Directx 9.0 Error

[tiger10x]

I been having the directx9 error when I try to run The Sims 2.
"Failed to enumerate any DirectX 9 compatible graphics adapters in this system!..."
I recently reinstalled Windows 7 and started my laptop fresh. The game was working perfectly before and never had this problem. I am using the exact same laptop as before so I don't understand why I am having this problem now and not before. The core game, without any expansions/stuffs, actually works but when I install an expansion or stuff, then it doesn't. I am using Windows 7 64-bit and my graphics card is ATI Radeon HD 4500. Of course, DirectX is up to date. Any help would be greatly appreciated.



Specs

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System Information
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Time of this report: 4/16/2012, 21:24:48
Machine name: ISAIAH-PC
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_gdr.120305-1505)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: TOSHIBA
System Model: Satellite A505
BIOS: InsydeH2O Version 1.80
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T6500 @ 2.10GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.1GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4094MB RAM
Page File: 1693MB used, 6492MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
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Card name: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4500 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x9553)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9553&SUBSYS_FF151179&REV_00
Display Memory: 2297 MB
Dedicated Memory: 506 MB
Shared Memory: 1790 MB
Current Mode: 1366 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: unknown
Monitor Id: SEC3041
Native Mode: 1366 x 768(p) (59.993Hz)
Output Type: Internal
Driver Name: atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.14.0010.0678 (English)
Driver Version: 8.634.1.0
DDI Version: 10.1
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 7/29/2009 23:34:04, 4059648 bytes

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Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0272&SUBSYS_1179FF18&REV_1000
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 65535
Type: WDM
Driver Name: HdAudio.sys
Driver Version: 6.01.7601.17514 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 11/20/2010 03:44:23, 350208 bytes

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Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives
------------------------
Drive: C:
Free Space: 394.7 GB
Total Space: 715.3 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: ST9750422AS ATA Device

Drive: D:
Model: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GA10F ATA Device

[ellacharmed]

DirectX may be up-to-date, but the graphics drivers is not. :)

Also, when you say "DirectX is up to date", did you specifically download DX9 version or the latest Microsoft Downloads had to offer?

[tiger10x]

DirectX may be up-to-date, but the graphics drivers is not. :)

Also, when you say "DirectX is up to date", did you specifically download DX9 version or the latest Microsoft Downloads had to offer?
I'm using the latest Microsoft has to offer. I have tried installing specifically DX9 version but the installer would just say that DX is already up-to-date.

I tried hard to update my graphics driver. I went to AMD's official site to download the driver. All they offer is their Catalyst Mobility which doesn't work for the following error:

AMD Catalyst Mobility cannot be downloaded due to incompatible hardware/software on your computer.

The version of your graphics adapter is not supported.

Please contact your notebook manufacturer for a graphics driver update.

I even went to my manufacturer's site, Toshiba, to download a graphics driver update. It just takes me back to AMD's website. I'm finding my manufacturer unreliable.

[porkypine]

It probably is not compatible with the chipset version. You can take it to a shop to see if the video graphic is upgradeable for your model.

[tiger10x]

It probably is not compatible with the chipset version. You can take it to a shop to see if the video graphic is upgradeable for your model.
Hmm I wonder why it worked the first time before I cleaned my computer. I am using the same computer with the exact same graphics card and now it's not working.

[ellacharmed]

... see if the video graphic is upgradeable for your model.Laptops are not upgradeable, porky.

Hmm I wonder why it worked the first time before I cleaned my computer. I am using the same computer with the exact same graphics card and now it's not working.
@tiger10x, I'm going to need the full Satellite A505-xxxx model number to locate drivers, as there are literally hundreds of those. Or at least, dozens of dozens. :)

The GPU desktop model does have a few yellows on them (see SysReq Wiki, link in my signature). And laptop model being made weaker than desktop versions (due to hardware limitations on power consumption and heat dissipation), plus some wear and tear would mean, what has worked before has caused the GPU to give up now that it has been pushed beyond its limits. Game Help:Your Computer is Like a Car

DirectX is backward compatible, so installing DX11 would include DX9 capabilities as well.

[tiger10x]

The model number is A505-S6970. I checked out the SysReq Wiki and found green on University, Nightlife, and Open for Business. So I installed the core game and Open for Business and it would run but then I would get a blank error message when it reaches the title loading screen. The same happened with Nightlife.
Just recently I was forced to get a new hard disk because my old one was failing. I suppose my graphics card is going through that as well.

