Installing DirectX9.0 under 98lite

by LitePC

** UPDATED FOR DirectX 9.0c **

DirectX9 can be installed using the small "web update" package from Microsoft providing that IE is installed (Win98, 98SE) or both IE and the "Microsoft PC Help Center" (Windows Me)(requires 98lite v4.7)

To avoid the web based install which downloads the DirectX files every time you install it, and to avoid installing IE just to install DirectX you can download the full DirectX 9.0c Redist package and use that to install DirectX.

98lite - MICRO
98lite MICRO installations may be missing the cryptography components needed for checking the digital signatures of the DirectX download. If so you will see the error message:

"A cabinet file necessary for installation can not be trusted"

You can install the 98lite "MS Cryptography Providors" in the Internet Tools section of the control panel add\Remove software applet. This option is added to the control panel by 98lite.

The lean alternative is to use the INF package below to just install the initpki.dll and rsabase.dll files that are required by the DirectX installer. See Below.

98lite - Me
Under Windows Millennium the "Microsoft PC Help Center" may also be required to get past the file check and complete the install (requires 98lite v4.7 and you can uninstall the PC Health option afterwards if you want without influencing your DirectX. You may see the error message " DirectX did not copy a required file" if you are missing the Health Centre files.

If however you really dont want to install the PC Health option - all you need is the following system files to be present in the system folder so that the DirectX installer can verify the install file certificates: SFC.DLL, SFPDLL.DLL, SMGR.DLL, ATRACE.DLL

We have a small INF installer that will extract these files from your CDROM/setup files and copy them to your system folder - see below.

Windows 98(original): 98preDX9.inf INF installer
(installs the cryptography files)

Windows 98 Second Edition: 98SEpreDX9.inf INF installer
(installs the cryptography files)

Windows Me: MEpreDX9.inf INF installer
(installs the cryptography and Win Me Health Center files)

Save the INF file to your desktop, right click on it and select "install" from the context menu.

After the INF has copied the needed files to your system you should then be able to install the full DirectX 9.0c Redist package.

The DirectX uninstall routine was upgraded in 98lite v4.7 to fully remove all DirectX 9.0c files and registry baggage should an uninstall be required.

Installing DirectX9.0 under 98lite

See also