT=0, VGPU_ST_CAPTURING=1, VGPU_ST_PAUSED=2, VGPU_ST_STOPPED=3, VGPU_ST_ERROR=4 };
 enum { VGPU_BK_NONE=0, VGPU_BK_NVFBC=1, VGPU_BK_DDA=2, VGPU_BK_GDI=3 };
 enum { VGPU_CMD_STOP=0, VGPU_CMD_RUN=1, VGPU_CMD_PAUSE=2 };
+/* cursor shape identity (wire-uint32); UNKNOWN=0 → custom/unrecognized glyph */
+enum { VGPU_CURSOR_ID_UNKNOWN=0, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_ARROW=1, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_IBEAM=2,
+       VGPU_CURSOR_ID_WAIT=3, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_CROSS=4, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_HAND=5,
+       VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZENS=6, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZEWE=7, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZENWSE=8,
+       VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZENESW=9, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZEALL=10, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_NO=11,
+       VGPU_CURSOR_ID_APPSTARTING=12 };
 
 /* ===== Per-slot descriptor (under hot.seq[slot]) ===== */
 typedef struct {
@@ -69,6 +75,38 @@ typedef struct {
     uint32_t    supported_formats;       /* bitmask (1u<<VGPU_FMT_*) */
     uint32_t    ctrl_ack;                /* echo of control.ctrl_gen (even) applied */
     uint32_t    full_frame_ack;          /* echo of control.full_frame_req honored */
+    /* --- cursor reporting (host-RO; position is sensor data, independent
+     *     of control.draw_cursor / cursor compositing) --- */
+    uint32_t    cursor_seq;              /* @168: monotonic; bumps each cursor publish.
+                                            Host reads it last (acquire) to gate a
+                                            consistent {cursor_pos,cursor_visible}; lets the
+                                            host tell "cursor idle" from "producer stopped
+                                            reporting". */
+    uint32_t    cursor_visible;          /* @172: 1=cursor shown (CURSOR_SHOWING), 0=hidden */
+    uint64_t    cursor_pos;              /* @176: packed screen position, 8-aligned single
+                                            atomic MOV. low 32 bits = x, high 32 = y, each a
+                                            signed int32 (two's-complement; multi-monitor →
+                                            negatives). Pair never tears (one 64-bit store). */
+    /* --- cursor Tier-1 (host-RO; same cursor_seq gate as cursor_pos/visible) --- */
+    uint32_t    cursor_hotspot;          /* @184: low16=hot_x, high16=hot_y (unsigned) */
+    uint32_t    cursor_glyph;            /* @188: low16=glyph_w, high16=glyph_h (unsigned) */
+    uint32_t    cursor_id;               /* @192: VGPU_CURSOR_ID_* shape identity */
+
+    /* --- graphics static-idle: monotonic stamp of last scene-content change --- */
+    alignas(8) uint64_t content_change_ns; /* @200: host derives idle-ms vs its own clock */
+
+    /* --- display geometry (own cache line; geom_seq seqlock; sampled rarely) ---
+     * captured-surface SIZE is NOT here: it is desc.width/height (authoritative, tight). */
+    alignas(64)
+    uint32_t    geom_seq;                /* @256: even=stable, odd=writing (frame-seqlock) */
+    int32_t     virt_x;                  /* @260: virtual-desktop origin (signed) */
+    int32_t     virt_y;                  /* @264 */
+    uint32_t    virt_w;                  /* @268: virtual-desktop bbox size (interprets neg pos) */
+    uint32_t    virt_h;                  /* @272 */
+    int32_t     cap_x;                   /* @276: captured-output origin in virtual-desktop coords */
+    int32_t     cap_y;                   /* @280: (captured size = desc.width/height, not here) */
+    uint32_t    dpi;                     /* @284: captured-output effective DPI; 96=100%; 0=unknown */
+    uint32_t    refresh_mhz;             /* @288: captured-output refresh in milli-Hz; 0=unknown */
 } vgpu_producer_t;
 static_assert(alignof(vgpu_producer_t) == 64, "producer align");
 static_assert(sizeof(vgpu_producer_t) <= VGPU_PAGE, "producer fits page 0");
@@ -86,6 +124,25 @@ static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, applied_fps)       == 152, "producer.app
 static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, supported_formats) == 156, "producer.supported_formats");
 static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, ctrl_ack)          == 160, "producer.ctrl_ack");
 static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, full_frame_ack)    == 164, "producer.full_frame_ack");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_seq)        == 168, "producer.cursor_seq");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_visible)    == 172, "producer.cursor_visible");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_pos)        == 176, "producer.cursor_pos");
+/* cursor Tier-1 (cursor line, gated by cursor_seq) */
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_hotspot)    == 184, "producer.cursor_hotspot");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_glyph)      == 188, "producer.cursor_glyph");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_id)         == 192, "producer.cursor_id");
+/* graphics static-idle */
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, content_change_ns) == 200, "producer.content_change_ns");
+/* display geometry (own cache line; captured SIZE is desc.width/height, not here) */
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, geom_seq)          == 256, "producer.geom_seq");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, virt_x)            == 260, "producer.virt_x");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, virt_y)            == 264, "producer.virt_y");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, virt_w)            == 268, "producer.virt_w");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, virt_h)            == 272, "producer.virt_h");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cap_x)             == 276, "producer.cap_x");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cap_y)             == 280, "producer.cap_y");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, dpi)               == 284, "producer.dpi");
+static_assert(offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, refresh_mhz)       == 288, "producer.refresh_mhz");
 
 /* ===== Control block (host-RW), own page, generation-guarded ===== */
 typedef struct {

src/perception/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.18)              # add_subdirectory of vmie (needs find_program REQUIRED)
+project(vgpu-perception C)                        # standalone host project, native gcc
+
+set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
+set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+set(CMAKE_C_EXTENSIONS OFF)
+
+# vmie is our own library — reference its SOURCES by path, never a third_party copy.
+# LIBVMIE_PATH is supplied from OUTSIDE at configure time → no private path in the tree.
+set(LIBVMIE_PATH "" CACHE PATH "Path to the vmie library source tree (host memory model)")
+if(NOT LIBVMIE_PATH)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "vgpu-perception: set -DLIBVMIE_PATH=/path/to/vmie/sources")
+endif()
+
+# Build vmie's static lib from its own sources. EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL: only the `vmie`
+# target we link is built (not vmie's CLI/scan demos or its guest exe). memmodel.h
+# arrives transitively via the vmie target's PUBLIC include dir — no manual include,
+# no vendored header to keep in sync.
+add_subdirectory(${LIBVMIE_PATH} ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/vmie-build EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL)
+
+set(REPO ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/../..)       # repo root (this lives in src/perception)
+
+add_library(vgpu-perception STATIC
+    discover.c
+    sample.c
+    control.c)
+target_include_directories(vgpu-perception
+    PUBLIC  ${REPO}/include                        # vgpu_perception.h, vgpu_stream.h
+    PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include)   # perception-internal.h
+target_link_libraries(vgpu-perception PUBLIC vmie) # memmodel.h include comes transitively
+target_compile_options(vgpu-perception PRIVATE -O2 -Wall -Wextra)
+
+# table-driven test: invariant predicates + flat sampling smoke
+enable_testing()
+add_executable(vgpu-perception-test test/test_perception.c)
+target_include_directories(vgpu-perception-test
+    PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include)   # memmodel.h via vgpu-perception -> vmie (transitive)
+target_link_libraries(vgpu-perception-test PRIVATE vgpu-perception)
+target_compile_options(vgpu-perception-test PRIVATE -O2 -Wall -Wextra)
+add_test(NAME vgpu-perception-test COMMAND vgpu-perception-test)

src/perception/control.c

@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/* control.c — control-write SEAM ONLY (this never writes guest memory).
+ *
+ * The actual write is performed elsewhere, by a component that holds read-write
+ * access to the region; this only builds the desired vgpu_control_t image from
+ * the intent and computes the GVA + offset/length of the significant field range
+ * for that atomic write under the ctrl_gen seqlock. There is no gva_write here
+ * and there must not be — the source is a RO fd that would fault on a store anyway.
+ *
+ * The reported out_ctrl_gva is a GVA in the PRODUCER's user address space
+ * (region base + VGPU_CONTROL_OFFSET, cached as r->ctrl_gva): the external write
+ * MUST be performed under r->proc_cr3, NOT the System kcr3.
+ */
+
+#include "perception-internal.h"
+
+int vgpup_build_control_write(vgpup_region* r, const vgpup_control_intent* in,
+                              vgpu_control_t* out_frame, uint64_t* out_ctrl_gva,
+                              uint32_t* out_off, uint32_t* out_len)
+{
+    if (!r || !in || !out_frame || !out_ctrl_gva || !out_off || !out_len) { return -1; }
+
+    /* Fill the desired control image. ctrl_gen stays 0: the writer owns it under
+     * the seqlock. consumer_tick/attached carry separate heartbeat/intent
+     * semantics and are not part of this intent. */
+    memset(out_frame, 0, sizeof *out_frame);
+    out_frame->desired_state  = in->desired_state;
+    out_frame->target_fps     = in->target_fps;
+    out_frame->draw_cursor    = in->draw_cursor;
+    out_frame->full_frame_req = in->full_frame_req;
+
+    *out_ctrl_gva = r->ctrl_gva;   /* region base + VGPU_CONTROL_OFFSET (cached) */
+
+    /* Significant range: desired_state .. full_frame_req (contiguous in the ABI),
+     * i.e. offsetof(desired_state) through the end of full_frame_req. */
+    *out_off = (uint32_t)offsetof(vgpu_control_t, desired_state);
+    *out_len = (uint32_t)(offsetof(vgpu_control_t, full_frame_req) + sizeof(uint32_t)
+                          - offsetof(vgpu_control_t, desired_state));
+    return 0;
+}

