Solution to ‘missing or not found d3dx9_42.dll’ Errors

The d3dx9_42.dll is associated with DirectX (formerly known as Game SDK), is a set of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling jobs related to multimedia, such as game programming and video, on Windows operating systems.

Error

Most common programs that use DirectX are Windows based games and advanced graphics programs. This is why you are likely to encounter a d3dx9_42.dll error when you are using any such program.

Some of the common error messages that you are likely to come across include:

  • "File d3dx9_42.dll not found"
  • "File d3dx9_42.dll not found"
  • "D3dx9_42.dll not found. Reinstalling might help fix this."
  • "The file d3dx9_42.dll is missing"

Solution

Before we discuss the steps that you need to perform to troubleshoot errors related to this DLL file, there is an important fact that you should know. You should avoid downloading DLL files from the Internet to resolve ‘missing or not found’ DLL errors. Many websites on the Internet promote malicious files by disguising them as genuine files or attach malware to legitimate files. Downloading such a file on to your computer is a recipe for disaster, recovering from which may cost both time and money.

Moving on to what you need to know to fix the above-mentioned DLL errors, perform the following steps in the sequence they appear below:

Step  1 – Install DirectX

This step is applicable if you don’t have DirectX installed on your computer. To verify if DirectX is installed on your computer or not and its version, perform the following steps:

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Run.
  3. In the Open box, type dxdiag and then press Enter.
  4. The information related to DirectX is listed at the bottom of the corresponding window.

If DirectX is not installed, download it from the Microsoft website.

Step  2 – Install the latest version of DirectX

On the other hand, if DirectX is installed, but its version is old then download and install the latest version of DirectX.

Step 3 – Install DirectX from your Game’s installation CD

If the error persists after you have completed step 2, replace the version of DirectX installed on your computer with the DirectX version included in your Game’s installation CD.

Step  4 – Uninstall and reinstall the software that is giving you the error

It is possible that the DLL error you are receiving is occurring due to issues with other software files that use d3dx9_42.dll. This issue can be easily resolved by uninstalling the software that is causing the DLL error and reinstalling it.

Use the following guidelines if you need help on how to uninstall programs on a Windows computer.

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Double-click Add or Remove Programs to open its corresponding window.
  4. Locate and right-click the software you want to remove, and then click Uninstall.
  5. Restart your PC before you reinstall.

Step 5 – Update your video drivers

As a last resort, you may try updating your video drivers to resolve the ‘missing or not found’ DLL issue. You can update your drivers manually or may use an advanced driver update program for this purpose.