[ellacharmed]

Well, this brings back some memories - the hunt for that elusive mobility drivers.

Toshiba's : http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/modelContent.jsp?ct=DL&os=&category=&moid=2351129&rpn=PSAP3U&modelFilter=&selCategory=2756709&selFamily=1073768663#
As you found out Toshiba does not maintain driver updates for its laptops, not after the first few months of its lifetime, anyways. The last update by Toshiba is 08-10-2009 (probably Catalyst 9.7, based on version string and dates)

What I used to do on my old laptop is to download the desktop version 12.3 from AMD directly (http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloads/Pages/radeon_win7-64.aspx) and then used guides on the Interwebz to mod (hack) it. I used
- http://www.hardwareheaven.com/modtool.php?langid=2 (Mobility Modder)
- http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-software-graphics-cards/508798-updating-mobile-graphics-cards-drivers-windows-7-vista.html (mirror of same guide, but with a more active community to answer questions)
But I remembered, at that time AMD offered the drivers separate from the Catalyst suite, so I'm not entirely sure if the modding guide is still applicable.

If you're not keen to do the modding yourself, you can search for one that has already been done, but be careful of the source. Since, this is a new system reinstall anyway, I suppose not much potential damage if things go wrong - just the long frustrating Windows reinstall process all over again - then select another site to download the modded driver. I can't personally vouch for any of these sites, as I no longer have a Toshiba laptop to test these on. :) So, standard precautions apply - scan for virus/malware/spyware/etc.
- http://www.tweakforce.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=43601#43601 (if 12.2 doesn't work try the older one from http://www.tweakforce.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=20)
- http://www.computerbase.de/downloads/treiber/grafik/amd-mobile-catalyst/ (Catalyst ver 12.2)
- http://www.hardwareheaven.com/mobility-radeon-drivers-support/206549-ati-catalyst-mobility-11-12-display-drivers-notebook-computers-13-12-2011-a.html (another forum, but the modder appears to be AWOL, but if you surf around, other members might have other links, if the tweakforce version doesn't work)

Try the tweakforce one first as that one has a forum you can ask questions at, if you have any. Before you install, be sure to uninstall the older one in Safe Mode.
Update in safe mode
===============
- Download the driver file
- boot to Safe mode (press F8 during boot-up),
- uninstall old driver via Control Panel
- reboot (You'll be defaulted to standard VGA drivers at low resolution)
- install new drivers
- reboot again

Note that the graphic drivers may disable any media buttons on the laptop as the drivers are not integrated with the OEM laptop's hardware.

[tiger10x]

Just to be sure, you uninstall the old driver via Device Manager > Display Adapters > ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4500 Series?

[ellacharmed]

uninstall old driver via Control PanelThere's no entry for AMD drivers in Control Panel? If no entry, then yes, that (via Device Mgr) would work, too.

[tiger10x]

So...I tried all the drivers suggested above. Unfortunately none of them worked, not even the slightest improvement. It seems I'm out of options here.

[Bwinney43]

I had this same problem with the same error message a long time ago. I have a desktop computer, though, so I'm not sure how different they are from each other.

I updated all my drivers and still no solution. Finally I bit the bullet, backed my game files up to an outside source then uninstalled and reinstalled. Then placed my game files back in to replace the newly generated ones.

I know they don't usually recommend doing an uninstall/reinstall because you can possibly corrupt some thing along the way but I read every tutorial out there and followed tons of FAQS and step by step guides. In the end it worked and my game was working again with no problems. I did this because I felt I had no other options. I talked to all the computer savvy people I knew and posted in a few different help forums to no avail.

Something to think about, at least.

[tiger10x]

I had this same problem with the same error message a long time ago. I have a desktop computer, though, so I'm not sure how different they are from each other.

I updated all my drivers and still no solution. Finally I bit the bullet, backed my game files up to an outside source then uninstalled and reinstalled. Then placed my game files back in to replace the newly generated ones.

I know they don't usually recommend doing an uninstall/reinstall because you can possibly corrupt some thing along the way but I read every tutorial out there and followed tons of FAQS and step by step guides. In the end it worked and my game was working again with no problems. I did this because I felt I had no other options. I talked to all the computer savvy people I knew and posted in a few different help forums to no avail.

Something to think about, at least.
I tried doing an uninstall/reinstall several times for each time I updated drivers. Still no luck. Anyway, I just got a new laptop that's much better than my old one. I installed The Sims and it works now. So problem solved.