src/perception/discover.c

@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+/* discover.c — process discovery + user-AS region scan (NO magic) + handle.
+ *
+ * The region is a RW shared mapping projected into the USER address space of a
+ * producer PROCESS — NOT a kernel VA in the System address space. So discovery
+ * works by PROCESS: enumerate processes (proc_list) over the RO win32 context,
+ * and for each one scan its user-AS under process.cr3 in [USER_MIN, USER_MAX]
+ * for a contiguous RW run >= VGPU_REGION_BYTES, read the producer block at its
+ * base, and accept it iff the whole structural-invariant table holds. The System
+ * kcr3 is needed only to open the context and walk processes (the caller already
+ * baked it into v); the region itself is always read under the producer's cr3.
+ *
+ * There is NO magic field in the ABI and the owner forbids inventing one. The
+ * discriminator is the cheap RW-run filter + the invariant table + two-phase
+ * heartbeat liveness — and the inter-phase WAIT is the caller's (the core never
+ * sleeps). Discovery is STRUCTURAL: never filtered by process.name.
+ *
+ * Layering: the win32 dependency (proc_list, vmie_win32_mem) lives ONLY in this
+ * file, in the per-process loop. The per-cr3 scan (vgpup_scan_user_as_for_region)
+ * is pure gva_* so it stays win32-agnostic and unit-testable under a synthetic
+ * cr3. A <0 read after binding means the producer process may have restarted
+ * (its pages are gone); the core only reports it — re-discovery is the caller's.
+ */
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include "perception-internal.h"
+
+/* How many region runs to ask for per process when probing its user-AS. A user
+ * address space has many runs; this is generous, and the scan early-exits on the
+ * first accepted candidate anyway. */
+#define VGPUP_MAX_REGIONS 256
+
+/* How many processes to enumerate. proc_list stops at this; raising it would see
+ * more, but a producer is an ordinary user process well within this bound. */
+#define VGPUP_MAX_PROCS 512
+
+/* Read the producer block at `region_gva` under `cr3` into *out (one gva_read of
+ * the whole block). 0 on success, <0 on read error. */
+static int read_producer_block(vmie_mem* m, uint64_t cr3, uint64_t region_gva,
+                               vgpu_producer_t* out)
+{
+    return gva_read(m, (uintptr_t)cr3, (uintptr_t)region_gva, out, sizeof *out) < 0 ? -1 : 0;
+}
+
+/* Scan ONE process user-AS (steps 3–5) under `cr3`: walk the RW runs in
+ * [USER_MIN, USER_MAX] and, for each contiguous run >= VGPU_REGION_BYTES, test
+ * the producer block at the run base against the invariant table. On the first
+ * accepted candidate write its base GVA + heartbeat snapshot and return 0;
+ * <0 if none is found / a read fails. Pure gva_* — no proc_list, no win32.
+ *
+ * Adjacent same-protection runs are coalesced: gva_regions reports VA-contiguous
+ * runs, but a region can land as one run or as touching neighbours, so we extend
+ * a running span while the next run starts exactly where the current one ends.
+ * The window [USER_MIN, USER_MAX] lies in one canonical half, as gva_regions
+ * requires. The RW filter (VR_R|VR_W) matches the shared mapping's protection
+ * and is cheap — it reads region metadata, not the 98 MiB of region bytes. */
+int vgpup_scan_user_as_for_region(vmie_mem* m, uint64_t cr3,
+                                  uint64_t* out_region_gva, uint64_t* out_hb0)
+{
+    vregion runs[VGPUP_MAX_REGIONS];
+    int n, i;
+
+    if (!m || !out_region_gva || !out_hb0) { return -1; }
+
+    n = gva_regions(m, (uintptr_t)cr3, USER_MIN, USER_MAX, VR_R | VR_W, runs, VGPUP_MAX_REGIONS);
+    if (n < 0) { return -1; }
+    if (n > VGPUP_MAX_REGIONS) { n = VGPUP_MAX_REGIONS; }  /* truncated; probe what we got */
+
+    for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
+        uint64_t span_base = runs[i].va;
+        uint64_t span_len  = runs[i].len;
+        int j = i;
+
+        /* coalesce adjacent RW runs into one contiguous span */
+        while (j + 1 < n && runs[j + 1].va == runs[j].va + runs[j].len) {
+            span_len += runs[j + 1].len;
+            ++j;
+        }
+
+        if (span_len >= VGPU_REGION_BYTES) {
+            vgpu_producer_t p;
+            if (read_producer_block(m, cr3, span_base, &p) == 0 &&
+                vgpup_invariants_hold(&p)) {
+                *out_region_gva = span_base;
+                *out_hb0        = p.heartbeat;
+                return 0;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return -1;
+}
+
+/* Phase 1: enumerate processes and scan each one's user-AS for the region. The
+ * win32 dependency is confined here: vmie_win32_mem(v) for the generic gva_*,
+ * proc_list(v, skip_system=1, ...) to drop PEB-less System/kernel-only entries
+ * (a producer is never one). On the first process that yields a candidate write
+ * its proc_cr3 + region base GVA + heartbeat snapshot and return 0; <0 if no
+ * process yields one or proc_list / the context is not ready. */
+int vgpup_discover_candidate(vmie_win32* v, uint64_t* out_proc_cr3,
+                             uint64_t* out_region_gva, uint64_t* out_hb0)
+{
+    process  procs[VGPUP_MAX_PROCS];
+    vmie_mem* m;
+    int np, i;
+
+    if (!v || !out_proc_cr3 || !out_region_gva || !out_hb0) { return -1; }
+
+    m = vmie_win32_mem(v);
+    if (!m) { return -1; }
+
+    np = proc_list(v, /*skip_system=*/1, procs, VGPUP_MAX_PROCS);
+    if (np < 0) { return -1; }
+    if (np > VGPUP_MAX_PROCS) { np = VGPUP_MAX_PROCS; }   /* truncated; probe what we got */
+
+    for (i = 0; i < np; ++i) {
+        uint64_t region_gva = 0, hb0 = 0;
+        if (vgpup_scan_user_as_for_region(m, procs[i].cr3, &region_gva, &hb0) == 0) {
+            *out_proc_cr3   = procs[i].cr3;
+            *out_region_gva = region_gva;
+            *out_hb0        = hb0;
+            return 0;
+        }
+    }
+    return -1;
+}
+
+/* Phase 2: re-read heartbeat at region_gva under proc_cr3 and report whether it
+ * advanced. The caller must have waited >= VGPU_HEARTBEAT_PERIOD_MS since phase
+ * 1. <0 here can also mean the producer process restarted (pages gone). */
+int vgpup_confirm_alive(vmie_mem* m, uint64_t proc_cr3,
+                        uint64_t region_gva, uint64_t hb0)
+{
+    uint64_t hb_now;
+    if (!m) { return -1; }
+    if (gva_read(m, (uintptr_t)proc_cr3,
+                 (uintptr_t)region_gva + offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, heartbeat),
+                 &hb_now, sizeof hb_now) < 0) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return (hb_now - hb0) > 0u ? 1 : 0;
+}
+
+vgpup_region* vgpup_open(vmie_win32* v)
+{
+    uint64_t proc_cr3 = 0, region_gva = 0, hb0 = 0;
+    vgpup_region* r;
+
+    if (vgpup_discover_candidate(v, &proc_cr3, &region_gva, &hb0) != 0) { return NULL; }
+
+    r = (vgpup_region*)calloc(1, sizeof *r);
+    if (!r) { return NULL; }
+
+    r->proc_cr3      = proc_cr3;
+    r->region_gva    = region_gva;
+    r->ctrl_gva      = region_gva + VGPU_CONTROL_OFFSET;
+    r->ring_gva      = region_gva + VGPU_RING_OFFSET;
+    r->last_frame_id = 0;
+    r->run_epoch     = 0;
+    return r;
+}
+
+void vgpup_close(vgpup_region* r)
+{
+    free(r);   /* core state only; v / m belong to the caller */
+}
+
+uint32_t vgpup_run_epoch(const vgpup_region* r)
+{
+    return r ? r->run_epoch : 0u;
+}

