Unable to launch "The Launcher cannot query DirectX."

[Proletarian Abyss]

Error message in full is:

"The Launcher cannot query DirectX. Please update DirectX by installing the latest redistributable."

I have contacted Rockstar and they are leading me through the basic, update drivers, re-install DirectX, etc. flack. I have done all of these things. I have updated Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 with service packs 1-3 and I am running the current version of Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1. My machine runs all programs as an admin by default.

The thing is; the game never gets beyond the Steam client interface / Windows desktop. So I never get a black screen or any launch menu, by which I might alter any graphical settings. The error message is pretty instantaneous from launch. Implication is I have it running in the "wrong" DirectX version; I am running WinXP with DirectX 9.0+. Rockstar also informed me (in more recent exchanges) that I need to set LA NOIRE to the correct version of DX, without mentioning WHAT that version is or how I may do that without a launch menu or options screens. However, I have no settings.ini files in my LA NOIRE folder, as the game has never properly launched, so I can't even do a work around by altering the .ini.

Does anyone have a spare settings.ini file I can just drop into the LA NOIRE folder in order to try to get past this issue? Or maybe a command line for the "Set Launch Options" screen?

Any other suggestions? You couldn't be _less_ helpful than Rockstar.

[Fidel]

I see this problem hasn't been resolved, and it's pretty effin' annoying. My computer meets the requirements, everything is up to date, but I assume because I'm on XP and using directx 9, I'm probably being screwed. Seriously, what the f*ck?

I'm sorry I couldn't provide an answer, I'm just hoping someone else sees this thread who can help.

[Proletarian Abyss]

I gave up. There's no way I should be spending 7+ hours getting a game to work from a developer whose attitude is somewhere between "Tough ♥♥♥♥, we got your money." to "You need to do the same thing we told you to do the last 2 times you bothered us with your issue."

Life is too short for Rockstar's poorly ported, wildly overated games.

[CabbageToenail]

Same problem here, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

[ChewMunchy]

Originally posted by Proletarian Abyss PoE:

I gave up. There's no way I should be spending 7+ hours getting a game to work from a developer whose attitude is somewhere between "Tough ♥♥♥♥, we got your money." to "You need to do the same thing we told you to do the last 2 times you bothered us with your issue."

Life is too short for Rockstar's poorly ported, wildly overated games.

Did you try installing direct x9 files from the L.A. Noire Directory, it should be in a folder called '3rd'. From there you MIGHT be able to fix the problem you have.

[Proletarian Abyss]

Thanks for your help. I actually upgraded my Windows recently with a new system. I haven't tried the game yet, my whole experience having soured me on the Rockstar games line, but I imagine that it will take care of itself.

I am pretty sure that I tried that anyway. Althought it was so long ago, I cannot remember.

[sudden_death79]

Better late than never...


I think i've found the cause for the "The Launcher cannot query DirectX." problem under XP. There are some solutions for Win7/8... like: installing the included DirectX 9 version... or: run your Steam client with administrator rights. But for me (under XP) the cause for the error message was another one:

The LANLauncher.exe was looking for the "DirectX for Managed Code" subfolder inside the "Microsoft.NET" folder of the "C:\Windows" directory. For some stupid reason this absolute path name is hardcoded inside the LANLauncher.exe. Usually that won't be a problem at all. But if your Windows (for whatever reason) is installed under a different directory name, the LANLauncher.exe looking for the "DirectX for Managed Code" folder at the wrong place and therefore can't find it. This results in the "The Launcher cannot query DirectX." message.


My solution:
I hardlinked the whole "Microsoft.NET" folder content via Link Shell Extension:

http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html#download

... into a dummy "C:\Windows" directory. But a simple copy & paste of the "Microsoft.NET" folder into a manually created "C:\Windows" directory will do the trick too.

After that, the launcher found the folder and it's content, therefore giving me the opportunity, to run the game hassle-free!

[Proletarian Abyss]

Thanks, but when I got a new computer with (no longer running XP) it seemed to have solved the issue.

[sudden_death79]

I almost thought something like that. I now have a dual boot system with Win7 as well as XP. But when i bought "L.A. Noir" last year i had only WinXP. I encountered the same problem you've had and couldn't find any solution for me running it under XP. That's why i had put the game on side for some time...

Since using Win7 the problem was gone for me too. But it always bugged me that a game which should SUPPOSEDLY run under XP had such a strange problem under XP and nobody seemed to know how to solve it. That's why i wanted to give it a last try... and (finally) did found the solution by accident.

At the end it's simply (and at the same time: sadly) the result of unnecessary sloppy programming :( .

[IM GONNA RAM MY TRAIN YO ASS]

Hey guys I am using Windows 10 and I have the same error what should I do?

[℣rataski]

Originally posted by sudden_death79:

My solution:
I hardlinked the whole "Microsoft.NET" folder content via Link Shell Extension:

http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshellext/hardlinkshellext.html#download

... into a dummy "C:\Windows" directory. But a simple copy & paste of the "Microsoft.NET" folder into a manually created "C:\Windows" directory will do the trick too.

After that, the launcher found the folder and it's content, therefore giving me the opportunity, to run the game hassle-free!

Dude, thanks! I was almost giving up when I saw your post and decided to try.
Just copying the folder "Microsoft.NET" to "C:\Windows" and done, it works!

Srsly, thanks a lot :)

[76561197996545315]

Originally posted by diegotheonlydiego:

Hey guys I am using Windows 10 and I have the same error what should I do?

Have already you solved the problem on Windows 10?

[IM GONNA RAM MY TRAIN YO ASS]

Originally posted by Ceran:

Originally posted by diegotheonlydiego:

Hey guys I am using Windows 10 and I have the same error what should I do?

Have already you solved the problem on Windows 10?

Yes it was fixed after some time without using it

[Xmenekai]

directx_aug2009_redist.exe
directx_Jun2010_redist.exe

instal these.

[Jacket]

Greetings from 2017, in case someone will face this problem and stumble upon this discussion in search of a solution. How I solved this problem:

I just ran Verify Integrity of Game Files. https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?p_faqid=282

The file that fails to verify is local configuration. This file was restored, then, before running the game, Steam launched the installation of the DirectX components required for the game, and the game started.

I understand that most likely this will not help everyone who has encountered this problem, but it can at least help someone.

[TitioJoca]

Greetings from 2017 as well. Ifyou still can't run the game. Just open the game folder and run the LANOIRE file instead of the LANLauncher