Problems with Direct X on Windows ME

Which version of DirectX do you have? You might try upgrading to version 8 if you have not done so already.

I had version 9.0 of Direct X on my system and when I installed Sid Meirs new "Pirates" game it installed version 9.0c. Now none of my games that utilize Direct X work. They crash with various error messages. When I do a "check" of Direct X it "passes" all of the self tests. What gives? It's one of the best reasons I have ever had for NOT UPGRADING anything. Everytime I follow Microsoft's advice about upgrading I get burned. Can someone help me out there?

An example of an error message I get is like this one I got when I ran the game Silent Hunter II which has been working for years on my computer. The message says "Error -1 [Bad UZO initialization]
Direct X code: "Unrecognized error: 0xffffffff"
F:\Devel\SH2\Sim\Sources\CSH2Sim.cpp
Line 2076

I am computer literate to some degree but I am lost here. A sytem restore doesn't work because somehow there is no previous restore point. Something that also always happens even though I have it set to restore points automatially. Help Help!

G. Collins
Ottawa, Ontario

System restore is a fragile component and its failure is no real surprise. You could have any number of problems that would lead to a failure of DirectX. Run DXDiag and go through all the tabs and post back what it reports.

It could be reinstall time.

In one sense I did correct it. In another no. I got Direct X to pass all of its diagnostics but the game "Rome: Total War" I still can't get working.

For some crazy reason when I try to re-install Windows Me it gets about 1/2 way through the install and then gives some kind of error message that says it can't continue. Fine. I stop the install and go right back to using Windows ME anyway.

I have never been able to use "system restore" and when I try to save a "restore point" I get an error message having to do with Micorosoft's Internet Explorer of all things, a browser I don't even use.

So everything is working except "Rome: Total War". I seem to have some kind of a conflict with the ATI drivers for my Rage 128 Pro video card and the ones Dell supplies. When I try to upgrade from the ATI site I get messages saying that I can't. I then go to the Dell site and they dont' have updated drivers.

I am completely satisfied with my DELL but I don't think I will buy another one if I get conflicts like this. I NEED updated drivers for my ATI card and ATI can't supply them becaues it is a DELL computer. It's one of those "no win" situations for the consumer in my opinion. Nobody wants to take responsibility.