src/perception/include/perception-internal.h

@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+#ifndef VGPU_PERCEPTION_INTERNAL_H
+#define VGPU_PERCEPTION_INTERNAL_H
+
+/* perception-internal.h — private consumer-side helpers (NOT a public surface).
+ *
+ * Holds the core's private state type, the consumer-side seqlock read discipline
+ * (the mirror of the producer's atomic-shim accessors, but an independent body —
+ * we read into local copies via gva_read, never sharing producer code), the
+ * structural-invariant validator table used by discovery, and the bit unpackers
+ * for the packed cursor fields. Included only by the perception TUs.
+ *
+ * Consumer seqlock discipline: every guest read goes through gva_read into a
+ * local copy, so the compiler cannot reorder a data read across the seq read —
+ * each gva_read is an opaque call. We still bump the seq read into its own
+ * gva_read and treat odd seq / changed seq as "writer in flight → retry".
+ */
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stddef.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "vgpu_stream.h"
+#include "memmodel.h"
+#include "vgpu_perception.h"
+
+/* Bounded seqlock retry. Producer windows are short (a single slot publish), so
+ * a small count suffices; spinning longer would be a behavioural timing choice
+ * (control's job), which does not belong in the sensor. Exhausted → lossy skip. */
+#define VGPUP_SEQLOCK_RETRIES 8u
+
+/* Private core state. Owns nothing of the address space — only where the region
+ * lives (in the producer's user-AS, keyed by proc_cr3) and the last-seen
+ * monotonic markers for dedup / session-break. */
+struct vgpup_region {
+    uint64_t proc_cr3;       /* producer process cr3 — key to its user-AS       */
+    uint64_t region_gva;     /* producer-block GVA == region base               */
+    uint64_t ctrl_gva;       /* region_gva + VGPU_CONTROL_OFFSET (cached)        */
+    uint64_t ring_gva;       /* region_gva + VGPU_RING_OFFSET (cached)           */
+    uint64_t last_frame_id;  /* dedup: only frames with a greater id are "fresh" */
+    uint32_t run_epoch;      /* last run_epoch seen via vgpup_read_status        */
+};
+
+/* Per-cr3 user-AS region scan (discovery steps 3–5 for ONE address space): scan
+ * gva_regions over [USER_MIN, USER_MAX] under `cr3` for a contiguous RW run of
+ * >= VGPU_REGION_BYTES, read the producer block at its base, and accept it iff
+ * the structural-invariant table holds. On the first hit writes the region base
+ * GVA to *out_region_gva and the heartbeat snapshot to *out_hb0 and returns 0;
+ * <0 if none is found / a read fails. Pure gva_* (no proc_list / win32) so it is
+ * testable under a synthetic cr3; vgpup_discover_candidate calls it per process. */
+int vgpup_scan_user_as_for_region(vmie_mem* m, uint64_t cr3,
+                                  uint64_t* out_region_gva, uint64_t* out_hb0);
+
+/* ---- seqlock primitives -------------------------------------------------- */
+
+static inline int vgpup_seq_is_writing(uint32_t seq) { return (seq & 1u) != 0u; }
+
+/* Read one 32-bit seq field at `gva` into *out under `cr3` (the producer's
+ * user-AS cr3). 0 on success, <0 on read error. */
+static inline int vgpup_read_seq(vmie_mem* m, uintptr_t cr3, uint64_t gva,
+                                 uint32_t* out)
+{
+    return gva_read(m, cr3, (uintptr_t)gva, out, sizeof *out) < 0 ? -1 : 0;
+}
+
+/* ---- packed-field unpackers (cursor line) -------------------------------- */
+
+static inline int32_t  vgpup_cursor_x(uint64_t pos) { return (int32_t)(uint32_t)(pos & 0xFFFFFFFFu); }
+static inline int32_t  vgpup_cursor_y(uint64_t pos) { return (int32_t)(uint32_t)(pos >> 32); }
+static inline uint16_t vgpup_lo16(uint32_t v)       { return (uint16_t)(v & 0xFFFFu); }
+static inline uint16_t vgpup_hi16(uint32_t v)       { return (uint16_t)(v >> 16); }
+
+/* ---- structural-invariant validator (discovery, BY TABLE — no magic) ------
+ *
+ * Discovery has no magic field in the ABI (the owner forbids one). The
+ * discriminator is the conjunction of structural invariants derived from the
+ * ABI bounds in vgpu_stream.h, plus the two-phase heartbeat liveness handled by
+ * the caller. The predicates run cheap→costly with early exit; each takes a
+ * decoded producer-block snapshot and returns 1 (holds) / 0 (rejects). */
+
+typedef int (*vgpup_inv_fn)(const vgpu_producer_t* p);
+
+/* Is `latest` a valid slot index, or the legitimate "no frame yet" sentinel?
+ * latest == NONE is NOT a rejection (a freshly-started region has no frame). */
+static inline int vgpup_inv_latest_in_range(const vgpu_producer_t* p)
+{
+    return p->latest == VGPU_LATEST_NONE || p->latest < VGPU_SLOT_COUNT;
+}
+
+/* If a frame is published, its slot seq must be even (stable, not mid-write). */
+static inline int vgpup_inv_latest_seq_stable(const vgpu_producer_t* p)
+{
+    if (p->latest == VGPU_LATEST_NONE) { return 1; }
+    return !vgpup_seq_is_writing(p->seq[p->latest]);
+}
+
+/* If a frame is published, its descriptor must be a tight BGRA frame within the
+ * ABI dimension bounds. */
+static inline int vgpup_inv_latest_desc_valid(const vgpu_producer_t* p)
+{
+    const vgpu_desc_t* d;
+    if (p->latest == VGPU_LATEST_NONE) { return 1; }
+    d = &p->desc[p->latest];
+    if (d->format != VGPU_FMT_BGRA8888)            { return 0; }
+    if (d->width  == 0u || d->width  > VGPU_MAX_WIDTH)  { return 0; }
+    if (d->height == 0u || d->height > VGPU_MAX_HEIGHT) { return 0; }
+    if (d->stride != d->width * 4u)                 { return 0; }
+    return 1;
+}
+
+/* Cold-line status enum must be in the ABI range. */
+static inline int vgpup_inv_status_in_range(const vgpu_producer_t* p)
+{
+    return p->status <= VGPU_ST_ERROR;
+}
+
+/* Cold-line backend enum must be in the ABI range. */
+static inline int vgpup_inv_backend_in_range(const vgpu_producer_t* p)
+{
+    return p->backend <= VGPU_BK_GDI;
+}
+
+/* The producer must advertise the one wire format we consume. */
+static inline int vgpup_inv_supports_bgra(const vgpu_producer_t* p)
+{
+    return (p->supported_formats & (1u << VGPU_FMT_BGRA8888)) != 0u;
+}
+
+/* The invariant table, cheap→costly. A candidate is accepted (phase 1) iff
+ * every predicate holds; the table is the single discriminator, no scattered
+ * ifs and no hardcoded numbers (all bounds come from vgpu_stream.h). */
+static const vgpup_inv_fn VGPUP_INVARIANTS[] = {
+    vgpup_inv_latest_in_range,
+    vgpup_inv_status_in_range,
+    vgpup_inv_backend_in_range,
+    vgpup_inv_supports_bgra,
+    vgpup_inv_latest_seq_stable,
+    vgpup_inv_latest_desc_valid,
+};
+#define VGPUP_INVARIANT_COUNT (sizeof(VGPUP_INVARIANTS) / sizeof(VGPUP_INVARIANTS[0]))
+
+/* Run the whole invariant table over a decoded producer-block snapshot.
+ * Returns 1 if every predicate holds, 0 on the first rejection. */
+static inline int vgpup_invariants_hold(const vgpu_producer_t* p)
+{
+    size_t i;
+    for (i = 0; i < VGPUP_INVARIANT_COUNT; ++i) {
+        if (!VGPUP_INVARIANTS[i](p)) { return 0; }
+    }
+    return 1;
+}
+
+#endif /* VGPU_PERCEPTION_INTERNAL_H */

src/perception/sample.c

@@ -0,0 +1,203 @@
+/* sample.c — consumer seqlock reads: frame sampling, cursor, geometry, status.
+ *
+ * Every guest read goes through gva_read into a local copy; we never hold a
+ * gva_ptr across a seqlock window (it is borrowed and not atomic for re-check).
+ * The discipline is the mirror of the producer's publish order in atomic-shim.h,
+ * but an independent body — this is consumer code, not shared producer code.
+ *
+ * Lossy by contract: when a writer keeps a window busy past VGPUP_SEQLOCK_RETRIES
+ * we return 0 (skip), never block. Blocking longer would be behavioural timing
+ * (control's concern), which has no place in the sensor.
+ *
+ * All reads go under r->proc_cr3 (the producer's user-AS cr3, cached in the
+ * handle at discovery), NOT the System kcr3. A <0 from any gva_read means a page
+ * is gone — the producer process may have restarted; we propagate <0 and the
+ * caller re-discovers (see vgpu_perception.h "Two epochs + producer restart").
+ */
+
+#include "perception-internal.h"
+
+/* Read one cold-line / packed field at producer offset `off` into dst under the
+ * producer's user-AS cr3. */
+static int read_field(vmie_mem* m, uintptr_t cr3, uint64_t region_gva,
+                      size_t off, void* dst, size_t n)
+{
+    return gva_read(m, cr3, (uintptr_t)region_gva + off, dst, n) < 0 ? -1 : 0;
+}
+
+int vgpup_sample_frame(vgpup_region* r, vmie_mem* m,
+                       uint8_t* dst, size_t cap, vgpup_frame_info* info)
+{
+    unsigned attempt;
+
+    if (!r || !m || !dst || !info) { return -1; }
+
+    for (attempt = 0; attempt < VGPUP_SEQLOCK_RETRIES; ++attempt) {
+        uint32_t   latest = 0, seq_before = 0, seq_after = 0;
+        vgpu_desc_t d;
+        uint64_t   slot_gva, seq_gva, desc_gva;
+        size_t     frame_bytes;
+
+        /* latest (acquire-equivalent: its own read) */
+        if (read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva,
+                       offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, latest), &latest, sizeof latest) < 0) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+        if (latest == VGPU_LATEST_NONE || latest >= VGPU_SLOT_COUNT) { return 0; }
+
+        seq_gva  = r->region_gva + offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, seq) + (uint64_t)latest * sizeof(uint32_t);
+        desc_gva = r->region_gva + offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, desc) + (uint64_t)latest * sizeof(vgpu_desc_t);
+
+        if (vgpup_read_seq(m, r->proc_cr3, seq_gva, &seq_before) < 0) { return -1; }
+        if (vgpup_seq_is_writing(seq_before)) { continue; }   /* writer in slot */
+
+        if (gva_read(m, (uintptr_t)r->proc_cr3, (uintptr_t)desc_gva, &d, sizeof d) < 0) { return -1; }
+
+        /* dedup by frame_id: nothing newer than what we already sampled */
+        if (d.frame_id <= r->last_frame_id) { return 0; }
+
+        /* descriptor sanity within the read window (tight BGRA, bounded dims) */
+        if (d.format != VGPU_FMT_BGRA8888 || d.stride != d.width * 4u ||
+            d.width == 0u || d.width > VGPU_MAX_WIDTH ||
+            d.height == 0u || d.height > VGPU_MAX_HEIGHT) {
+            continue;   /* likely a torn read; retry */
+        }
+
+        frame_bytes = (size_t)d.height * d.stride;
+        if (frame_bytes > VGPU_SLOT_STRIDE) { return 0; }   /* impossible-large → skip */
+        if (frame_bytes > cap)              { return 0; }   /* would not fit → lossy drop */
+
+        slot_gva = r->ring_gva + (uint64_t)latest * VGPU_SLOT_STRIDE;
+        if (gva_read(m, (uintptr_t)r->proc_cr3, (uintptr_t)slot_gva, dst, frame_bytes) < 0) { return -1; }
+
+        /* re-check the slot seq: unchanged and still even → snapshot consistent */
+        if (vgpup_read_seq(m, r->proc_cr3, seq_gva, &seq_after) < 0) { return -1; }
+        if (seq_after != seq_before || vgpup_seq_is_writing(seq_after)) {
+            continue;   /* the slot was rewritten under us — retry */
+        }
+
+        info->desc.width        = d.width;
+        info->desc.height       = d.height;
+        info->desc.stride       = d.stride;
+        info->desc.format       = d.format;
+        info->desc.frame_id     = d.frame_id;
+        info->desc.timestamp_ns = d.timestamp_ns;
+        info->bytes             = frame_bytes;
+
+        r->last_frame_id = d.frame_id;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    return 0;   /* writer kept the slot busy past the retry limit — skip */
+}
+
+int vgpup_read_cursor(vgpup_region* r, vmie_mem* m, vgpup_cursor* out)
+{
+    unsigned attempt;
+
+    if (!r || !m || !out) { return -1; }
+
+    /* The producer bumps cursor_seq LAST (acquire), so we read the cursor line
+     * first and gate on cursor_seq being even and unchanged across the window. */
+    for (attempt = 0; attempt < VGPUP_SEQLOCK_RETRIES; ++attempt) {
+        uint32_t seq_before = 0, seq_after = 0;
+        uint32_t visible = 0, hotspot = 0, glyph = 0, id = 0;
+        uint64_t pos = 0;
+
+        if (vgpup_read_seq(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva + offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_seq),
+                           &seq_before) < 0) { return -1; }
+        if (vgpup_seq_is_writing(seq_before)) { continue; }
+
+        if (read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_visible), &visible, sizeof visible) < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_pos),     &pos,     sizeof pos)     < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_hotspot), &hotspot, sizeof hotspot) < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_glyph),   &glyph,   sizeof glyph)   < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_id),      &id,      sizeof id)      < 0) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        if (vgpup_read_seq(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva + offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cursor_seq),
+                           &seq_after) < 0) { return -1; }
+        if (seq_after != seq_before || vgpup_seq_is_writing(seq_after)) { continue; }
+
+        out->seq     = seq_after;
+        out->visible = visible;
+        out->x       = vgpup_cursor_x(pos);
+        out->y       = vgpup_cursor_y(pos);
+        out->hot_x   = vgpup_lo16(hotspot);
+        out->hot_y   = vgpup_hi16(hotspot);
+        out->glyph_w = vgpup_lo16(glyph);
+        out->glyph_h = vgpup_hi16(glyph);
+        out->id      = id;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int vgpup_read_geometry(vgpup_region* r, vmie_mem* m, vgpup_geometry* out)
+{
+    unsigned attempt;
+
+    if (!r || !m || !out) { return -1; }
+
+    for (attempt = 0; attempt < VGPUP_SEQLOCK_RETRIES; ++attempt) {
+        uint32_t seq_before = 0, seq_after = 0;
+        int32_t  virt_x = 0, virt_y = 0, cap_x = 0, cap_y = 0;
+        uint32_t virt_w = 0, virt_h = 0, dpi = 0, refresh_mhz = 0;
+
+        if (vgpup_read_seq(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva + offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, geom_seq),
+                           &seq_before) < 0) { return -1; }
+        if (vgpup_seq_is_writing(seq_before)) { continue; }
+
+        if (read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, virt_x),      &virt_x,      sizeof virt_x)      < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, virt_y),      &virt_y,      sizeof virt_y)      < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, virt_w),      &virt_w,      sizeof virt_w)      < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, virt_h),      &virt_h,      sizeof virt_h)      < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cap_x),       &cap_x,       sizeof cap_x)       < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, cap_y),       &cap_y,       sizeof cap_y)       < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, dpi),         &dpi,         sizeof dpi)         < 0 ||
+            read_field(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva, offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, refresh_mhz), &refresh_mhz, sizeof refresh_mhz) < 0) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+
+        if (vgpup_read_seq(m, r->proc_cr3, r->region_gva + offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, geom_seq),
+                           &seq_after) < 0) { return -1; }
+        if (seq_after != seq_before || vgpup_seq_is_writing(seq_after)) { continue; }
+
+        out->virt_x      = virt_x;
+        out->virt_y      = virt_y;
+        out->virt_w      = virt_w;
+        out->virt_h      = virt_h;
+        out->cap_x       = cap_x;
+        out->cap_y       = cap_y;
+        out->dpi         = dpi;
+        out->refresh_mhz = refresh_mhz;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int vgpup_read_status(vgpup_region* r, vmie_mem* m, vgpup_status* out)
+{
+    vgpu_producer_t p;
+
+    if (!r || !m || !out) { return -1; }
+
+    /* Cold line: single naturally-aligned atomic fields with no seqlock. Read
+     * the whole producer block once and pick the cold fields — "fresh enough"
+     * by the lossy contract. */
+    if (gva_read(m, (uintptr_t)r->proc_cr3, (uintptr_t)r->region_gva, &p, sizeof p) < 0) { return -1; }
+
+    out->heartbeat         = p.heartbeat;
+    out->run_epoch         = p.run_epoch;
+    out->status            = p.status;
+    out->backend           = p.backend;
+    out->error_code        = p.error_code;
+    out->applied_fps       = p.applied_fps;
+    out->supported_formats = p.supported_formats;
+    out->ctrl_ack          = p.ctrl_ack;
+    out->full_frame_ack    = p.full_frame_ack;
+    out->content_change_ns = p.content_change_ns;
+
+    r->run_epoch = p.run_epoch;   /* feed the session-break detector */
+    return 0;
+}

