Windows 7: How to install DirectPlay?

All i found on the internet is:

controlpanel -> turn windows features on or off -> Legacy Components, tik DirectPlay and click ok. restart your System.

But the issue is i don't have the "Legacy Components" or "DirectPlay" in the " turn windows features on or off" window. My directx version is 11. My gpu supports up to 10.1 i think (gt335m).

Why do i need direct play? I wanted to play Aoe1 on Voobly but it gives me DirectPlay error and tells me to reinstall the OS to fix it? I don't think reinstalling the os from the same source will help me at all.

win7 sp1 64bit

thank you

Hello, and Welcome to Seven Forums.

DirectPlay is depreciated on Windows Vista and Windows 7. Reinstalling the OS wont fix the problem.

Those instructions you found to Turn On Legacy Components are for Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 only.

Try Aoe2 on Voobly.

Apparently this could happen on 64-bit. Some older games don't play well on 64-bit. You might see this thread. DirectX on Windows 7 - older game - Super User

Thank you for replies

So according to Suma in that thread, having a 64bit Windows 7 is the issue? well that's a bummer. thanks again!

Oh game runs fine btw. I needed DirectPlay to be able to play online with Voobly, a third party program for multiplayer. Voobly needs DirectPlay for multiplayer to work for AoE1.

Download and install Unofficial patch UPatch HD for aoe then try a different multiplayer client (GameRanger, Garena or Tunngle).

Technically the issue is having a 32-bit program on a 64-bit system when the program doesn't know how to operate on a 64-bit OS. Architecturally a 64-bit system is significantly different from a 32-bit one. Consider this. That game was released in '97. Windows 98 wasn't even out yet and the first 64-bit version of Windows was XP released in 2001. Even then it wasn't used very much. Vista was the first moderately used 64-bit version of Windows and 7 the first widely used version.