# Missing DirectX files? Read here!



## Mussels (Oct 5, 2012)

Since you found this thread, i'm going to assume you've tried to start up a game, and for some reason its telling you that you're missing some files. Most likely they're vaguely named, but you narrowed it down to missing DirectX files of some sort.

Some examples could be:

d3dx9_24.dll
D3DX9_43.dll
d3dx10_38.dll
d3dx11_43.dll

Those are all DirectX file names, taken from my system as i wrote this thread. Note how they mention what versions of DirectX they are for, and a 'version' number.
This number is important, because Microsoft regularly updates DirectX.

Where people get confused, is they think that by having directX 11 installed it means that have DirectX 9 and 10 installed and up to date as well - but *Microsoft continue releasing updates for DX9 and 10 even though DirectX 11 was released long ago*.
Just because you have DX11, doesn't mean you have directX 9.0C 'version' 43 (D3DX9_43.dll)


Normally the game would ask to install/update its required DirectX version when its installed, and that's why people don't have this problem often. Right now you are probably thinking a variant of "Oh yeah, i installed this game on another copy of windows, and restored it from a backup/other hard drive without reinstalling" as it all clicks into place.

Microsoft have a generic installer/updater for DirectX that updates all versions of DirectX - DX9/10/11 all at once) - but for some reason its usually labelled as a 9.0c installer, and *NOT* on windows update.

The Web Updater (which requires an internet connection to work) is located HERE. This version is recommended if you just want to updated the one machine.

If you want/need to update several machines, or have craptastic internet - you want the Redistributable version, found HERE

To note just how bad microsoft are at this, look at this image.






DirectX from *June 2010* released on the 18th of  *April 2011
*

Feel free to leave questions or comments, thanks are best done by clicking the thanks button so we dont clog up the thread.





Drone said:


> Overview For Each Feature Level (directx 9.1-11.1)
> 
> This could be added to the OP. Describes differences and features in directx


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## qubit (Dec 17, 2012)

Mussels said:


> Where people get confused, is they think that by having directX 11 installed it means that have DirectX 9 and 10 installed and up to date as well - but Microsoft continue releasing updates for DX9 and 10 even though DirectX 11 was released long ago.
> Just because you have DX11, doesn't mean you have directX 9.0C 'version' 43 (D3DX9_43.dll)



That explains why some games insist on installing DX9 even on my DX11 system.


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## 3870x2 (Dec 17, 2012)

qubit said:


> That explains why some games insist on installing DX9 even on my DX11 system.



Games will come prepackaged with direct X in most cases and will attempt an install.  Also, steam does not check for your direct X updates before trying to install (which is a pain in the ass because it takes up to 5 minutes)


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## de.das.dude (Dec 17, 2012)

i had a dtx web installer from some game. i use it to update dtx all the time


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## slyfox2151 (Dec 17, 2012)

lol,


I thought this was common knowledge.


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## brandonwh64 (Dec 17, 2012)

slyfox2151 said:


> lol,
> 
> 
> I thought this was common knowledge.



To some people it is not, I know when I first started to deal with DX back when win95 was released, It was hard to stay up to day because they did not have installers quite like this. I just had to get lucky with the newer games I purchased cause some had the installer on the disc.


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## Mathragh (Dec 17, 2012)

Just watch out for the Bing Bar that gets installed if you don't pay attention lol


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## TheMailMan78 (Dec 17, 2012)

You should always run DirectX update the second you do a clean install. Games will install thier own custom DX files as needed after this.


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## 3870x2 (Dec 17, 2012)

Mathragh said:


> Just watch out for the Bing Bar that gets installed if you don't pay attention lol



[√] Are you sure that you want to not install Bing tool bar? not?


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## Drone (Dec 17, 2012)

DX is ok. I remember some games even require Visual C redist, games for windows live, physx and other crapola. IIRC old far cry required _.net framework 1.1_. lol!


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## brandonwh64 (Dec 17, 2012)

Drone said:


> DX is ok. I remember some games even require Visual C redist, games for windows live, physx and other crapola. IIRC old far cry required _.net framework 1.1_. lol!



I know some games on my steam list still try to install that visual C++ crap when I start them up even though C++ is already installed. I do miss far cry 1 though.


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## erixx (Dec 17, 2012)

My first Windows 8 install (retail) / drivers / games had this problem of missing files, and NOTHING whatsoever solution like those gratuitously posted by Mussels etc were able to get DirectX working, most games with very few exceptions ended with an error a second after launching them.

Reinstalled windows from scratch and never saw it again


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## Drone (Dec 17, 2012)

Overview For Each Feature Level (directx 9.1-11.1)

This could be added to the OP. Describes differences and features in directx


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