src/perception/test/test_perception.c

@@ -0,0 +1,279 @@
+/* test_perception.c — table-driven invariant predicates + per-cr3 user-AS scan.
+ *
+ * Two layers (no proc_list / win32 — that path needs a real Windows kernel
+ * bring-up and is covered by an out-of-tree integration run, not this unit):
+ *   1) Invariant predicates as a TABLE of cases over a synthesized producer
+ *      block (pure, no vmie): valid / latest==NONE / torn odd seq / non-BGRA /
+ *      stride!=width*4 / dims out of range — each asserts accept-vs-reject.
+ *   2) Per-cr3 user-AS scan + sampling under a SYNTHETIC cr3: lay out a real
+ *      region per vgpu_stream.h in a memfd, build a minimal x86-64 identity page
+ *      table (2 MiB large pages) that maps the region at a USER VA (the region
+ *      really lives in a producer's user-AS), open it RO via vmie_mem_from_ro_fd,
+ *      and run vgpup_scan_user_as_for_region + a two-phase heartbeat liveness
+ *      check, then construct a handle (proc_cr3 = synth cr3) and run the real
+ *      frame/cursor/geometry/status reads and the control-write seam under it.
+ *      (cr3 0 over a flat image cannot translate — gva_* needs real page tables —
+ *      so we synthesize them; this exercises the actual translation path the
+ *      caller will use.) The win32 proc_list wrapper is deliberately NOT exercised
+ *      here: vgpup_scan_user_as_for_region is the pure per-cr3 core it calls.
+ *
+ * Exit 0 on all-pass; nonzero on the first failure.
+ */
+
+#define _GNU_SOURCE
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/mman.h>
+
+#include "perception-internal.h"
+
+static int g_fail;
+
+#define CHECK(cond, msg) do { \
+    if (!(cond)) { fprintf(stderr, "FAIL: %s (%s:%d)\n", (msg), __FILE__, __LINE__); ++g_fail; } \
+} while (0)
+
+/* ---- layer 1: invariant predicate table ---------------------------------- */
+
+/* Build a baseline VALID producer block (one published BGRA frame in slot 0). */
+static void make_valid_producer(vgpu_producer_t* p)
+{
+    memset(p, 0, sizeof *p);
+    p->latest            = 0;
+    p->frame_id          = 1;
+    p->seq[0]            = 2;          /* even = stable */
+    p->desc[0].width     = 1920;
+    p->desc[0].height    = 1080;
+    p->desc[0].stride    = 1920 * 4;
+    p->desc[0].format    = VGPU_FMT_BGRA8888;
+    p->desc[0].frame_id  = 1;
+    p->status            = VGPU_ST_CAPTURING;
+    p->backend           = VGPU_BK_DDA;
+    p->supported_formats = (1u << VGPU_FMT_BGRA8888);
+    p->heartbeat         = 42;
+}
+
+typedef struct {
+    const char* name;
+    void       (*mutate)(vgpu_producer_t*);
+    int         expect;   /* expected vgpup_invariants_hold result */
+} inv_case;
+
+static void mut_none(vgpu_producer_t* p)            { (void)p; }
+static void mut_latest_none(vgpu_producer_t* p)     { p->latest = VGPU_LATEST_NONE; }
+static void mut_latest_oob(vgpu_producer_t* p)      { p->latest = VGPU_SLOT_COUNT; }
+static void mut_seq_odd(vgpu_producer_t* p)         { p->seq[0] = 3; }
+static void mut_not_bgra(vgpu_producer_t* p)        { p->desc[0].format = 7; }
+static void mut_bad_stride(vgpu_producer_t* p)      { p->desc[0].stride = 1920 * 4 + 1; }
+static void mut_width_zero(vgpu_producer_t* p)      { p->desc[0].width = 0; }
+static void mut_width_huge(vgpu_producer_t* p)      { p->desc[0].width = VGPU_MAX_WIDTH + 1; }
+static void mut_height_huge(vgpu_producer_t* p)     { p->desc[0].height = VGPU_MAX_HEIGHT + 1; }
+static void mut_status_oob(vgpu_producer_t* p)      { p->status = VGPU_ST_ERROR + 1; }
+static void mut_backend_oob(vgpu_producer_t* p)     { p->backend = VGPU_BK_GDI + 1; }
+static void mut_no_bgra_support(vgpu_producer_t* p) { p->supported_formats = 0; }
+
+static const inv_case INV_CASES[] = {
+    { "valid",                 mut_none,            1 },
+    { "latest==NONE",          mut_latest_none,     1 }, /* no frame yet, still valid */
+    { "latest out of range",   mut_latest_oob,      0 },
+    { "torn odd seq",          mut_seq_odd,         0 },
+    { "non-BGRA format",       mut_not_bgra,        0 },
+    { "stride != width*4",     mut_bad_stride,      0 },
+    { "width == 0",            mut_width_zero,      0 },
+    { "width too large",       mut_width_huge,      0 },
+    { "height too large",      mut_height_huge,     0 },
+    { "status out of range",   mut_status_oob,      0 },
+    { "backend out of range",  mut_backend_oob,     0 },
+    { "BGRA not supported",    mut_no_bgra_support, 0 },
+};
+
+static void run_invariant_table(void)
+{
+    size_t i;
+    for (i = 0; i < sizeof(INV_CASES) / sizeof(INV_CASES[0]); ++i) {
+        vgpu_producer_t p;
+        int got;
+        make_valid_producer(&p);
+        INV_CASES[i].mutate(&p);
+        got = vgpup_invariants_hold(&p);
+        CHECK(got == INV_CASES[i].expect, INV_CASES[i].name);
+    }
+}
+
+/* ---- layer 2: per-cr3 user-AS scan + sampling over a real RO vmie_mem ------ */
+
+/* x86-64 paging entry flags for the synthetic identity table. */
+#define PTE_P  0x1u    /* present  */
+#define PTE_RW 0x2u    /* writable */
+#define PTE_US 0x4u    /* user-accessible (the region is in a user-AS) */
+#define PTE_PS 0x80u   /* page size (2 MiB leaf at PD level) */
+#define LARGE_PAGE (2ull * 1024 * 1024)
+
+/* Build a minimal identity page table mapping [0, span) of the image at user VA
+ * `base` using 2 MiB large pages, with the PML4/PDPT/PD pages laid out right
+ * after the region in the same image. Every level carries US so the run reports
+ * VR_W|VR_U (a real user-AS mapping). Returns the cr3 (PML4 GPA). The mapped VA
+ * range fits one PD (covers up to 1 GiB), which is plenty for the region. */
+static uint64_t build_identity_table(uint8_t* img, uint64_t region_bytes,
+                                     uint64_t base, uint64_t span)
+{
+    const uint64_t pml4_gpa = region_bytes;            /* one page each, after region */
+    const uint64_t pdpt_gpa = region_bytes + 0x1000;
+    const uint64_t pd_gpa   = region_bytes + 0x2000;
+    uint64_t* pml4 = (uint64_t*)(img + pml4_gpa);
+    uint64_t* pdpt = (uint64_t*)(img + pdpt_gpa);
+    uint64_t* pd   = (uint64_t*)(img + pd_gpa);
+    const unsigned pml4i = (unsigned)((base >> 39) & 0x1ffu);
+    const unsigned pdpti = (unsigned)((base >> 30) & 0x1ffu);
+    const unsigned pdi0  = (unsigned)((base >> 21) & 0x1ffu);
+    uint64_t mapped = 0;
+    unsigned k = 0;
+
+    pml4[pml4i] = pdpt_gpa | PTE_P | PTE_RW | PTE_US;
+    pdpt[pdpti] = pd_gpa   | PTE_P | PTE_RW | PTE_US;
+    while (mapped < span) {
+        pd[pdi0 + k] = mapped | PTE_P | PTE_RW | PTE_US | PTE_PS;  /* VA base+k*2M → GPA mapped */
+        mapped += LARGE_PAGE;
+        ++k;
+    }
+    return pml4_gpa;
+}
+
+static void run_flat_smoke(void)
+{
+    const uint64_t region_bytes = VGPU_REGION_BYTES;
+    /* region rounded up to a 2 MiB boundary for the large-page identity map */
+    const uint64_t mapped_span  = (region_bytes + LARGE_PAGE - 1) & ~(LARGE_PAGE - 1);
+    const size_t   total_bytes  = (size_t)region_bytes + 0x3000;   /* + PML4/PDPT/PD */
+    /* a USER VA, 2 MiB-aligned, within [USER_MIN, USER_MAX] — the region lives in
+     * a producer's user address space, so we map it there (not at a kernel VA). */
+    const uint64_t base_va      = 0x0000000010000000ull;
+    const uint32_t w = 64, h = 32;
+    const size_t   frame_bytes = (size_t)w * h * 4u;
+    int            fd;
+    uint8_t*       img;
+    uint64_t       cr3;
+    vmie_mem*      m;
+    vgpu_producer_t p;
+    uint8_t        marker;
+
+    fd = memfd_create("vgpu-region", 0);
