diff --git a/build.bat b/build.bat
index 24c19b4..85a89a6 100644
--- a/build.bat
+++ b/build.bat
@@ -1,2 +1,8 @@
-make EXT=.exe
-pause
\ No newline at end of file
+@echo off
+REM
+REM cnc-patch environment config
+REM
+set PATH=C:\win-builds-patch-32\bin
+gmake clean
+gmake
+pause
diff --git a/ddraw.dll b/ddraw.dll
index 0f87748..d35c5b3 100644
Binary files a/ddraw.dll and b/ddraw.dll differ
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index eefaaf5..143041d 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -156,18 +156,6 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_RestoreDisplayMode(IDirectDrawImpl *This)
         return DD_OK;
     }
 
-    /* only stop drawing in GL mode when minimized */
-    if (This->renderer == render_main)
-    {
-        EnterCriticalSection(&This->cs);
-        This->render.run = FALSE;
-        ReleaseSemaphore(ddraw->render.sem, 1, NULL);
-        LeaveCriticalSection(&This->cs);
-
-        WaitForSingleObject(This->render.thread, INFINITE);
-        This->render.thread = NULL;
-    }
-
     if(!ddraw->windowed)
     {
         ChangeDisplaySettings(&This->mode, 0);
@@ -209,15 +197,6 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_SetDisplayMode(IDirectDrawImpl *This, DWORD width, DWORD
 
     This->render.run = TRUE;
 
-    if (This->renderer == render_dummy_main)
-    {
-        if(This->render.thread == NULL)
-        {
-            This->render.thread = CreateThread(NULL, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)This->renderer, NULL, 0, NULL);
-        }
-        return DD_OK;
-    }
-
     mouse_unlock();
 	
 	const HANDLE hbicon = LoadImage(GetModuleHandle(0), MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDR_MYMENU), IMAGE_ICON, GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXICON), GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYICON), 0);
@@ -275,11 +254,6 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_SetDisplayMode(IDirectDrawImpl *This, DWORD width, DWORD
         }
     }
 
-    if(This->render.thread == NULL)
-    {
-        This->render.thread = CreateThread(NULL, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)This->renderer, NULL, 0, NULL);
-    }
-
     return DD_OK;
 }
 
@@ -429,17 +403,9 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK WndProc(HWND hWnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
             }
             break;
 
-        /* make sure we redraw when WM_PAINT is requested */
-        case WM_PAINT:
-            EnterCriticalSection(&ddraw->cs);
-            ReleaseSemaphore(ddraw->render.sem, 1, NULL);
-            LeaveCriticalSection(&ddraw->cs);
-            break;
-
         case WM_ERASEBKGND:
             EnterCriticalSection(&ddraw->cs);
             FillRect(ddraw->render.hDC, &rc, (HBRUSH) GetStockObject(BLACK_BRUSH));
-            ReleaseSemaphore(ddraw->render.sem, 1, NULL);
             LeaveCriticalSection(&ddraw->cs);
             break;
     }
@@ -545,15 +511,11 @@ ULONG __stdcall ddraw_Release(IDirectDrawImpl *This)
             PostMessage(This->hWnd, WM_USER, 0, 0);
         }
 
-        if(This->render.run)
+        if (This->render.thread)
         {
-            EnterCriticalSection(&This->cs);
-            This->render.run = FALSE;
-            ReleaseSemaphore(ddraw->render.sem, 1, NULL);
-            LeaveCriticalSection(&This->cs);
-
-            WaitForSingleObject(This->render.thread, INFINITE);
+            HANDLE thread = This->render.thread;
             This->render.thread = NULL;
+            WaitForSingleObject(thread, INFINITE);
         }
 
         if(This->render.hDC)
@@ -562,12 +524,6 @@ ULONG __stdcall ddraw_Release(IDirectDrawImpl *This)
             This->render.hDC = NULL;
         }
 
-        if(This->render.ev)
-        {
-            CloseHandle(This->render.ev);
-            ddraw->render.ev = NULL;
-        }
-
         if(This->real_dll)
         {
             FreeLibrary(This->real_dll);
@@ -664,8 +620,6 @@ HRESULT WINAPI DirectDrawCreate(GUID FAR* lpGUID, LPDIRECTDRAW FAR* lplpDD, IUnk
     }
 
     InitializeCriticalSection(&This->cs);
-    This->render.ev = CreateEvent(NULL, TRUE, FALSE, NULL);
-    This->render.sem = CreateSemaphore(NULL, 0, 1, NULL);
 
     /* load configuration options from ddraw.ini */
     char cwd[MAX_PATH];
@@ -741,7 +695,7 @@ HRESULT WINAPI DirectDrawCreate(GUID FAR* lpGUID, LPDIRECTDRAW FAR* lplpDD, IUnk
         This->boxing = TRUE;
     }
 
-    This->render.maxfps = GetPrivateProfileIntA("ddraw", "maxfps", 0, ini_path);
+    This->render.maxfps = GetPrivateProfileIntA("ddraw", "max_fps", 60, ini_path);
     This->render.width = GetPrivateProfileIntA("ddraw", "width", 0, ini_path);
     This->render.height = GetPrivateProfileIntA("ddraw", "height", 0, ini_path);
 
diff --git a/palette.c b/palette.c
index a8a305e..d50814c 100644
--- a/palette.c
+++ b/palette.c
@@ -59,12 +59,6 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_palette_SetEntries(IDirectDrawPaletteImpl *This, DWORD d
         }
     }
 
