Error message when you try to start a Microsoft game: "The file d3dx9_XX.DLL was not found"

When you try to start one of the Microsoft games that are listed in the “Applies to” section, you may receive one of the following error messages:

This issue may occur if the Microsoft DirectX file that is mentioned in the error message is corrupted or is not copied correctly.

Download and then install the latest version of DirectX

To resolve this problem, download and then install the latest version of DirectX End-User Runtimes Web Installer. To do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note You may receive the following error message during installation: For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Manually copy the file

To resolve this issue, copy the D3dx9_25.dll file or the D3dx9_27.dll file from the disc 1 CD of the game CD pack to the corresponding game folder.

To do this on a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP, follow these steps:

1. Insert the disc 1 CD for one of the following games into the CD drive of the computer:
   • Microsoft Age of Empires III
   • Microsoft Fable: The Lost Chapters
   • Microsoft Zoo Tycoon 2
   • Microsoft Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends
2. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
3. Locate and then click the following folder:
   CDDrive:\ DirectX9
   Note In this folder path, CDDrive represents the drive letter of the CD drive.
4. Double-click Apr2005_d3dx9_25_x86.cab, right-click d3dx9_25.dll, and then click Copy.
   
   In Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends, double-click Aug2005_d3dx9_27_x64.cab right-click d3dx9_27.dll, and then click Copy.
   
   Note Use the Apr2005_d3dx9_25_x64.cab file for the x64-based version of the Microsoft Windows operating system.
5. Locate one or more of the following folders, depending on the games that are installed on the computer:
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires III
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Fable - The Lost Chapters
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Zoo Tycoon 2
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Rise of Legends
   Note In these folder paths, Drive represents the drive letter where the game is installed.
6. Right-click the game folder that corresponds to the game that is installed on the computer, and then click Paste.
   
   Note If you have installed more than one game on the computer, repeat steps 5 and 6 for the other games.

To do this on a computer that is running Windows Vista, follow these steps:

1. Insert the disc 1 CD for one of the following games into the CD drive of the computer:
   • Age of Empires III
   • Fable: The Lost Chapters
   • Zoo Tycoon 2
   • Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends
2. Click Start
   Collapse this imageExpand this image

   
   , and then click Documents.
3. Locate and then click Computer.
4. Locate and then click the CD drive.
5. Locate and then click the following folder:
   CDDrive:\ DirectX9
   Note In this folder path, CDDrive represents the drive letter of the CD drive.
6. Double-click Apr2005_d3dx9_25_x86.cab, right-click d3dx9_25.dll, and then click Copy.
   
   In Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends, double-click Aug2005_d3dx9_27_x64.cab right-click d3dx9_27.dll, and then click Copy.
   
   Note Use the Apr2005_d3dx9_25_x64.cab file for the x64-based version of the Windows operating system.
7. Locate one or more of the following folders, depending on the games that are installed on the computer:
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires III
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Fable - The Lost Chapters
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Zoo Tycoon 2
   Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Rise of Legends
   Note In these folder paths, Drive represents the drive letter where the game is installed.
8. Right-click the game folder that corresponds to the game that is installed on the computer, and then click Paste.
   
   Note If you have installed more than one game on the computer, repeat steps 5 and 6 for the other games.