+    CHECK(fd >= 0, "memfd_create");
+    if (fd < 0) { return; }
+    if (ftruncate(fd, (off_t)total_bytes) != 0) { CHECK(0, "ftruncate"); close(fd); return; }
+
+    img = mmap(NULL, total_bytes, PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE, MAP_SHARED, fd, 0);
+    CHECK(img != MAP_FAILED, "mmap");
+    if (img == MAP_FAILED) { close(fd); return; }
+
+    /* lay out a valid producer block with one BGRA frame in slot 0 (at GPA 0) */
+    make_valid_producer(&p);
+    p.desc[0].width  = w;
+    p.desc[0].height = h;
+    p.desc[0].stride = w * 4u;
+    memcpy(img + VGPU_PRODUCER_OFFSET, &p, sizeof p);
+
+    /* fill the slot-0 frame bytes in the RING with a recognizable marker */
+    marker = 0xA5;
+    memset(img + VGPU_RING_OFFSET + 0 * VGPU_SLOT_STRIDE, marker, frame_bytes);
+
+    /* synthesize an identity table mapping the region at base_va, then open RO */
+    cr3 = build_identity_table(img, region_bytes, base_va, mapped_span);
+    m = vmie_mem_from_ro_fd(fd, total_bytes);
+    CHECK(m != NULL, "vmie_mem_from_ro_fd");
+    if (!m) { munmap(img, total_bytes); close(fd); return; }
+
+    /* per-cr3 user-AS scan: candidate found at the user VA with hb0 == 42 */
+    {
+        uint64_t rgva = 0xdead, hb0 = 0;
+        int rc = vgpup_scan_user_as_for_region(m, cr3, &rgva, &hb0);
+        CHECK(rc == 0, "scan_user_as rc");
+        CHECK(rgva == base_va, "scan_user_as region gva");
+        CHECK(hb0 == 42, "scan_user_as hb0");
+
+        /* two-phase liveness: not alive until heartbeat advances */
+        CHECK(vgpup_confirm_alive(m, cr3, rgva, hb0) == 0, "confirm not-yet-alive");
+        { uint64_t hb = 43; memcpy(img + offsetof(vgpu_producer_t, heartbeat), &hb, sizeof hb); }
+        CHECK(vgpup_confirm_alive(m, cr3, rgva, hb0) == 1, "confirm alive after tick");
+    }
+
+    /* construct a handle directly (the proc_list/win32 path is not unit-testable;
+     * proc_cr3 is the synthetic cr3 here) and exercise the read API + control seam */
+    {
+        vgpup_region rr;
+        vgpup_region* r = &rr;
+        uint8_t* dst = malloc(frame_bytes);
+        vgpup_frame_info fi;
+        vgpup_cursor cur;
+        vgpup_geometry geo;
+        vgpup_status st;
+        int rc;
+
+        memset(&rr, 0, sizeof rr);
+        rr.proc_cr3   = cr3;
+        rr.region_gva = base_va;
+        rr.ctrl_gva   = base_va + VGPU_CONTROL_OFFSET;
+        rr.ring_gva   = base_va + VGPU_RING_OFFSET;
+
+        CHECK(dst != NULL, "malloc dst");
+
+        rc = vgpup_sample_frame(r, m, dst, frame_bytes, &fi);
+        CHECK(rc == 1, "sample_frame fresh");
+        if (rc == 1) {
+            CHECK(fi.desc.width == w && fi.desc.height == h, "sample dims");
+            CHECK(fi.bytes == frame_bytes, "sample bytes");
+            CHECK(dst[0] == marker && dst[frame_bytes - 1] == marker, "sample content");
+        }
+
+        /* same frame_id → no fresh frame (dedup) */
+        CHECK(vgpup_sample_frame(r, m, dst, frame_bytes, &fi) == 0, "sample dedup");
+
+        /* too-small buffer → lossy drop (0), not error */
+        CHECK(vgpup_sample_frame(r, m, dst, 1, &fi) == 0, "sample tiny-cap");
+
+        CHECK(vgpup_read_cursor(r, m, &cur) == 1, "read_cursor");
+        CHECK(vgpup_read_geometry(r, m, &geo) == 1, "read_geometry");
+        CHECK(vgpup_read_status(r, m, &st) == 0, "read_status");
+        CHECK(st.status == VGPU_ST_CAPTURING, "status value");
+        CHECK(st.heartbeat == 43, "status heartbeat");
+        CHECK(vgpup_run_epoch(r) == st.run_epoch, "run_epoch accessor");
+
+        /* control-write seam: builds frame + offsets, writes nothing */
+        {
+            vgpup_control_intent in = { VGPU_CMD_RUN, 60, 1, 7 };
+            vgpu_control_t frame;
+            uint64_t ctrl_gva = 0;
+            uint32_t off = 0, len = 0;
+            int crc = vgpup_build_control_write(r, &in, &frame, &ctrl_gva, &off, &len);
+            CHECK(crc == 0, "build_control_write rc");
+            CHECK(frame.desired_state == VGPU_CMD_RUN, "control desired_state");
+            CHECK(frame.target_fps == 60, "control target_fps");
+            CHECK(frame.full_frame_req == 7, "control full_frame_req");
+            CHECK(frame.ctrl_gen == 0, "control ctrl_gen untouched");
+            CHECK(ctrl_gva == base_va + VGPU_CONTROL_OFFSET, "control gva");
+            CHECK(off == offsetof(vgpu_control_t, desired_state), "control off");
+            CHECK(len == offsetof(vgpu_control_t, full_frame_req) + sizeof(uint32_t)
+                         - offsetof(vgpu_control_t, desired_state), "control len");
+        }
+
+        free(dst);
+    }
+
+    vmie_mem_close(m);   /* the TEST owns vmie_mem here (it is the caller) */
+    munmap(img, total_bytes);
+    close(fd);
+}
+
+int main(void)
+{
+    run_invariant_table();
+    run_flat_smoke();
+    if (g_fail) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "%d check(s) failed\n", g_fail);
+        return 1;
+    }
+    printf("all checks passed\n");
+    return 0;
+}

src/stream/include/stream.h

@@ -53,4 +53,36 @@ void vgpu_bump_run_epoch(const vgpu_region_view* rv);
 void vgpu_tick_heartbeat(const vgpu_region_view* rv);
 void vgpu_publish_full_frame_ack(const vgpu_region_view* rv, uint32_t req);
 
+/* Publish the on-screen cursor position (host-RO). Position is sensor data and is
+ * reported independent of control.draw_cursor (host may draw its own overlay even when the
+ * producer does not composite the cursor). x,y are screen coords (signed; multi-monitor may
+ * be negative); visible!=0 when the cursor is shown. Packs x|y into one 8-aligned 64-bit
+ * field (single atomic store) and bumps cursor_seq last. */
+void vgpu_publish_cursor(const vgpu_region_view* rv, int32_t x, int32_t y, uint32_t visible);
+
+/* Publish Tier-1 cursor shape data (host-RO), written under the same cursor_seq gate as
+ * vgpu_publish_cursor: call this BEFORE vgpu_publish_cursor so the position publish bumps
+ * cursor_seq last and gates the whole cursor line consistently. hot_x/hot_y are the glyph
+ * hotspot; gw/gh are glyph dims; cursor_id is a VGPU_CURSOR_ID_* shape identity. */
+void vgpu_publish_cursor_shape(const vgpu_region_view* rv,
+                               uint32_t hot_x, uint32_t hot_y,
+                               uint32_t gw, uint32_t gh, uint32_t cursor_id);
+
+/* Publish the monotonic timestamp (ns) of the last scene-content change. Single 8-aligned
+ * atomic store (heartbeat pattern). The producer reports the raw stamp only; the host derives
+ * "ms idle" by subtracting from its own clock — no behavioural distillation in the producer. */
+void vgpu_publish_content_change(const vgpu_region_view* rv, uint64_t change_ns);
+
+/* Publish display geometry under the geom_seq seqlock (odd/even, like the frame seqlock).
+ * Sampled rarely (session start + reactive resample on desc-size delta / backend recreate),
+ * read by the host with bounded retry. virt_* is the virtual-desktop bbox (interprets negative
+ * cursor_pos); cap_x/cap_y is the captured output's origin in virtual-desktop coords (the
+ * captured surface SIZE comes from desc.width/height, not from here). dpi/refresh_mhz describe
+ * the captured output (96=100% / milli-Hz; 0=unknown). */
+void vgpu_publish_geometry(const vgpu_region_view* rv,
+                           int32_t virt_x, int32_t virt_y,
+                           uint32_t virt_w, uint32_t virt_h,
+                           int32_t cap_x, int32_t cap_y,
+                           uint32_t dpi, uint32_t refresh_mhz);
+
 #endif /* VGPU_STREAM_ENGINE_H */