-    /* FIXME: only refresh the screen when the primary palette is changed */
-    if(ddraw->primary && ddraw->render.run)
-    {
-        ReleaseSemaphore(ddraw->render.sem, 1, NULL);
-    }
-
     return DD_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index 024515e..9555b5f 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ DWORD WINAPI render_main(void)
 	
 
 
-    while(ddraw->render.run && WaitForSingleObject(ddraw->render.sem, INFINITE) != WAIT_FAILED)
+    while(ddraw->render.thread)
     {
 		scale_w = (float)ddraw->width/tex_width;
 		scale_h = (float)ddraw->height/tex_height;
@@ -159,10 +159,8 @@ DWORD WINAPI render_main(void)
            if(tick_end - tick_start < frame_len)
            {
 				Sleep( frame_len - (tick_end - tick_start));
-            }
+           }
         }
-
-        SetEvent(ddraw->render.ev);
     }
 	timeEndPeriod(1);
 		
diff --git a/render_soft.c b/render_soft.c
index 3ad42f9..da0dcee 100644
--- a/render_soft.c
+++ b/render_soft.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ DWORD WINAPI render_soft_main(void)
         frame_len = 1000.0f / ddraw->render.maxfps;
     }
 
-    while (ddraw->render.run && WaitForSingleObject(ddraw->render.sem, INFINITE) != WAIT_FAILED)
+    while (ddraw->render.thread)
     {
         if(ddraw->render.maxfps > 0)
         {
@@ -162,7 +162,6 @@ DWORD WINAPI render_soft_main(void)
                Sleep( frame_len - (tick_end - tick_start) + 1);
             }
         }
-        SetEvent(ddraw->render.ev);
     }
 	timeEndPeriod(1);
 
diff --git a/surface.c b/surface.c
index 026a737..131ccb5 100644
--- a/surface.c
+++ b/surface.c
@@ -120,13 +120,6 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_surface_Blt(IDirectDrawSurfaceImpl *This, LPRECT lpDestR
         } 
     }
 
-    if(This->caps & DDSCAPS_PRIMARYSURFACE && !(This->flags & DDSD_BACKBUFFERCOUNT) && ddraw->render.run)
-    {
-        ReleaseSemaphore(ddraw->render.sem, 1, NULL);
-        WaitForSingleObject(ddraw->render.ev, INFINITE);
-        ResetEvent(ddraw->render.ev);
-    }
-
     return DD_OK;
 }
 
@@ -201,13 +194,6 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_surface_Flip(IDirectDrawSurfaceImpl *This, LPDIRECTDRAWS
     printf("IDirectDrawSurface::Flip(This=%p, ...)\n", This);
 #endif
 
-    if(This->caps & DDSCAPS_PRIMARYSURFACE && ddraw->render.run)
-    {
-        ResetEvent(ddraw->render.ev);
-        ReleaseSemaphore(ddraw->render.sem, 1, NULL);
-        WaitForSingleObject(ddraw->render.ev, INFINITE);
-    }
-
     return DD_OK;
 }
 
@@ -316,7 +302,11 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_surface_Lock(IDirectDrawSurfaceImpl *This, LPRECT lpDest
     }
 #endif
 
-    return ddraw_surface_GetSurfaceDesc(This, lpDDSurfaceDesc);
+    HRESULT ret = ddraw_surface_GetSurfaceDesc(This, lpDDSurfaceDesc);
+    
+    EnterCriticalSection(&ddraw->cs);
+
+    return ret;
 }
 
 HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_surface_ReleaseDC(IDirectDrawSurfaceImpl *This, HDC a)
@@ -370,11 +360,8 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_surface_Unlock(IDirectDrawSurfaceImpl *This, LPVOID lpRe
 #if _DEBUG
     printf("DirectDrawSurface::Unlock(This=%p, lpRect=%p)\n", This, lpRect);
 #endif
-
-    if(This->caps & DDSCAPS_PRIMARYSURFACE && !(This->flags & DDSD_BACKBUFFERCOUNT) && ddraw->render.run)
-    {
-        ReleaseSemaphore(ddraw->render.sem, 1, NULL);
-    }
+    
+    LeaveCriticalSection(&ddraw->cs);
 
     return DD_OK;
 }
@@ -486,6 +473,12 @@ HRESULT __stdcall ddraw_CreateSurface(IDirectDrawImpl *This, LPDDSURFACEDESC lpD
 
     Surface->Ref = 0;
     ddraw_surface_AddRef(Surface);
+    
+    if(lpDDSurfaceDesc->ddsCaps.dwCaps & DDSCAPS_PRIMARYSURFACE)
+    {
+        This->render.thread = CreateThread(NULL, 0, (LPTHREAD_START_ROUTINE)This->renderer, NULL, 0, NULL);
+        SetThreadPriority(This->render.thread, THREAD_PRIORITY_ABOVE_NORMAL);
+    }
 
     return DD_OK;
 }