Q: My daughter gave me her old computer, loaded with a cranky XP Pro system with Service Pack 2. I have gradually improved it with more RAM, a bigger hard disc, and a DVD drive and it has been really useful as a project and learning tool. Also thanks to maintenance software on cover discs like yours it runs smoother and quicker.
But I have problem with the software with the rewritable DVD drive in that all loads OK except the Nero part which stops, saying my DirectX needs updating. DirectX was on your last Utilities disk and invites me to install, but where?
A: DirectX is a collection of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to graphics and multimedia. These are basically shortcuts to help programmers to perform common tasks without having to produce their own code. It’s an extension to the Windows operating system and its components are stored within the Windows folder. When you run the installer from the coverdisc or the Microsoft website it should update the appropriate locations automatically.
Version 1 first appeared with Windows 95 and we’re currently up to version 11. You can check which version you currently have installed by going to Start, Run and typing in dxdiag. Run this again after you’ve upgraded to confirm that everything has worked correctly
Running dxdiag will tell you which version of DirectX is currently installed
Originally featured in PCU122
