Most old games do not run on the new Windows 10 operating system, which is initially installed on laptops and even desktop computers sold in stores. When a user decides to install a 7 year old game (old GTA version, for example) supported by DirectX 9, an error occurs at startup. To solve this problem, you need to know how to install DirectX 9 on Windows 10. Many users are unable to install the ninth version of the API set - it is outdated and incompatible with Windows 10.
The problem with the compatibility of old games with new DirectX 11 or 12 is the lack of DirectX 9 libraries in them. It is completely incomprehensible why the developers did not use them as part of DirectX12 and thereby ensure backward compatibility. Perhaps they thought that old games and applications would no longer be used on the new OS Windows 10. Now this no longer matters - there is a solution for installation on a PC old version DirectX.
To install the old set of APIs, you need to enable the “DirectPlay” component - it is located in the control panel. We need to open it.
Go to the search and write: “Control Panel”. In the panel, find and launch the uninstall program utility:
In the window that opens, click on “Enable and disable Windows components"(located in the left menu):
In the window that opens, look for the line “Components of previous versions”, check the box next to it, expand the branch and also check the box next to DirectPlay.
Click "OK" and try to reinstall DirectX 9. Often this method helps to cope with the problem, but there is no guarantee that it will help in your case. If nothing helps, and DirectX on Windows x32 bit or x64 bit is still not installed, then move on to the next method.
DirectX package
Microsoft is aware of this issue. That's why there is a standalone package on its official website that includes 9-11 DirectX versions. You can download it from here. Subsequently, the pack can be installed even without the Internet.
The download begins. IN Google Chrome The downloaded file is visible on the bottom panel of the browser:
After downloading, we need to unzip the archive. Launch the file and agree to the terms license agreement(click “Yes”). A window appears - there you need to specify the path to the folder where the package will be unzipped:
Click on the “Browse” button and select the folder in which to place the files. The most convenient way is to create a folder on your desktop and specify it. After installing the application, you just have to uninstall it. Select a folder, click “OK” and unpacking begins. It will take 5-10 seconds.
Now we go to our new folder and see a lot of archives. We don’t pay attention to them, we are only interested in the DXSETUP.EXE application - this is the installer. It's easy to find and stands out from the rest of the files.
Let's launch it double click left mouse button, accept the terms of the license agreement, click “Next” and “Next” again.
The installation (update) will begin - it will take 15-20 seconds (depending on the performance of the computer).
If an antivirus is installed on your computer, it may swear during the installation process, since the program makes changes to the system file. This is normal, because the purpose of an antivirus is to protect system files from Trojan programs. Therefore, when updating DirectX, you must either disable the antivirus or select the “Allow” option when prompted about the DXSETUP.EXE program making changes to system files.
There is no need to be afraid, because a PC application downloaded from the official website will not cause any harm to the system, especially since the archive cannot contain a Trojan virus. If you download a package from a third-party resource, and not from the official Microsoft OS website, then there is a danger of “catching” a virus. This is what it looks like using the 360 Total Security antivirus as an example:
After permission, the program will continue the installation and complete it successfully. At the very end, click the “Finish” button, after which the folder with the API archives can be deleted - they will no longer be needed. If the installation was unsuccessful and the antivirus remained silent, then there is a possibility that it did not allow changes to be made to the file without any messages. In this case, simply disable it for a couple of minutes and reinstall the API package.
What happens during the update? With this package, we did not install a new DirectX, but simply updated the old one with the missing components and libraries. But if you just install a new set of APIs, then there will still be no compatibility with old games. There is also no need to use the automatic web installer - you can download it on the official Microsoft website. This installer first checks the DirectX version on your computer and if it finds the same or new version cancels the installation, first displaying a corresponding notification.
Therefore, if Direct X is 11 or 12, then the installation of the same versions with an updated package of libraries and components will not happen - the program itself will write about it. You need to either remove the API and install it again (with a full set of libraries), or simply update it manually using the archive suggested above. The last option is simpler and requires fewer steps.
Conclusion
Microsoft offers a standalone API package as a solution for running applications running DirectX 9. On the Microsoft forums, many users write that their problem was not solved by the new API package, but it helps most.
It is impossible to guarantee 100% that the methods proposed above will help, but it is worth using them in any case. This is the only way to run old applications or games on a new operating system and not resort to a radical method - reinstalling Windows 10 for the older “seven”. Although many users who are disappointed in the “ten” do just that.
Video instructions
We also invite you to watch a video that describes installing DirectX on Windows 10.
To answer the common question of how to install DirectX, you first need to understand what it is for. DirectX is a set of special software Microsoft applications, which is used in the development of modern games and is necessary for their normal operation.
DirectX is, of course, very important for the smooth running of games on a PC. Without it, not a single game on Windows OS will simply launch. But before you frantically search for information on how to install DirectX, you should first find out whether you need to update this software at all. To do this, follow the instructions on how to find out which DirectX is installed below:
- From the Start menu, open command line"Run"
- Type the command "dxdiag" without quotes - it will open the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, where it will show detailed information, including DirectX version.
- See what version of DirectX is installed. On at the moment the latest version is DirectX 11, which is available on OS starting from Windows Vista and higher. Contrary to popular belief, DirectX 12 has not yet been released, but should appear in the very next few days. Therefore, it makes no sense to look for where to download DirectX 12.
If you followed the instructions on how to check the version of installed DirectX above and saw that you do not have the latest version installed, or this software is missing altogether, then download and install DirectX. How to install DirectX is described in detail below.
