Directx download. Sim 2 Compatibility Issue?

[apples2k10]

Hey guys , Me again ,
I was wondering is there anywhere I can get a working copy of DirectX 9.0c. And do I have to pay or is it free? Because I wanted to put Sims 2 onto the laptop incase I got bored some day and it didn't work out well :huh: says I need DirectX 9.0c brothersoft.com are hosting a free download, but I wanted to know any safe place it's able to be downloaded and legally is it free?

P.S Any good games compatible with 32bit? For a 2gb RAM Laptop I should look at? Into a lot of different things really. Mainly WoW Type games.
Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Night Hawk]

Often the older games will have the option for installing DX 9 already seen with them. For still downloading the redistributed zip file you unpack or the web installer, Download details: DirectX 9.0c Redistributable for Software Developers - Multilingual

Other 3rd party sites will still provide the older DX since it is still needed for the previous versions as well as running older titles on Vista and 7. Download DirectX 9.0c (full package) - the latest version of Direct X

 

[Trucidation]

You can download the runtime for DirectX9.0c from MS, no purchase needed, heh. Check out the instructions first though.
DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer from Microsoft website

I game on my laptops as well. RAM isn't as much a consideration as what video card and CPU you have. Most "WoW type" @ online games should work fine - although judging from your posted specs you may want to play things at low settings.

Edit:
Oops, didn't see Night Hawk's post there.

 

[Night Hawk]

I keep a folder with the DX 9 full download and a sub where all the files were unpacked to for ready install at any time such as when updating the video card or seeing any fresh install of Windows.

But if your game sees the option to install 9c in it use that! It seems to work out better using the game's own DX installer for some reason.

I see Trucidation found the web installer version there. I looked back for the older references for getting 9c before 7 came along for Vista seen at Download details: DirectX End-User Runtimes (March 2008)

I think we have the bases covered here!

 

[stormy13]

Do not use the web installer, far too many times it just doesn't work for whatever reason. Use the full redistributable instead,

Download details: DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2010)

which is all you need for installing and/or updating DirectX; be it 9, 10 or 11. Microsoft changed the name by removing the version number to "DirectX End-User Runtimes" shortly after the release of Vista and DirectX 10. No need to go looking all over the place to find 9.0c.

They also used to put out a DirectX update pretty much on a bi-monthly schedule, and even that has changed and now don't follow much fo a schedule any more. The last two updates have been 5 months apart; one in February of this year, and one in August 2009.

 

[apples2k10]

None of these are working I've tried all of your links, downloaded and opened. Sims still won't. Has anyone got a straight link to just Direct X 9.0c they could post?

 

[stormy13]

Have you updated the game?

TheSims2.com - Updates

A few suggestions to try here,

Compatability issues with Sims 2 on Windows 7 - EA Forums General Discussion - EA Forums - Questions & Comments: EA Forums

Has anyone got a straight link to just Direct X 9.0c they could post?

If you downloaded, extracted and ran the DXSETUP.exe, then you have the latest DirectX 9.0c installed and trying an older update won't work.

 

[apples2k10]

If you downloaded, extracted and ran the DXSETUP.exe, then you have the latest DirectX 9.0c installed and trying an older update won't work.

I have updated and I used the links provided by the members above, don't know whether they are the most recent ones but I'll try find out. Thanks

 

[stormy13]

It may not be in the name but the DX 9 files are there,

 

[Night Hawk]

From trying tons of oldies out on the 32bit 7 which you have there this sounds more like the need to right click on the main install or setup.exe file and open up the compatibility tab to select run in XP SP2 as well as checking off the run as admin box if the game is refusing to install.

Now if already installed but simply won't run then you would follow that by looking for the game's main exe file in the Program Files>game directory to see that will get it working for you. As far as which release of 9c goes on DX 9 is still covered if the game require 9 and not DX 8 being an older title. That could still be 9a or 9b and have the game running.

I have a few older DX 7 games that run well with 9c on while they will still run on the 64bit 7(not as well) without 9c installed. (time frame 2000-2002 SoF I+II, RTCW, etc) The game installers for those have their own option for seeing DX 7 installed as those require while the much newer 9c suffices and installs instantly.

I keep the full version available at all times since it doesn't take up any real space and even have multiple downloads. The snipping here shows how they look unpacked into a separate folder with it's own dxsetup.exe file.

 

[apples2k10]

Ok found out my current DirectDX is 11. Would this interfere with any downloaded versions of older copies?

 

[stormy13]

Not in the slightest,



The only ones basically there on a clean Windows install are the DirectX 11 files, all the rest came after installing the redistributable linked to previously.

 

[Night Hawk]

Just as with Vista and DX10 there you can install 9c for the older titles without any problems. The files from the older DX will simply sit side by side with the newer. The older titles will simply access the older API using the 9c files instead of the newer ones for 11.

 

[51M0N]

On my PC, if you check my specs it is pretty good. I can run any DX9 game with no trouble, I didn't even have to install DirectX 9. I have Sims 2, and when I got my PC, straight on goes the Sims, and by the way, it was a clean install.
I thought that Windows 7 has it inbuilt, or maybe it is because I have COD4, I don't know, but you shouldn't have to re-install DX9.

 

[Night Hawk]

Some of the older games simply won't work with the newer versions of DX to begin with. The game's installer seeing the option for DX shows it will require 9c or an earlier version depending on how old the game is itself.

If the game continues to fail to load that's most often either DX related or a need to run it in compatibility mode. The fail to load part seeing the "OpenGL not supported or missing" type error points right at the previous direct x requirement in most cases. That one is a dead giveaway there as far as the leading cause.

The minimum system specs however are lacking as far as any DX requirement with the game being compatible to 98 as well as any newer version of Windows. TheSims2.com - Help - Detail

You'll note a game patch is available as well.