src/stream/publish.c

@@ -116,3 +116,48 @@ void vgpu_tick_heartbeat(const vgpu_region_view* rv) {
 void vgpu_publish_full_frame_ack(const vgpu_region_view* rv, uint32_t req) {
     vgpu_store_release32(&rv->producer->full_frame_ack, req);
 }
+
+void vgpu_publish_cursor(const vgpu_region_view* rv, int32_t x, int32_t y, uint32_t visible) {
+    vgpu_producer_t* p = rv->producer;
+    /* pack: low 32 = x, high 32 = y (signed → two's-complement bits) */
+    uint64_t packed = ((uint64_t)(uint32_t)y << 32) | (uint64_t)(uint32_t)x;
+    /* 64-bit aligned single MOV is atomic on x86_64; barrier orders it (heartbeat pattern) */
+    p->cursor_pos = packed;
+    vgpu_store_release32(&p->cursor_visible, visible);
+    /* publish seq last: its release-store gates the pos/visible writes above for the host */
+    vgpu_store_release32(&p->cursor_seq, p->cursor_seq + 1u);
+}
+
+void vgpu_publish_cursor_shape(const vgpu_region_view* rv, uint32_t hot_x, uint32_t hot_y,
+                               uint32_t gw, uint32_t gh, uint32_t cursor_id) {
+    vgpu_producer_t* p = rv->producer;
+    /* pack 16|16 strictly unsigned (mask low half so no sign bits bleed into the high half).
+     * No own seq: the following vgpu_publish_cursor bumps cursor_seq last and gates this line. */
+    vgpu_store_release32(&p->cursor_hotspot, (hot_y << 16) | (hot_x & 0xFFFFu));
+    vgpu_store_release32(&p->cursor_glyph,   (gh    << 16) | (gw    & 0xFFFFu));
+    vgpu_store_release32(&p->cursor_id,      cursor_id);
+}
+
+void vgpu_publish_content_change(const vgpu_region_view* rv, uint64_t change_ns) {
+    /* 64-bit aligned single MOV is atomic on x86_64; barrier orders it (heartbeat pattern) */
+    rv->producer->content_change_ns = change_ns;
+    vgpu_compiler_barrier();
+}
+
+void vgpu_publish_geometry(const vgpu_region_view* rv, int32_t virt_x, int32_t virt_y,
+                           uint32_t virt_w, uint32_t virt_h,
+                           int32_t cap_x, int32_t cap_y,
+                           uint32_t dpi, uint32_t refresh_mhz) {
+    vgpu_producer_t* p = rv->producer;
+    /* seqlock: even -> odd (writing) */
+    vgpu_store_release32(&p->geom_seq, p->geom_seq + 1u);
+    vgpu_compiler_barrier();
+    p->virt_x = virt_x; p->virt_y = virt_y;
+    p->virt_w = virt_w; p->virt_h = virt_h;
+    p->cap_x  = cap_x;  p->cap_y  = cap_y;
+    p->dpi    = dpi;    p->refresh_mhz = refresh_mhz;
+    vgpu_sfence();
+    /* seqlock: odd -> even (stable) */
+    vgpu_store_release32(&p->geom_seq, p->geom_seq + 1u);
+    vgpu_sfence();
+}

src/stream/win32/capture_dda.c

@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 #include "capture_dda.h"
 #include "capture-win32.h"   /* capture_thread_arg (win32-private) */
 #include "present.h"
+#include "cursor.h"          /* cursor_resolve_id + ctx->cursor compose state */
+#include "geometry.h"        /* reactive geometry resample on recreate */
+#include "stream.h"          /* vgpu_publish_cursor / vgpu_publish_cursor_shape */
 
 typedef struct {
     ID3D11Device*           dev;
@@ -17,8 +20,61 @@ typedef struct {
     IDXGIOutputDuplication* dup;
     ID3D11Texture2D*        staging;
     UINT                    W, H;
+    int32_t                 cap_x, cap_y;       /* captured output origin (virt coords) */
+    UINT64                  last_mouse_update;  /* shape-gate by fi.LastMouseUpdateTime */
+    int                     seeded;             /* cold-start position seed done */
 } dda_state;
 
+/* Source the cursor from the already-fetched frame info (0 syscalls for position) and publish
+ * it under the cursor_seq gate. Position/visibility come from fi.PointerPosition; the shape is
+ * re-extracted only when fi.LastMouseUpdateTime changed (shape-gate). Cold start: fi is invalid
+ * until the mouse first moves (LastMouseUpdateTime==0) — seed the position once via one
+ * GetCursorInfo, then rely on fi. ctx->cursor compose fields are written under ctx->lock; the
+ * producer-block publish uses release/seq, no lock. */
+static void dda_source_cursor(vgpu_ctx* ctx, dda_state* st,
+                              const DXGI_OUTDUPL_FRAME_INFO* fi) {
+    int vis = fi->PointerPosition.Visible ? 1 : 0;
+    int x, y;
+    UINT64 upd = (UINT64)fi->LastMouseUpdateTime.QuadPart;
+
+    if (!st->seeded && upd == 0) {
+        CURSORINFO ci; ci.cbSize = sizeof ci;
+        if (GetCursorInfo(&ci)) {
+            vis = (ci.flags & CURSOR_SHOWING) != 0;
+            x = ci.ptScreenPos.x; y = ci.ptScreenPos.y;
+        } else {
+            x = ctx->cursor.x; y = ctx->cursor.y;
+        }
+        st->seeded = 1;
+    } else {
+        x = fi->PointerPosition.Position.x;
+        y = fi->PointerPosition.Position.y;
+        if (upd != 0) st->seeded = 1;
+    }
+
+    /* shape-gate: re-extract only when the mouse-update stamp advanced */
+    if (upd != 0 && upd != st->last_mouse_update) {
+        CURSORINFO ci; ci.cbSize = sizeof ci;
+        if (GetCursorInfo(&ci) && ci.hCursor && ci.hCursor != ctx->cursor.handle) {
+            EnterCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
+            cursor_apply_shape(ctx, ci.hCursor);
+            LeaveCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
+        }
+        st->last_mouse_update = upd;
+    }
+
+    EnterCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
+    ctx->cursor.visible = vis;
+    ctx->cursor.x = x; ctx->cursor.y = y;
+    uint32_t hx = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.hot_x, hy = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.hot_y;
+    uint32_t gw = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.gw,    gh = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.gh;
+    uint32_t cid = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.cursor_id;
+    LeaveCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
+
+    vgpu_publish_cursor_shape(&ctx->view, hx, hy, gw, gh, cid);
+    vgpu_publish_cursor(&ctx->view, (int32_t)x, (int32_t)y, (uint32_t)vis);
+}
+
 static DWORD WINAPI dda_thread(LPVOID param) {
     capture_thread_arg* arg = (capture_thread_arg*)param;
     vgpu_ctx*  ctx = arg->ctx;
@@ -33,12 +89,18 @@ static DWORD WINAPI dda_thread(LPVOID param) {
         if (hr == DXGI_ERROR_ACCESS_LOST) {
             if (st->dup) { st->dup->lpVtbl->Release(st->dup); st->dup = NULL; }
             if (FAILED(st->out1->lpVtbl->DuplicateOutput(st->out1,
-                       (IUnknown*)st->dev, &st->dup)))
+                       (IUnknown*)st->dev, &st->dup))) {
                 Sleep(200);
+            } else {
+                /* display config may have changed across the access loss → resample geometry */
+                geometry_sample_and_publish(ctx, st->cap_x, st->cap_y);
+            }
             continue;
         }
         if (FAILED(hr)) { Sleep(50); continue; }
 
+        dda_source_cursor(ctx, st, &fi);
+
         ID3D11Texture2D* tex = NULL;
         res->lpVtbl->QueryInterface(res, &IID_ID3D11Texture2D, (void**)&tex);
         if (tex) {
@@ -76,7 +138,14 @@ int dda_start(vgpu_ctx* ctx, int fps) {
     st->dev->lpVtbl->QueryInterface(st->dev, &IID_IDXGIDevice, (void**)&dxgiDev);
     if (dxgiDev) dxgiDev->lpVtbl->GetAdapter(dxgiDev, &adapter);
     if (adapter) adapter->lpVtbl->EnumOutputs(adapter, 0, &output);
-    if (output) output->lpVtbl->QueryInterface(output, &IID_IDXGIOutput1, (void**)&st->out1);
+    if (output) {
+        DXGI_OUTPUT_DESC od;
+        if (SUCCEEDED(output->lpVtbl->GetDesc(output, &od))) {
+            st->cap_x = (int32_t)od.DesktopCoordinates.left;
+            st->cap_y = (int32_t)od.DesktopCoordinates.top;
+        }
+        output->lpVtbl->QueryInterface(output, &IID_IDXGIOutput1, (void**)&st->out1);
+    }
 
     if (output)  output->lpVtbl->Release(output);
     if (adapter) adapter->lpVtbl->Release(adapter);

src/stream/win32/capture_gdi.c

@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 #include "capture_gdi.h"
 #include "capture-win32.h"   /* capture_thread_arg (win32-private) */
 #include "present.h"
+#include "cursor.h"          /* cursor_sample (position+shape+id) for compose+publish */
+#include "geometry.h"        /* reactive geometry resample on capture-size change */
+#include "stream.h"          /* vgpu_publish_cursor / vgpu_publish_cursor_shape */
 
 static DWORD WINAPI gdi_thread(LPVOID param) {
     capture_thread_arg* arg = (capture_thread_arg*)param;
@@ -38,10 +41,25 @@ static DWORD WINAPI gdi_thread(LPVOID param) {
             SelectObject(mem, dib);
             W = w; H = h;
             fprintf(stderr, "eyes(gdi): desktop %dx%d (BitBlt; cursor by presenter)\n", W, H);
+            /* capture size changed (primary at origin (0,0)) → resample geometry */
+            geometry_sample_and_publish(ctx, 0, 0);
         }
         if (BitBlt(mem, 0, 0, W, H, screen, 0, 0, SRCCOPY))
             vgpu_present_submit(ctx, (const uint8_t*)bits,
                                 (uint32_t)W, (uint32_t)H, (uint32_t)W * 4u);
+
+        /* source the cursor for present's compositing (under ctx->lock) and publish it */
+        EnterCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
+        cursor_sample(ctx);
+        uint32_t hx = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.hot_x, hy = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.hot_y;
+        uint32_t gw = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.gw,    gh = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.gh;
+        uint32_t cid = (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.cursor_id;
+        int32_t  cx = (int32_t)ctx->cursor.x, cy = (int32_t)ctx->cursor.y;
+        uint32_t cvis = (uint32_t)(ctx->cursor.visible != 0);
+        LeaveCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
+        vgpu_publish_cursor_shape(&ctx->view, hx, hy, gw, gh, cid);
+        vgpu_publish_cursor(&ctx->view, cx, cy, cvis);
+
         Sleep(interval);
     }
     return 0;  /* unreachable; satisfies -Wreturn-type */

src/stream/win32/capture_nvfbc.c

@@ -6,14 +6,45 @@
 #include "capture_nvfbc.h"
 #include "capture-win32.h"   /* capture_thread_arg (win32-private) */
 #include "present.h"
+#include "cursor.h"          /* cursor_apply_shape / ctx->cursor */
+#include "geometry.h"        /* reactive geometry resample on recreate */
+#include "stream.h"          /* vgpu_publish_cursor / vgpu_publish_cursor_shape */
 #include "nvfbc_tosys_c.h"
 
 typedef struct {
     NvFBCToSys_c*              fbc;
     void*                      buf;
     NvFBC_CreateFunctionExType create;
+    HCURSOR                    last_handle;   /* shape-gate by HCURSOR change */
 } nvfbc_state;
 