If you Windows owner 7, 8, 8.1 or Vista, then you will want to know how to install DirectX 11 as a separate file. Windows XP, unfortunately, does not support this version of the software. It is important to note that you will not be able to download and install DirectX 11 from the official Microsoft website as a separate file for one simple reason - new versions of Windows OS already come with the latest version of DirectX pre-installed. However, cases are different and you could very well delete this software accidentally or on purpose. To install again, do the following:
Important: we advise you not to download DirectX from third-party resources. All necessary information and files for the OS can be found on the official Microsoft website. There is no need to take risks, since many software archives contain a virus that will harm the OS.
DirectX should be understood primarily as a set of necessary tools and technologies that allow the developer to create high quality pictures and sound, for example, in some computer game. At its core, DirectX and its components are responsible for literally everything. It is divided into several parts, each of which performs a special function, these are: DirectDraw - used to accelerate the display and processing of two-dimensional graphics, Direct3D - used to accelerate three-dimensional graphics, DirectSound - works with sound, namely mixing and playing 3D sound, DirectInput - used for processing keyboard, mouse, joystick and other peripheral devices, DirectPlay - used mainly for maintenance network game, DirectAnimation - used to create animation effects in WEB pages, DirectShow - for using multimedia in WEB, DirectMusic - new section, which is used to apply music to games.
By the way, it is worth saying that DirectX was conceived and developed specifically in order to turn operating system Windows is the main platform for developing and creating games and, of course, playing them. Fortunately, today DirectX comes with almost any software for which it is needed. In addition, DirectX is now updated automatically, which means that the user now does not even need to download any specific version of DirectX from the Internet and install it themselves, but in some individual cases it is required manual installation of this software.
Where is DirectX installed and unpacked?
First you need to decide on the version of DirectX. DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 are most often used today, but it is advisable for the user to look at the version of DirectX that is supported installed video card and download it from the official website. After launch, you need to unpack the archive with DirectX to any folder on your hard drive. After launch special application(dxsetup.exe) the program will indicate to the user the directory where DirectX will be installed, or will be installed automatically. It is usually installed in local disk C:/Windows/%SystemRoot%/system32. Once DirectX is installed, the user will be able to run a significant portion of demanding graphic applications and games.
After the advent of highly affordable computers, technology began to develop much faster in various directions, and sometimes generate new ones, which is why now you can hear a lot of incomprehensible words in ordinary conversation, for example, DirectX. Some people may ask you a question about where to install DirectX.
This article will focus exclusively on the DirectX graphics library: why it is needed, where it is used, who created it, and most importantly, how to install it on own computer. Our article is recommended exclusively for novice operating room users Windows systems, because the DirectX library only works there.
Why do we need DirectX?
First you need to figure out what it is. For example, you launch a game, and your RAM Millions of bytes of information begin to be downloaded so that it can be processed not only central processor, but also GPU. In addition, it is necessary to read keystrokes, mouse position, commands from the operating system, and much more. This may be news to you, but everything in a computer is processed exclusively sequentially.
The question is how to make the computer do all this - the computer needs instructions to do this. If we abstract, then program code, which the game developers wrote, are the instructions. Now imagine that when creating new game you need to do it all over again, which means literally “ruining” years of your life, but there is no need for this, because there is special software, for example, the DirectX graphics library.
Programmers will connect it, after which it will be possible to intelligently use its resources to manage processes, display graphics and much more. However, some computers do not come with this library out of the box, so below we will tell you where to install DirectX. We remind you that the instructions are only suitable for the Windows operating system, for which, by the way, the library was created. By the way, it is also used in the Xbox console.
Where to install DirectX 9.0
If you want to install the ninth version, then you are probably using an outdated operating system, for example, Windows XP, so we strongly recommend upgrading to version 10, since XP was out of service a few years ago, so the system is full of vulnerabilities. However, if you do not want to do this due to personal convictions, then instructions will be given below.
Instructions for installing the ninth version of DirectX:
- This version was developed around the same time as Windows XP, so it can no longer be found on the official website, only the tenth or eleventh, all depending on the video card. Create an appropriate search query in the browser.
- Download from a source other than the official one, wait until the download is complete and start installation.
- Accept the agreement. After installation, restart your computer.
Where to install DirectX 11 for Windows 7
It is worth noting that Windows 7 supports any version of this library, with the exception of DirectX 12, which was created exclusively for Windows 10 and is its integral part. Installation instructions will be given below, but if you don’t want to download from the Internet, then look for the disk from the box that came with your video card, there must be a library supported by your video card, or download Windows 10.
Instructions on where to install DirectX 11:
- Go to the official DirectX website, where you will be offered to download their product.
- Wait for the download process to complete.
- Begin the installation, agreeing to the terms of use along the way.
- The installer itself will find the optimal path, so we just wait until it finishes and restart the computer.
In conclusion
We hope that after reading this article you understand where to install DirectX and why it was created in the first place. It is worth noting that video cards, depending on their generation, support different versions DirectX, so even after installing version 11, only 10 can work, etc.
To ensure normal operation of computer devices with programs, DirectX must be installed. Many people are familiar with this program because it is often required when installing games. But what to do when a software package has been downloaded from the Internet, but you cannot install it? This article will tell you what to do in such a situation.
Installing DirectX manually
There are several options possible problems problems that beginners encounter when they don’t know where to install DirectX on their computer.
It is best to download the DirectX package from the official site, since installation package from the developers allows you to download and install the most latest version this software without any user intervention.
Sometimes it happens that a self-extracting archive is downloaded. You can determine its type by looking at the file extension. If the archive is an executable file (.exe), then just double-click on it and unpack it to any folder. After this, in the new folder you need to find a program installer that installs DirectX automatically.
