DirectDraw: Overlays.

I need many infos about Overlays.
1st of all, if i ask the question, it's because it didn't work of course on my computer. What is the recommended hardware for Overlays?
2nd, i used GetCaps
DDCAPS              ddcaps;
HRESULT            ddrval;
ddcaps.dwSize = sizeof( ddcaps );
ddcaps.dwCaps = DDCAPS_ALIGNBOUNDARYSRC | DDCAPS_ALIGNSIZESRC | DDCAPS_ALIGNBOUNDARYDEST |DDCAPS_ALIGNSIZEDEST;
ddrval = lpDD->GetCaps( &ddcaps, NULL );
PutText(ddcaps.dwAlignBoundarySrc,100,100);
PutText(ddcaps.dwAlignBoundaryDest,100,120);
PutText(ddcaps.dwAlignSizeSrc,100,140);
PutText(ddcaps.dwAlignSizeDest,100,160);
PutText(ddcaps.dwMaxVisibleOverlays,100,180);
PutText(ddcaps.dwVidMemTotal,100,200);
PutText(ddcaps.dwCurrVisibleOverlays,100,220);

And my function PutText works of course. the video memory displayed is something like 1700000 so it shows everything works here, however all the other values returned are 0. does this mean my hardware is too bad to display overlays.

Finally everything crashes when i put CreateSurface.
I would really need overlays, so i would be disppointed if i learnt that it only works with very good hardware. my graphic card is not that good however not that bad too!! it's a s3 i think, with 2 mb. it must have 3 years.
The game i want to create is an action-rpg like Zelda, so of course i inspire myself of nitendo games, where i know everything is done with overlays. there are 6 on the super nes!! so i don't see why my computer shouldn't work if the super nes does. thank you very much bye! Any help will surely be graded A because i will appreciate it soooo much!