+/* Source the cursor for an NvFBC grab and publish it under the cursor_seq gate. NvFBC reports
+ * only HW-cursor visibility (gi.bHWMouseVisible); position is not exposed, so one GetCursorInfo
+ * per frame supplies x/y (the minimum possible). Shape is re-extracted only on HCURSOR change.
+ * NvFBC composites the cursor itself (draw_cursor_cap==0) → present never reads ctx->cursor for
+ * drawing, so no ctx->lock is required around the compose fields here.
+ * gi.bProtectedContent / gi.dwSourcePID are available but out of scope (not in the contract). */
+static void nvfbc_source_cursor(vgpu_ctx* ctx, nvfbc_state* st,
+                                const NvFBCFrameGrabInfo* gi) {
+    CURSORINFO ci; ci.cbSize = sizeof ci;
+    int vis = gi->bHWMouseVisible ? 1 : 0;
+    int x = ctx->cursor.x, y = ctx->cursor.y;
+    if (GetCursorInfo(&ci)) {
+        x = ci.ptScreenPos.x; y = ci.ptScreenPos.y;
+        if (ci.hCursor && ci.hCursor != st->last_handle) {
+            cursor_apply_shape(ctx, ci.hCursor);
+            st->last_handle = ci.hCursor;
+        }
+    }
+    ctx->cursor.visible = vis; ctx->cursor.x = x; ctx->cursor.y = y;
+
+    vgpu_publish_cursor_shape(&ctx->view,
+                              (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.hot_x, (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.hot_y,
+                              (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.gw,    (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.gh,
+                              (uint32_t)ctx->cursor.cursor_id);
+    vgpu_publish_cursor(&ctx->view, (int32_t)x, (int32_t)y, (uint32_t)vis);
+}
+
 static NvFBCToSys_c* nvfbc_create(NvFBC_CreateFunctionExType pCreate, void** ppBuf) {
     NvFBCCreateParams cp; memset(&cp, 0, sizeof cp);
     cp.dwVersion       = NVFBC_CREATE_PARAMS_VER;
@@ -62,6 +93,8 @@ static DWORD WINAPI nvfbc_thread(LPVOID param) {
                 fbc = NULL;
                 while (!(fbc = nvfbc_create(st->create, &buf))) Sleep(200);
                 st->fbc = fbc; st->buf = buf;
+                /* grab session was recreated → display config may have changed: resample */
+                geometry_sample_and_publish(ctx, 0, 0);
             } else {
                 Sleep(50);
             }
@@ -70,6 +103,7 @@ static DWORD WINAPI nvfbc_thread(LPVOID param) {
         if (gi.dwWidth && gi.dwHeight)
             vgpu_present_submit(ctx, (const uint8_t*)buf,
                                 gi.dwWidth, gi.dwHeight, gi.dwBufferWidth * 4u);
+        nvfbc_source_cursor(ctx, st, &gi);
     }
     return 0;  /* unreachable; satisfies -Wreturn-type */
 }
@@ -109,7 +143,7 @@ int nvfbc_start(vgpu_ctx* ctx, int fps) {
 
     nvfbc_state* st = (nvfbc_state*)malloc(sizeof *st);
     if (!st) { fbc->lpVtbl->NvFBCToSysRelease(fbc); return 0; }
-    st->fbc = fbc; st->buf = buf; st->create = pCreate;
+    st->fbc = fbc; st->buf = buf; st->create = pCreate; st->last_handle = NULL;
 
     capture_thread_arg* arg = (capture_thread_arg*)malloc(sizeof *arg);
     if (!arg) { fbc->lpVtbl->NvFBCToSysRelease(fbc); free(st); return 0; }

src/stream/win32/ctx.h

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ typedef struct {
     int      x, y;
     int      hot_x, hot_y;
     int      gw, gh;          /* glyph dims */
+    int      cursor_id;       /* VGPU_CURSOR_ID_* resolved on shape change */
     int      mono;            /* 1 = AND/XOR monochrome cursor */
     uint8_t* bgra;            /* color cursor BGRA (arena) */
     uint8_t* and_mask;        /* mono AND (arena) */

src/stream/win32/cursor.c

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <windows.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include "cursor.h"
+#include "vgpu_stream.h"   /* VGPU_CURSOR_ID_* */
 
 /* Max supported cursor glyph; buffers are pre-arena'd in ctx (no heap here). */
 #define VGPU_CURSOR_MAX 256
@@ -85,6 +86,42 @@ static void extract(vgpu_ctx* ctx, HCURSOR hc) {
     if (ii.hbmMask)  DeleteObject(ii.hbmMask);
 }
 
+int cursor_resolve_id(HCURSOR hc) {
+    /* System-cursor table loaded once (IDC_* are stable per session). Lazy: built on first
+     * call, then a linear handle compare. UNKNOWN for custom/unrecognized cursors. */
+    static const struct { LPCTSTR idc; int id; } kSpec[] = {
+        { IDC_ARROW,       VGPU_CURSOR_ID_ARROW       },
+        { IDC_IBEAM,       VGPU_CURSOR_ID_IBEAM       },
+        { IDC_WAIT,        VGPU_CURSOR_ID_WAIT        },
+        { IDC_CROSS,       VGPU_CURSOR_ID_CROSS       },
+        { IDC_HAND,        VGPU_CURSOR_ID_HAND        },
+        { IDC_SIZENS,      VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZENS      },
+        { IDC_SIZEWE,      VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZEWE      },
+        { IDC_SIZENWSE,    VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZENWSE    },
+        { IDC_SIZENESW,    VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZENESW    },
+        { IDC_SIZEALL,     VGPU_CURSOR_ID_SIZEALL     },
+        { IDC_NO,          VGPU_CURSOR_ID_NO          },
+        { IDC_APPSTARTING, VGPU_CURSOR_ID_APPSTARTING },
+    };
+    enum { N = (int)(sizeof kSpec / sizeof kSpec[0]) };
+    static HCURSOR cache[N];
+    static int loaded = 0;
+    if (!loaded) {
+        for (int i = 0; i < N; i++) cache[i] = LoadCursor(NULL, kSpec[i].idc);
+        loaded = 1;
+    }
+    if (!hc) return VGPU_CURSOR_ID_UNKNOWN;
+    for (int i = 0; i < N; i++)
+        if (cache[i] == hc) return kSpec[i].id;
+    return VGPU_CURSOR_ID_UNKNOWN;
+}
+
+void cursor_apply_shape(vgpu_ctx* ctx, HCURSOR hc) {
+    extract(ctx, hc);
+    ctx->cursor.cursor_id = cursor_resolve_id(hc);
+    ctx->cursor.handle = hc;
+}
+
 int cursor_sample(vgpu_ctx* ctx) {
     vgpu_cursor_t* cur = &ctx->cursor;
     CURSORINFO ci; ci.cbSize = sizeof ci;
@@ -99,6 +136,7 @@ int cursor_sample(vgpu_ctx* ctx) {
                   || (ci.hCursor != cur->handle);
     if (vis && ci.hCursor && ci.hCursor != cur->handle) {
         extract(ctx, ci.hCursor);
+        cur->cursor_id = cursor_resolve_id(ci.hCursor);
         cur->handle = ci.hCursor;
     }
     cur->visible = vis; cur->x = x; cur->y = y;

src/stream/win32/cursor.h

@@ -10,6 +10,16 @@
  * Returns 1 if anything changed since last sample, else 0. */
 int  cursor_sample(vgpu_ctx* ctx);
 
+/* Resolve a HCURSOR to a VGPU_CURSOR_ID_* by comparing against the system cursor table
+ * (LoadCursor(NULL, IDC_*) loaded once on first use). Returns VGPU_CURSOR_ID_UNKNOWN for
+ * custom cursors. Not hot-path: called only under the shape-change gate. */
+int  cursor_resolve_id(HCURSOR hc);
+
+/* Extract glyph/hotspot/dims for hc into ctx->cursor, resolve its cursor_id, and record it as
+ * the current handle. For backends that source position elsewhere (DDA from frame info) and
+ * only need the shape on a shape-change gate. Caller serializes ctx->cursor writes. */
+void cursor_apply_shape(vgpu_ctx* ctx, HCURSOR hc);
+
 /* Alpha/AND-XOR compose the sampled cursor onto a tight BGRA frame. */
 void cursor_draw(vgpu_ctx* ctx, uint8_t* bgra, uint32_t width, uint32_t height);
 

