Accessing Games on Computer

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I have always been able to access the "built-in" free games (like Minesweeper and Hearts) that came installed on my computer with no problem, but when I clicked on them to open them today, I got a window that said, "Critical Error. Failed to create DirectX device." What (if anything) can I/do I need to do to restore access to them?

[wilderness]

You don't say what OS you have?

"Critical Error. Failed to create DirectX device." (http://www.google.com/search?q=%22Critical+Error.+Failed+to+create+Direc tX+device.%22&btnG=Search&sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&btnK=)

First result and end of thread:


I, too have been searching for hours and hours to find a fix.
Try this, it worked for me on my Windows7 machine where the microsoft games kept crashing with a directx error.
1 - Create a new folder on your desktop and name it "games" or whatever.
2 - Navigate to c:/program files and double click the microsoft games folder
3 - There are folders for all the installed games. Open each folder, one at a time and copy the .exe file and paste it into the new "games" folder. DO NOT use the media center shortcut.
Some of the games require that you also copy their .dll file with them into the new "games" folder. For me, it was Chess, Mahjong, and MineSweeper. The rest of them worked without copying the .dll file.
Open the game by clicking it in the new "games" folder, or make new shortcuts using the files in the new folder.
This somehow bypasses using the Media Center which seems to be the problem with the directx crash.
Hope this works for you!

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As far as I know, I didn't apply any kind of fix, but, somehow, the games are now once again functioning as before. (I won't look a gift horse in the mouth.)

[Marshall Bennett]

I had the same issue playing hearts and the problem just went away on its own.

[JustRalph]

As far as I know, I didn't apply any kind of fix, but, somehow, the games are now once again functioning as before. (I won't look a gift horse in the mouth.)

Automatic updates? How often do you reboot? :lol: