Why Steam keeps installing DirectX ?

Why Steam keeps installing DirectX News - PC - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Thought this was interesting and I questioned why EVERY game I installed forced a DX9 update. Is there any danger in the constant update of DX9?

 

I think the article just says its Window's fault and its not a big deal.

 

You can just cancel it when it says that it is installing DirectX and relaunch the game. It will then skip it. Seriously.

 

I tried that and the entire installation aborts. Is DX9 getting overwritten on each install or are the files skipped if the version number is the same? To my knowledge DX has worked this way in the past.

 

It is not installing DirectX per se but rather updating (or making sure that) the command lines used for the game (in DirectX) are there.

 

While you can do that, I would just wait it out. Skipping the installation could lead to crashes and it's not like installing the different versions requires a reboot - just a few seconds of your time.

 

there will be no harm done installing direct x over and and over and over. so canceling it would be pointless unless you really want to save that 5s.

steam will install microsoft frameworks over and over also. i have like 9 versions on my programs list. they cant harm your computer in anyway.

 

If you have a huge game library like me. You can gain some massive amounts of MB back by deleting all those redistributable installers from all your game folders.

 

Delete the installers. But there are multiple versions of the DX libraries, and some games have been stupidly programmed to require specific versions. So many times what you're getting with new games installed like that are they're putting in a different point version of DX9 than you had installed. The more games you install the less this should happen.

Welcome to what's affectionately known as DLL Hell

 

aka windows has serious issues.

 

if you have the lastest direct x you will be able to play any game. no game requires their own specific file.

steam just installs it regardless because they want the game to work for you and is 2 lazy to program a directx detection system.

 

Yep I just skip the whole process by cancelling and relaunching the game .. ._. If something goes wrong, I just do verify game integrity

 

Speaking of the devil, Kotaku picked up the loophole as well!

Why the Hell Does DirectX Install Every Time I Buy a Game off Steam?

 

Its embedded in the game, Steam has nothing to do with it.

 

Developers are forced to assume that you don't already have it, just in case.

 

^^this, better be safe than sorry

 

So if there's a call for DX 9.0c June 2010 on the install package and it's already on your system does the installer overwrite those files or does it skip them?

 

Overwrite, like mentioned the policy can be summarized in better safe than sorry.