src/stream/win32/geometry.c

@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#include <windows.h>
+#include "geometry.h"
+#include "stream.h"        /* vgpu_publish_geometry */
+
+/* GetDpiForMonitor lives in Shcore.dll (per-monitor DPI awareness API). Loaded dynamically so
+ * the binary does not hard-depend on it; absence degrades dpi to "unknown" (0). */
+typedef HRESULT (WINAPI *GetDpiForMonitor_t)(HMONITOR, int /*MDT_*/, UINT*, UINT*);
+#define VGPU_MDT_EFFECTIVE_DPI 0
+
+static UINT monitor_dpi(HMONITOR mon) {
+    static GetDpiForMonitor_t fn = NULL;
+    static int tried = 0;
+    if (!tried) {
+        HMODULE lib = LoadLibraryA("Shcore.dll");
+        if (lib) fn = (GetDpiForMonitor_t)(void*)GetProcAddress(lib, "GetDpiForMonitor");
+        tried = 1;
+    }
+    if (!fn || !mon) return 0u;
+    UINT dx = 0, dy = 0;
+    if (fn(mon, VGPU_MDT_EFFECTIVE_DPI, &dx, &dy) != S_OK || dx == 0u)
+        return 0u;
+    return dx;
+}
+
+static uint32_t monitor_refresh_mhz(HMONITOR mon) {
+    MONITORINFOEXW mi; mi.cbSize = sizeof mi;
+    if (!mon || !GetMonitorInfoW(mon, (MONITORINFO*)&mi))
+        return 0u;
+    DEVMODEW dm; ZeroMemory(&dm, sizeof dm); dm.dmSize = sizeof dm;
+    if (!EnumDisplaySettingsW(mi.szDevice, ENUM_CURRENT_SETTINGS, &dm))
+        return 0u;
+    if (dm.dmDisplayFrequency <= 1u)   /* 0/1 = hardware default, not a real rate */
+        return 0u;
+    return (uint32_t)dm.dmDisplayFrequency * 1000u;   /* whole Hz -> milli-Hz */
+}
+
+void geometry_sample_and_publish(vgpu_ctx* ctx, int32_t cap_x, int32_t cap_y) {
+    int32_t virt_x = (int32_t)GetSystemMetrics(SM_XVIRTUALSCREEN);
+    int32_t virt_y = (int32_t)GetSystemMetrics(SM_YVIRTUALSCREEN);
+    uint32_t virt_w = (uint32_t)GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXVIRTUALSCREEN);
+    uint32_t virt_h = (uint32_t)GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYVIRTUALSCREEN);
+
+    POINT origin = { cap_x, cap_y };
+    HMONITOR mon = MonitorFromPoint(origin, MONITOR_DEFAULTTOPRIMARY);
+
+    uint32_t dpi     = monitor_dpi(mon);
+    uint32_t refresh = monitor_refresh_mhz(mon);
+
+    vgpu_publish_geometry(&ctx->view, virt_x, virt_y, virt_w, virt_h,
+                          cap_x, cap_y, dpi, refresh);
+}

src/stream/win32/geometry.h

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#ifndef VGPU_GEOMETRY_H
+#define VGPU_GEOMETRY_H
+
+/* geometry.h — win32 display-geometry sampler. Samples the virtual-desktop bbox plus the
+ * captured output's origin / DPI / refresh and publishes them under the geom_seq seqlock.
+ * Not per-frame: called once at session start and reactively on backend recreate / capture-
+ * size change (the captured surface SIZE itself travels in desc.width/height, not here). */
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include "ctx.h"           /* win32 vgpu_ctx (region-view) */
+
+/* Sample display geometry for the captured output whose top-left origin is (cap_x,cap_y) in
+ * virtual-desktop coordinates, and publish it. cap_x/cap_y is (0,0) for primary/full-screen
+ * backends and the duplicated output's DesktopCoordinates for DDA. The captured size is taken
+ * from desc.width/height and is not sampled here. */
+void geometry_sample_and_publish(vgpu_ctx* ctx, int32_t cap_x, int32_t cap_y);
+
+#endif /* VGPU_GEOMETRY_H */

src/stream/win32/present.c

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "present.h"
 #include "stream.h"        /* OS-agnostic publish / control API + region-view */
 #include "cursor.h"
+#include "geometry.h"      /* one-shot display-geometry sample at session start */
 
 /* cursor arena sizing */
 #define VGPU_CUR_MAX     256u
@@ -78,6 +79,9 @@ void vgpu_present_submit(vgpu_ctx* ctx, const uint8_t* src,
     ctx->content_h = H;
     ctx->content_seq++;
     LeaveCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
+    /* static-idle: stamp the moment the source delivered new content (the raw perception;
+     * the host derives "ms idle" from its own clock). Single 8-aligned MOV, off the lock. */
+    vgpu_publish_content_change(&ctx->view, now_ns());
     SetEvent(ctx->submit_event);
 }
 
@@ -89,6 +93,13 @@ void vgpu_present_run(vgpu_ctx* ctx) {
     uint32_t last_ff_ack = rv->producer->full_frame_ack;
     DWORD    last_beat  = GetTickCount();
     uint64_t last_publish_ns = 0;   /* 0 → first eligible frame publishes immediately */
+    int      last_cur_x = 0, last_cur_y = 0, last_cur_vis = 0;
+    HCURSOR  last_cur_handle = NULL;
+
+    /* one-shot display geometry: publish once before the loop (flat pull contract). The
+     * captured-output origin is (0,0) for the primary/full-screen capture path; backends
+     * resample reactively on recreate / capture-size change. No periodic poll in the loop. */
+    geometry_sample_and_publish(ctx, 0, 0);
 
     for (;;) {
         WaitForSingleObject(ctx->submit_event, poll_ms);
@@ -146,18 +157,25 @@ void vgpu_present_run(vgpu_ctx* ctx) {
         /* --- compose + publish on content change OR forced full frame, but
          *     rate-limited to the applied fps cap (the single publish point →
          *     contract-level cap, independent of the capture backend). A
-         *     force_full bypasses the cap (due=1). --- */
-        int cur_changed = (ctx->draw_cursor_cap && draw_cursor)
-                          ? cursor_sample(ctx) : 0;
-
+         *     force_full bypasses the cap (due=1). present does NOT sample the
+         *     cursor (capture threads source it); it only reads ctx->cursor under
+         *     ctx->lock for compositing, and detects cursor motion via a delta so
+         *     a pure cursor move over static desktop still recomposes. --- */
         uint64_t interval_ns = fps > 0 ? (1000000000ull / fps) : 0;
         uint64_t now = now_ns();
         int due = force_full || interval_ns == 0
                   || (now - last_publish_ns) >= interval_ns;
 
+        int compose_cursor = (ctx->draw_cursor_cap && draw_cursor);
+
         EnterCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
         int64_t  seq = ctx->content_seq;
         uint32_t W = ctx->content_w, H = ctx->content_h;
+        int cur_changed = compose_cursor
+                          && ((ctx->cursor.visible != last_cur_vis)
+                              || (ctx->cursor.x != last_cur_x)
+                              || (ctx->cursor.y != last_cur_y)
+                              || (ctx->cursor.handle != last_cur_handle));
         int have = (W && H);
         int content_new = have && (seq != last_seq || cur_changed || force_full);
         /* take the frame ONLY when due — so we never drop the latest content;
@@ -166,6 +184,11 @@ void vgpu_present_run(vgpu_ctx* ctx) {
         if (dirty) {
             memcpy(ctx->frame_buf, ctx->content_buf, (size_t)W * H * 4u);
             last_seq = seq;
+            if (compose_cursor)
+                cursor_draw(ctx, ctx->frame_buf, W, H);
+            last_cur_vis = ctx->cursor.visible;
+            last_cur_x = ctx->cursor.x; last_cur_y = ctx->cursor.y;
+            last_cur_handle = ctx->cursor.handle;
         }
         LeaveCriticalSection(&ctx->lock);
 
@@ -176,9 +199,6 @@ void vgpu_present_run(vgpu_ctx* ctx) {
             continue;
         }
 
-        if (ctx->draw_cursor_cap && draw_cursor)
-            cursor_draw(ctx, ctx->frame_buf, W, H);
-
         if (vgpu_publish_frame(rv, ctx->frame_buf, W, H, now) == 0) {
             last_publish_ns = now;
             if (force_full) {

src/stream/win32/region.c

@@ -106,14 +106,40 @@ int vgpu_region_create(vgpu_region_t* out) {
         }
         uintptr_t addr    = (uintptr_t)p;
         uintptr_t aligned = (addr + VGPU_2MB - 1) & ~(uintptr_t)(VGPU_2MB - 1);
-        if (!VirtualLock((void*)aligned, (SIZE_T)bytes)) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "region: VirtualLock failed (%lu) — pages may not be pinned\n",
-                    GetLastError());
+
+        /* The region must be RESIDENT, not merely committed: the host reads it out
+         * of guest RAM and only PRESENT pages are visible to it — a committed but
+         * demand-zero page has no PTE, so it is unreadable from the host. VirtualLock
+         * pins the pages into the working set, but it can lock at most the process
+         * MINIMUM working set, and the default quota is far below the region size
+         * (so a bare VirtualLock fails with ERROR_WORKING_SET_QUOTA). Raise the
+         * minimum first. NB: VirtualLock / SetProcessWorkingSetSize do NOT need
+         * SE_LOCK_MEMORY — that privilege is only for large pages / AWE. */
+        SIZE_T ws_min = (SIZE_T)(bytes + 64ull * 1024 * 1024);   /* region + headroom */
+        SIZE_T ws_max = ws_min + 128ull * 1024 * 1024;
+        SIZE_T cur_min = 0, cur_max = 0;
+        if (GetProcessWorkingSetSize(GetCurrentProcess(), &cur_min, &cur_max)) {
+            if (cur_min > ws_min) ws_min = cur_min;   /* never shrink an existing quota */
+            if (cur_max > ws_max) ws_max = cur_max;
         }
+        if (!SetProcessWorkingSetSize(GetCurrentProcess(), ws_min, ws_max))
+            fprintf(stderr, "region: SetProcessWorkingSetSize(%llu MiB) failed (%lu)\n",
+                    (unsigned long long)(ws_min / (1024 * 1024)), GetLastError());
+
+        if (!VirtualLock((void*)aligned, (SIZE_T)bytes)) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "region: VirtualLock failed (%lu) — pre-faulting region\n",
+                    GetLastError());
+            /* Last resort: fault every page so it is at least PRESENT now. Without
+             * the lock the trimmer may evict it under pressure, but the raised
+             * minimum working set above makes eviction far less likely. */
+            volatile uint8_t* q = (volatile uint8_t*)aligned;
+            for (uint64_t off = 0; off < bytes; off += 4096u) q[off] = q[off];
+        }
+
         os_base  = p;
         base     = (uint8_t*)aligned;
         os_total = total;
-        fprintf(stderr, "region: fallback VirtualAlloc+VirtualLock %llu MiB, aligned at %p\n",
+        fprintf(stderr, "region: fallback VirtualAlloc+lock %llu MiB, aligned at %p\n",
                 (unsigned long long)(bytes / (1024 * 1024)), (void*)aligned);
     }