Trying to play an old game on Windows 10 64-bit

[bluewaves]

I'm trying to play a game from 2001 called Outlive. Installation went fine and all but I can't run the game. Every time I try to, it gives me an error stating: "Incorrect version of DirectX". I tried using different compatibility modes (XP, Win 98 & etc). I also tried installing DirectX 9, 10 and 11 but it did not work. The game has DirectX 7 as a requirement but I'm not able to install it since it's so outdated.

If you were gonna suggest using VM with XP, I already tried it. It works but the experience is ruined due to Hyper-V not having sound and being quite laggy. Not having a sound could be sorted using RDP to connect to my VM but still the lag issue remains. I also was thinking having a dual boot with Windows XP to run the game but XP is not compatible with UEFI, so it's not an option either. What do you guys to run old games such as this?

 

[vrumor]

Ive never used VMs, but do they require more powerful hardware to run them well? If so, what are your PC specs.

 

[Math Geek]

the game needs directx 7 so you MUST install that fo rit to work. every version of directx is unique and not compatible with others.

usually it is included on the install disk somewhere. if not, then you're gonna have to spend some time on google looking for an archive that has it. beware though as many of those sites inject malware and such into the files they offer.

 

[bluewaves]

@vrumor

2x gtx 970 with SLI enabled, 512gb m2 SSD, 16gb ram and i5-4690k. VMs are kinda always laggy despite having good specs.

@Math Geek

As I already mentioned in my OP, I tried installing DirectX 7 but it's not possible to install it due to it being extremely outdated. It's not possible to run the installer since it will give you an error regarding incompatibility and yes I tried changing the compatibility mode & it ran but always crashes.

 

[TerryLaze]

First off,don't use hyper-v go with VMware(their pro version if you don't enter a key works as a free version) or Virtualbox they both simulate graphics and sound decently enough to run games,actually they can use your real GPU so gaming is possible.

 

[TerryLaze]

As I already mentioned in my OP, I tried installing DirectX 7 but it's not possible to install it due to it being extremely outdated. It's not possible to run the installer since it will give you an error regarding incompatibility and yes I tried changing the compatibility mode & it ran but always crashes.

He meant installing dx7 inside the VM!

 

[bluewaves]

the game needs directx 7 so you MUST install that fo rit to work. every version of directx is unique and not compatible with others.

usually it is included on the install disk somewhere. if not, then you're gonna have to spend some time on google looking for an archive that has it. beware though as many of those sites inject malware and such into the files they offer.

Also, yes the installer is included in the disk. This is the only thing that shows when I run it: https://prnt.sc/gya3g2

 

[bluewaves]

As I already mentioned in my OP, I tried installing DirectX 7 but it's not possible to install it due to it being extremely outdated. It's not possible to run the installer since it will give you an error regarding incompatibility and yes I tried changing the compatibility mode & it ran but always crashes.

He meant installing dx7 inside the VM!

Umm, as I said in OP, the game works fine in VM. So I don't see why installing dx7 in the VM is necessary. The issue with a VM is the performance but I will give your suggestion a try to see how it goes.

 

[BFG-9000]

Previous versions of DirectX are included in Windows 10, but unfortunately many games were unable to access the /System32 folder where the DirectX .dlls were kept (a permissions issue) so the solution was to simply copy the missing ones from that folder to the game folder. Unfortunately earlier this year Microsoft decided to move those .dlls to a hidden cache to hide them from end users, so while you can still put working versions into the game folder, the trick is now getting them in the first place.

With not fixing the permissions problem and then hiding the easiest workaround (obviously .dlls in the game folder cannot be updated by Windows Update), then removing Starforce, SafeDisc and SecuRom, Windows 10 has become worse and worse for playing old games. It's pretty clear Microsoft wants you to buy new games from their app store instead of playing old games.

 

[TerryLaze]

Umm, as I said in OP, the game works fine in VM. So I don't see why installing dx7 in the VM is necessary.

" every version of directx is unique and not compatible with others.

usually it is included on the install disk somewhere."
The train of though here is that some games are very particular about the dx version or even sub-version,installing the version that came with the game is just one more thing to try,that's why you started this topic in the first place isn't it?To get opinions on things to try?!

 

[Math Geek]

my bad, i thought you could not find directx 7. not that it would not install.

some others have given you some ideas around that. i've never tried such an old version on win 10 myself. so other than some googling myself, i'd be guessing ideas.

 

[Karadjgne]

AFAIK, the DX9.0c sdk is backwards compatible as it's based on the same design. But there are certain things that might work, as I've had to do them for older games like kotor. When you install the game, make sure it installs to Program Files (x86), not Program Files. It's a 32 bit program (might even be 16bit at that age) and needs the drivers set included in System32. If installed to Program Files (default for those old games, long before 64bit OS), it'll pull the driver set from Syswow instead, and baulk. The DX9.0c sdk should also be installed under the PF (x86). You'll probably also need to run through the shortcut with the game run as administrator and I had best luck using compatibility mode for XP (Sp2 not Sp3), but that's the same year as the game release, so you might need Win98SE instead. Even then it might not work, as any OS after 2001 XP is now ntfs based with decreasing DOS support. It's getting to the point where getting any 16bit program to work on a 64bit based platform is next to impossible as such things like cpu recognition for minimum requirements is off the charts, dotNet requirements, even things like processor speeds are far too high for the app/game to contend with. Many of those older games simply do not work on new platforms no matter what's done unless dual boot with the right OS because the game itself was never patched to be open ended, it was made to run on whatever platform was available at the release as closed end coding is far simpler and cheaper to implement, only using 2x floppies instead of 5x (for example).

 

[TerryLaze]

Runs fine with d3dwindower,the black bar comes and goes,probably something to do with resolutions,plays smoothly though otherwise.

 

[MrITguy]

I'm trying to play a game from 2001 called Outlive. Installation went fine and all but I can't run the game. Every time I try to, it gives me an error stating: "Incorrect version of DirectX". I tried using different compatibility modes (XP, Win 98 & etc). I also tried installing DirectX 9, 10 and 11 but it did not work. The game has DirectX 7 as a requirement but I'm not able to install it since it's so outdated.

If you were gonna suggest using VM with XP, I already tried it. It works but the experience is ruined due to Hyper-V not having sound and being quite laggy. Not having a sound could be sorted using RDP to connect to my VM but still the lag issue remains. I also was thinking having a dual boot with Windows XP to run the game but XP is not compatible with UEFI, so it's not an option either. What do you guys to run old games such as this?

It's funny that you bring up VM. I'm actually an IT guy. I wouldn't suggest hyper-v or virtual box for that. Your best chance would be VMware workstation. Reason being is in workstation you can adjust how much GB of ram you can allow that VM to use from your graphics card. Think of it this way each graphics card has dedicated amount of ram. You would be just dedicated x of ram to that VM. That would be your best option. But you have to pay for VMware workstation. And on top of that. I have never tried it.