Directx 8 Fully Backwards Compatible?

[UThomas]

Are all games that are DX7a compatible ok with DX8 (is it fully backwards compatible)?

Are sound and (NVidia) video drivers as well?

I'm getting random crashes in games and just going to format and reload windows and I want to see if I should put on DX8 since some of the new games like MechWarrior 4 require it, or if DX8 is part of the problem. They have been going on for a few months and I have no idea what the catalyst is, but DX8 might be part of it.

Also, the does anyone know the latest creative drivers for SB Live? I've run all their lame patches and all I get is the 10/99 ones..

Thomas

 

[Mem]

In theory yes,but there have been reports of problems with some games,however on my own system I do not have any problems with DX8,the current version of SBLive drivers are dated 26th may 2000 go here for Win98 & 95 drivers,Don`t use 7.xx for DX8 stay with the 6.xx series,Btw I use 6.31 since they are very stable on my own system.

 

[UThomas]

I knew I didn't have the latest Creative drivers. I swear to God that I can't get them to update. I run the that should do it and nope, same old. The liveware 3.0 is already installed (I think, unless its not updating either). I just wish they would give me the darn dll's or something, all they have is executables that don't work for me.

Any thoughts on why my drivers are stuck at 10/7/99? Or better yet how to fix it? I've already tried removing them, and running the sblw9xup.exe in safe mode.

Thomas

 

[Mem]

Try reinstalling the current DirectX version you have ,since it may be a DLL file from that,then try reinstaling the latest sound drivers.

 

[gtd2000]

Yeah good point there UThomas - how the hell do these drivers install I keep re-running the setup and searching for the new driver to be updated but it's always the same bloody one thats already installed....
Thats for both my "GeForce" and "SB Live" cards from Creative.
I've even downloaded the drivers from different sites but still not found by windows after doing the installation
What gives???
I have also upgraded to DX8 and having the same problem with the drivers

 

[BreakApart]

Once you get tired of DX8 problems, use this program to remove DX8 completely so you can install an earier version like 7.0a or 6.xx version.

DirectX Buster

It works in Win98se, and ME.
Does NOT work in Win2000 they say...

 

[UThomas]

Yea, but we are going to have to go to DX8 at some point. I wonder if I have to remove DX8 and then install the new drivers, then put DX8 back on... hmmm...

Thomas

 

[gtd2000]

That link provided here actually gave me a driver that was installed!
Now my Geforce has the latest driver - wow! And it was so easy, just how it was supposed to install!...

Just need to find a "working" SB Live driver now..

I'm not having anyproblems with DX8 though...what are the symptoms?

 

[UThomas]

I get random locks in Age of Empires 2. Here is the catcher. I figured out how to get it to stop locking today. Underclock my CPU 100 mhz! Its an athlon 800 that I was running at 850. It ran Quake 3 stress tests and 3dmark2000 fine all day. But not AOE. So I put it down to 800. Still no go. Put it down to 750. No go. Down to 700 and it works like a charm. Previously when AOE worked it was on an athlon 500 running at 700 (which I replaced with the 800). How strange is that?

Any thoughts as to whats going on here? Having to loose 100-150 mhz to run a game is rediculous. I have a huge cooler on it and it is cool to the touch.

Thomas

 

[NeuroN]

the cpu is to fast for the game , well. it happened to ME it can happen to Aoe

/me is grasping at straws