For all who want/need it - Downgrading from DX8 to DX7 or lower
 

Here's my way of doing it, and all you need is the install program and regedit. It's very very simple.

1.) Open regedit
2.) Search for "DirectX"
3.) On ANY instance of DirectX 8 or something, change it to DirectX 6 or something
4.) Sometimes you will see a version number like 5.10.**** or something. Change it to something lower... 1.11.1111 will probably most definitely work
5.) Repeat as necessary until there's nothing DX8 related left (yes, it is kind of broad, but it works!)
6.) Install DirectX7 or whatever

And what the DX7 install will do is remove DX8 thinking it's DX6 (or whatever version you set it to) and install DX7. :D

Regedit is DANGEROUS.

Why the hell would anyone want to downgrade?

Here's a safer and easier way:
1. Delete DirectX
2. Install the one you want.

SSmutz is smart.

I actually have downgraded it like that on somsone's computer, cuz the computer was too old to handle the new version.

Okay, yeah, delete DirectX8. Then you're stuck with the DirectX8 stuff in your registry, and all you can do is reinstall DirectX8, since DirectX7 checks the registry for later or previous versions of DirectX... and if there's a later version detected in the registry, it won't install.

DirectX installs save the version and all that good info in your registry for installations and so you can check your DirectX version (that may be built into DXDIAG, however).

you can't. DirectX 8 "embedds" itself with Windows. You can't get rid of it without reinstalling windows. What was posted in this topic is dangerous and probably doesn't work.

But then again, that's how most programs install...

YES

This is why you go into the registry and edit it so that you can trick DirectX7 to installing over DirectX8.

My registry method works - I actually did it to try and see the light effects on Graal better.

Well, ont he computer I downgraded, it didn't have a registry. There's still no point in downgrading in the first place. So why is this thread here?

Er, why are you trying to downgrade DirectX on Windows 3.1/3.11? Why is DirectX even on the Windows 3.1/3.11 system? I'm not sure if Win32s supports it or not...

The point in downgrading is that DirectX8 is a bit buggy with certain drivers at times...

SSmutz you need to get with the times man.
DX8 affects so many video cards and screws up so many games it's not funny. Just read some big games' support forums, half life, it's mods, unreal tournament, black and white, anything..

DX8 seems to work for some people but absolutely screw up for others.

DirectX hasn't done a thing to my computer ecxept make the grapahics a bit somther and faster.

And not just that.

He's installing DirectX on Windows 3.1 :D

No, the comptuer had one of the first Windows 95 versions that was really buggy.

3.1?! HAHAHA...


I hate it! I used it for about 4 years then went away.

FOr the second time, it was on an early Windows 95, and it wasn't my comptuer either.

WINDOWS 95 HAD REGISTRY!

I think that the only way that that computer would have a version of Windows 95 without registry is if the Windows 95 was a beta version...

Yea, it is the only windows OS that doesn't havea a registry.
Oh, the memories. I used to love tinkering with 3.1/dos

It was a beta version prolly. It was one of the first versions.

Beta versions of Windows 95 might not have had it... it was built from Windows 3.11 (which was a fixed-up version of Windows 3.1 by the Chicago/Win95 team..), which also didn't have registry, since it was built from Windows 3.1.