It does include everything. The driver installer is probably not being able to detect it properly. To check the DX dll files launch dxdiag and check the "DirectX Files" tab.

EDIT: Are you using 98 or 98 SE?

IIRC DX9 came as either its own standalone version which was only the DX9 redistributables or the entire package which also includes previous DX versions, I remember DX10 did the same thing where it only installed specific DX10 files for that update of it. (At one point I remember having a dozen or so updates of DX10 along with an equal number of DX9 updates and each damn game came with its own DX9/DX10 D3D Dll)

You might have to find a DX8.1 installer package and install that along with DX9.

Yes, I vaguely remember something similar.

But I think back then I've started with DirectX 9.0a instead and upgraded it further step by step.

Anyway, the file size is perhaps an indicator. The biggest DirectX 8.x or 9 redistributable likely contains the complete set.

(- Or, it merely contains both 2K/XP and 9x updates in a single installer ? Not sure, I forgot.
Normally, I thought 2k/XP and 9x use a separate DirectX redistributable file, AFAIK.)

Jo22 wrote on 2023-01-03, 02:53:

Yes, I vaguely remember something similar. […]
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Yes, I vaguely remember something similar.

But I think back then I've started with DirectX 9.0a instead and upgraded it further step by step.

Anyway, the file size is perhaps an indicator. The biggest DirectX 8.x or 9 redistributable likely contains the complete set.

(- Or, it merely contains both 2K/XP and 9x updates in a single installer ? Not sure, I forgot.
Normally, I thought 2k/XP and 9x use a separate DirectX redistributable file, AFAIK.)

They do.

Ok, thank you. ^^

TrashPanda wrote on 2023-01-03, 02:05:

IIRC DX9 came as either its own standalone version which was only the DX9 redistributables or the entire package which also includes previous DX versions, I remember DX10 did the same thing where it only installed specific DX10 files for that update of it. (At one point I remember having a dozen or so updates of DX10 along with an equal number of DX9 updates and each damn game came with its own DX9/DX10 D3D Dll)

You might have to find a DX8.1 installer package and install that along with DX9.

DX9 Dec 2006 contains everything up to that point. I've tested on Win 98 SE; don't know about non-SE.

eddman wrote on 2023-01-03, 11:03:

TrashPanda wrote on 2023-01-03, 02:05:

IIRC DX9 came as either its own standalone version which was only the DX9 redistributables or the entire package which also includes previous DX versions, I remember DX10 did the same thing where it only installed specific DX10 files for that update of it. (At one point I remember having a dozen or so updates of DX10 along with an equal number of DX9 updates and each damn game came with its own DX9/DX10 D3D Dll)

You might have to find a DX8.1 installer package and install that along with DX9.

DX9 Dec 2006 contains everything. I've tested on Win 98 SE; don't know about non-SE.

Thats nice to know!

I cant remember exactly when MS started their silly mini redistributable DX versions, it may have been mid 9.0c when every damn game on steam had its own version of the D3d 9.0c Dll.

2006.. Wasn't 2006 also the year Windows 98SE/Me went EOL?

TrashPanda wrote on 2023-01-03, 11:06:

I cant remember exactly when MS started their silly mini redistributable DX versions, it may have been mid 9.0c when every damn game on steam had its own version of the D3d 9.0c Dll.

I'm not aware of any redist packages, downloadable or included with games (EDIT: retail ones; I haven't checked how steam does it), that are missing older DX files, EXCEPT for the last one, June 2010.

June 2010 only contains the files to update the existing DX files, so if you don't have the base 9.0c and older installed (if they don't come with Windows itself, that is), you won't get them. That's probably why the minimum system req for the June 2010 redist is XP SP3 (although it can be installed on SP2, since it already has 9.0c).

All pre-June 2010 redists should include all the DX files. (EDIT 2: To clarify, redists after Dec 2006 do not include base DX files for Windows 9x anymore; only Windows 2000 and higher.)

EDIT:

I just tested installing the June 2010 redist on XP SP1 in a VM and it doesn't, throws an incompatibility error. Feb 2010 installs fine.