DirectX on Windows 2003 Server x64 R2 SP2

[shaithis]

I am have been trying to activate DirectX on my home server.....Yes, I know its not recommended but the machine isn't really taxed and there are some times when its really handy to fire up a game on it for someone.

Dual booting is not an option

System contains:

P35 mobo
E4300
4 x 1GB DDR2-800
7800GT (PCI-E Power cable is attached)
Windows 2003 Server x64 R2 SP2 (Standard Edition) - Domain controller, DNS Server, IIS Server and Exchange Server

System is not overclocked in any way.

Now, I have changed the hardware acceleration option in the "Troubleshooting" tab of the display properties to "Full Acceleration". I have installed the Intel drivers for P35 chipset (3 times!), I have installed a multitude of different WHQL-certified nVidia drivers (using Driver Cleaner Pro between installs)......but whenever I run DXDiag to enable the DirectX functionality the enable buttons are not there, the approximate memory size for the gfx card reads "N/A" and DXDiag states roughly:

"Direct3D functionality not available. You should verify that the driver is a final version from the hardware manufacturer"



After about 30 reboots for removing/cleaning/re-installing nvidia driver/reinstall directx 9c/re-enabling full acceleration I am starting to lose my mind.

Anyone have any idea?

[badass]

DirectX is for desktop operating systems. It simply won't work on a server OS.

[directhex]

DirectX is for desktop operating systems. It simply won't work on a server OS.

mmmmm, not true. i've used 2k3 as a workstation os before

check the services tab in the management console, see if there's anything that looks like it could do with being enabled & started

[Agent]

I thought every x86/AMD64 Windows since Win95 came with DirectX as standard?

It controls a lot more than just gaming.

[kalniel]

DirectX is definitely for server editions too.

Try re-downloading the redistributable:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en

[shaithis]

I will try the download again tonight but fairly sure its not that as I used the webupdate for DirectX twice and then the full redist every time after that.

I have dug up something from the nVidia forums which talks about BSODs that were 100% repeatable in 2003 server when Terminal Services and/or TS Licensing were installed on a machine with Detonator drivers 91.31 or greater.

It is an old thread though and I never got as low 91.31 (let alone the 81.98 they recommend!) and I am now wondering if its something nVidia did to later drivers to stop DirectX being enabled (conspiracy theories ftw!) and therefore solving the BSODs the heavy-handed way.

The thing is, I did have a flirt with Terminal Services but thought I had removed it completely.....If the re-downloaded DX Redist doesn't work, it's downgrade to 81.98 Detonators and then I may have to try and find some way to confirm that there are no traces of Terminal Services left on the build......or re-install Windows

[shaithis]

Bah, absolutely no luck at all

Re-downloaded the DX redist, tried the Dets all the way down to 81.98, ensured all traces of Terminal Services was gone (inc reg keys).....and still nothing.

I've got to swap a different P35 mobo in next week anyway, if that doesn't kick things into life I guess its time to buy a cheap AMD card......

[Stringent]

I know this is an age old thread, I recently had this problem on my x64 Win2K3 at home, I noticed it when iTunes wasn't displaying everything. I narrowed it down to drivers. I had a standard graphics adapter installed instead of the Intel drivers. Problem was, Intel only did drivers for WinXP x64 and when you tried a setup it moaned about being the wrong OS.

I got tired of other incompatibilities with x64 and went back to x86 Win2K3. I got the Intel Drivers and manually installed them (i.e. extracted to folder and then pointed the standard graphics driver to them) and it all worked. Now all i get is when I log in, I have to grant permission to the Intel graphics tray icon thingie.

When you did dxdiag, and clicked on test direct draw did it work anyway? Mine did. I think its a driver issue.

So first major thread resurrection of 2009?

[Jay]

I didn't think iTunes worked in x64

[Stringent]

Heh, the x64 didn't till I tweaked it, the 32 bit does work.

[lskreblin]

1.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Direct3D\Drivers
SoftwareOnly=0

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DirectDraw
EmulationOnly=0

2.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Direct3D\Drivers
SoftwareOnly=0

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\DirectDraw
EmulationOnly=0

1. and 2. for win2003 x64
Only 1. for win 2003 x86