d3dx9.dll is missing or not found or installed

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So this error message has been doing the rounds lately.

This application has failed to start because d3dx9_32.dll was not found.

Or other error messages around d3dx9.dll, dxdx9d.dll, d3dx10.dll, xinput.dll, xact.dll, d3dx10_33.dll and other variations being missing, not being found or installed.

These are all optional components to DirectX that may not be installed with the version of DirectX you already have on your system.

Typically these will be installed when the game installs DirectX, however for historical reasons a lot of gamers, knowing they had the latest version of DirectX didn't bother (I never do either). Microsoft a couple of years back provided these optional components in the SDK, and as such may not be installed with the version of DirectX present on your system.

Games I've come across with this happening range from

Age of Empires III (3).
Battlefield 2.
Battlefield 2142.
BioShock (unconfirmed)?
Caesar IV (4).
Civilization IV (4).
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.
Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2.
Hitman Blood Money.
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth 2.
Lost Planet.
Need For Speed Most Wanted.
Virtual Skipper.

I'm sure there's probably a couple of dozen more games, feel free to list any additions in the comments below.

The solution is to either install the version of DirectX on the game's disc, or download the latest webupdate from Microsoft (at the moment this is being redirected to the Games for Windows website).

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30 comments

Comment from: Arcus Arcanus [Visitor]

Never had that particular problem, but when I tried to play Age of Mythology, the igfx display driver kept crashing and being fixed. The Windows support people were worthless, only saying that the game "is not supported" on Vista, but I found an update from Intel for the driver and the problem is gone, or at least better; the game still runs slow, but that could just be my system. It seems that Vista is not compatible with an annoying amount of other older games too.

20th August 2007 @ 04:17

Comment from: Catherine [Visitor] · http://www.catmoo.co.uk

I had a problem like this with playing a demo of broken sword the angel of death game, for some reason there was a direct x file that apparetly I didn't have and the demo didn't either so I had to update my direct x from the website.

20th August 2007 @ 08:39

Comment from: mdcrl [Visitor] · http://www.mdcrl.com

Just finally got round 2 gettin RE-4 (Resident Evil 4) and of course the d3dx9.dll issue pops up.... guess I wasn't as up to snuff as I thought....

just one more 4 the list

28th September 2007 @ 02:22

Comment from: Tobias DeLuna Wolfe [Visitor]

Having a similar issue myself with Eve Online now that they've released the Trinity expansion. Not sure exactly which file it is, but I'll continue huntin' Google.

6th December 2007 @ 04:08

Comment from: Michael [Visitor]

Thanks, I had no idea what that my error message meant, but your comments allowed me to realise what the problem was and after downloading the latest directx it worked perfectly. Thanks again.

13th December 2007 @ 20:49

Comment from: sharanu [Visitor] · http://gulabarga

ctracer game can't rune becus it's asking d3dx9-dll file fund . so what i willdo

14th December 2007 @ 08:02

Comment from: Henri [Visitor]

Thanks for the tip :)

I got this error on Civilization 4 after I downloaded an upgrade for Civ 4-Warlords (upgrade from 1.0 that's on the disc to 2.13).

The disc comes with DirectX 9. After reading your comments, I managed to figure out that the upgrade needs DirectX 10. The installation process did not mention this at all.

So thanks again, I can finally start playing my game now.

28th December 2007 @ 10:55

Comment from: john [Visitor] · http://www.dasmirnov.net/blog/2007/08/20/d3dx9_dll_is_missing_or_not_found_or_ins

i had a problem with black and white2

13th January 2008 @ 21:44

Comment from: Oscar [Visitor]

Error apears in Bioshok wen you istall for first time not apear when you open for secontime apear reistall fix this proble temporary

16th January 2008 @ 19:43

Comment from: Great, now what... [Visitor]

Great you managed to compile a list of problems, now how about you tell us how to fix them, now that would be something worth reading

29th January 2008 @ 08:05

Comment from: Paul Smith [Member] · http://www.dasmirnov.net/

Try reading the article:

"The solution is to either install the version of DirectX on the game's disc, or download the latest webupdate from Microsoft (at the moment this is being redirected to the Games for Windows website)."

29th January 2008 @ 13:26

Comment from: matkorommel [Visitor]

I have this problem with Sherloch Holmes vs. Arsen Lupin.

12th February 2008 @ 16:09

Comment from: Liam [Visitor]

my autorefresher/banlist application doesnt work due to not being able to find d3dx9.dll and same with dxhook.dll, i dled dxhook.dll directly, now it says it cant find d3dx9.dll, can anyone help? or should i just keep downloading these .dlls till i have all of them and no more problems?

8th March 2008 @ 19:39

Comment from: Paul Smith [Member] · http://www.dasmirnov.net/

Liam: Install DirectX.

8th March 2008 @ 19:45

Comment from: Lady D [Visitor]

my brother have a game "Kane & Lynch: dead man" . but this game doesn't run because of d3dx9_34.dll missing. directX has been set on my computer. what's the problem?

21st March 2008 @ 10:17

Comment from: Mizen_Da_Cat [Visitor]

I had the same problem with GTA_SA :(

1st April 2008 @ 13:18

Comment from: christof [Visitor]

i had this problem with sim city societies, just downloading latest DirectX to see if it works !

13th April 2008 @ 11:16

Comment from: Alex SDU [Visitor]

Most important thing, anybody know how to install 'em?! Should we just paste it in the game's folder or what?

25th April 2008 @ 16:13

Comment from: mark [Visitor]

comand and conquer 3 tiberm wars has the same issue

25th May 2008 @ 06:08

Comment from: PlasZeb [Visitor]

Europa Universalis: Rome

24th June 2008 @ 15:04

Comment from: Francisco [Visitor]

Che alguien sabe donde puedo bajar el file que se llama así ::: "d3dx9.dll"
gracias saludos

29th July 2008 @ 18:36

Comment from: zach [Visitor]

your a lifesaver! i got in on COD4

5th August 2008 @ 23:43

Comment from: sardnyx27 [Visitor]

hi! tnx for this article...i'm having problems with need for speed most wanted..currently downloading the directx from microsoft..hope this solves the problem.. :)

26th August 2008 @ 05:47

Comment from: conner [Visitor]

im having this problem with CALL OF DUTY 4 MODERN WARFARE.

i cant figure out how to fix it. help!

This application has failed to start because d3dx9_34.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.

d3dx9_34.dll

31st August 2008 @ 15:33

Comment from: Justin [Visitor]

I had this problem as well for "Hitman : Blood Money" but after fixing it I was hit with another problem. Trying to sort this part out now.

14th September 2008 @ 14:19

Comment from: Asim [Visitor] · http://cheepon.wordpress.com

Well i too am facing this problem and thanks to you i have solve it..

Appreciate your help..

2nd October 2008 @ 14:33

Comment from: Brian [Visitor]

Thanks -
My CoD:WaW (World At War) BETA has the error: "d3dx9.dll has not been found". This post helped me find out what to do and were to go... Thanks.

31st October 2008 @ 21:24

Comment from: Sherif [Visitor]

I have a problem running bioshock after installing it. when I run the program it message that I was missing a d3dx9_33.dll. Now I not sure what to do.

15th November 2008 @ 23:47

Comment from: blake [Visitor]

dont forget about call of duty 5 world at war beta :(

19th November 2008 @ 13:17

Comment from: Consindo [Visitor]

Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 has this problem

20th November 2008 @ 03:36

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