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Q256182: Games Err Msg: <Game> Requires DirectX <version> or Higher

Article: Q256182
Product(s): Microsoft Home Games
Version(s): 1.0,2.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kberrmsg aoe kbimu msgame
Last Modified: 07-MAY-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, version 2.0 
- Microsoft Age of Empires II Expansion: The Conquerors 
- Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater, version 1.0 
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you start one of the games listed at the beginning of this article, you may
receive one of the following error messages:

  Age of Empires requires DirectX 6.1 or higher.

  -or-

  Combat Flight Simulator 2 requires DirectX 7.0 or higher. Please reinstall
  Combat Flight simulator 2.

  -or-

  Microsoft Flight Simulator requires DX8a or higher. Please reinstall
  Microsoft Flight Simulator.

When you run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (Dxdiag.exe), and then click the DirectX
Files tab, the following error message may appear in the Notes box:

  Several files (ddraw.dll, ddraw16.dll) are old versions, which could cause
  problems. You should reinstall DirectX to get the latest version.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior can occur if Microsoft DirectX is not installed properly on your
computer.

RESOLUTION
==========

Install the Latest Version of Microsoft DirectX In Safe Mode
------------------------------------------------------------

To download and install the latest version of DirectX, visit the following
Microsoft Web site:

  http://www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/default.asp

Then restart Windows in Safe mode. To do this, use the appropriate method for
your version of Microsoft Windows:

  Windows 95

- Restart your computer. When you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, press
  the F8 key, and then choose Safe Mode from the Startup menu.

  Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition

- Restart your computer, press and hold down the CTRL key after the computer
  completes the Power On Self Test (POST), and then select Safe Mode from the
  Startup menu.
- When Windows starts in Safe mode, click OK.

  Windows 2000 or Windows XP

- Restart your computer, and when the Boot menu appears, press F8. When the
  "Windows 2000 Advanced Options" menu appears, select an option, and then
  press ENTER. When the Boot menu appears again, with the words "Safe Mode"
  displayed in red at the bottom, select the installation you want to start,
  and then press ENTER.

WARNING: Do not select a Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 installation.

For additional information about how to obtain and install the latest version of
DirectX, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q179113 How to Download and Install DirectX

Rename and Reinstall the DirectX Files
--------------------------------------

Rename the Ddraw.dll and Ddraw16.dll files, and then reinstall DirectX:

1. Click Start, point to Find, then click "Files or Folders".

2. In the Named box, type "ddraw.dll ddraw16.dll" (without the quotation marks).

3. Make sure that the "Include subfolders" check box is selected.

4. In the "Look in" box, click the hard disk on which Microsoft Windows is
  installed, and then click Find Now.

5. In the list of found files, rename the Ddraw.dll and Ddraw16.dll files:

  a. Right-click the Ddraw.dll file, and then click Rename.

  b. Type "ddraw.old" (without the quotation marks), and then press ENTER.

  c. Right-click the Ddraw16.dll file, and then click Rename.

  d. Type "ddraw16.old" (without the quotation marks), and then press ENTER.

  NOTE: If you receive a message stating that the file is in use, you must
  rename the Ddraw.dll and Ddraw16.dll files at the command prompt. To do this,
  click OK, and then proceed to the "More Information" section of this article.

6. Close the "Find: Files Named: ddraw.dll ddraw16.dll" window.

7. Reinstall DirectX.

MORE INFORMATION
================

How to Rename a File at the Command Prompt in Microsoft Windows 95/98
---------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Click Start, and then click Shut Down.

2. Click "Restart the Computer in MS-DOS mode", and then click Yes.

3. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after you
  type each line:

  cd \windows\system
  ren ddraw.dll ddraw.old
  ren ddraw16.dll ddraw16.old
  exit

4. Reinstall DirectX.

Additional query words: 2.00 msgame direct-x dx7 aoe2 aok aoeii combatfs cfs2

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Keywords          : kbenv kberrmsg aoe kbimu msgame 
Technology        : kbHomeProdSearch _IKkbbogus kbGamesSearch kbFlightSimSearch kbAOESearch kbAOE2ExpConquerors kbAOE2Kings kbCombatFlightSim2 kbCombatFlightSimSearch kbFlightSim2002 kbFlightSim2002Pro kbSimSearch
Version           : :1.0,2.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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