Cannot Install Direct X

[Draconis9]

If I do that will it restore DirectX? Also how do I do that?

 

[MindoverMaster]

You have to format your hard drive and reinstall your entire Operating System. You will loose everything currently on your drive.

 

[4P_Bulldozer]

IF you have "Recovery Disks" (like HP or Dell provide) you can re-install only the Operating System without deleting your 'Downloads' or 'Data Files' (EG: MP3s, Videos, Letters, etc.) but you will have to re-install any Programs that you installed since you purchased your Computer and your "Desktop Icons" will return to the default.

.
Remember the Rules (that I never follow):

1. Don't mess with stuff you don't know about.
2. Google for info before you try something new.
3. Make backups.
4. Ask for help before trying something you shouldn't.

 

[MindoverMaster]

You never backup? Bad boy.

I have messed with the registry before, but I made darn sure that the guide was legit.

 

[Draconis9]

Well I think I am just going to take it to the Geek Squad see if they can fix it.
Thanks for all of the advice!

 

[KSoD]

Your going to get charged an arm and a leg just to hear them say that they cant fix it and they have to do a full reinstall of Windows. I have said it multiple times now. There is no way to fix DX in Vista. Vista comes pre-installed with DX10 and was later updated via Windows Update to 10.1, none of which are available for download and install via any method. They are built into the core of the OS just like the Kernel and IE.

You want to waste your money, that is your choice. But they are going to charge you $100 just to reinstall Windows, cause that is the ONLY solution to this issue.

 

[4P_Bulldozer]

You never backup? Bad boy.
I have messed with the registry before, but I made darn sure that the guide was legit.

During the last 1/4 Century I have make "proper" Backups less than a half dozen times (and never made "improper" (partial or non-verified) Backups) except on a file by file basis (EG: backup Registry or Source Code before fiddling with it).

My Backups were mostly done as an experiment to see if (for me) I could see a purpose in doing them.

It takes days and dozens of DVDs to backup your puny 250GB Drive when it's half full, admittedly the subsequent incremental Backups go very quickly.

During the past 1/4 Century I am quite certain that I have lost WAY less than a gigabyte of Files and have saved many days (and DVDs) for better use. This is why I do not backup, that does not mean that others should follow my example.

It is like driving on a private Road (or at four in the morning) without Seatbelts except (to me) it makes more sense to spend a couple of seconds to put on Seatbelts than it does to tie up my Computer (and have a big stack of useless DVDs) for an accident that I will not cause. It is a weighing of what you know, what you mess with and what you can afford.

PS: Messing with the Registry can toast you when you reboot and a Backup (of just the Registry) will do nothing to help.

A rollback Filesystem like ZFS provides and running under a Virtual Machine can avoid everything except loosing your last few minutes of work and another minute to fix everything.

 

[MindoverMaster]

I always practice to backup your files to 3 sources. Just get 500GB drives. 250GB is like nothing.

 

[4P_Bulldozer]

I always practice to backup your files to 3 sources. Just get 500GB drives. 250GB is like nothing.

It is correct to backup and to store the Backups in three separate locations.

The last time I did a back up 250GB was a fairly large Drive, the biggest Drives were twice that size and expensive. I recently bought a WD Black Caviar 1TB for less than $100, money very well spent.


Backing up and verifying 250GB to DVDs (with compression) is much slower than:

● Watching paint dry.
● Defragmenting.
● Running a few full Virus scans at the same time.
​

The last two I find more useful than having a large pile of DVDs with old versions of Programs. Backup to BR may change my mind when the write speeds are increased, until then I live on the edge.



I have a Manufacturer's Recovery Disk that will restore my Drive (and Operating System) to like the day I bought my Computer (but leave my downloads intact - it does not reformat the Drive). It only takes 45 minutes to fix anything.

I took the training wheels off my Bike long ago, now I can turn faster but on rare occasions I fall down.

A virtualized OS with a rollback filesystem (like ZFS) is really the way to go. Snapshots can be made instantly and take up almost no space, due to that fact some people make over 10 per hour.

 

[joel2007]

Well I think I am just going to take it to the Geek Squad see if they can fix it.
Thanks for all of the advice!

Don't waste your money. TF members are smarter than Geek Squad. If Geek Squad cannot fix it, you still have to pay money $50 -$100 just to hear them talking smack.