Game wont start? Read this 2021 windows 10 fix

[Assassin]

Your computer needs openAL.
OpenAL is used for rendering multi-channel 3D positional audio. The style of OpenAL's API is very similar to that of OpenGL. OpenAL was also designed to replace other proprietary 3D audio systems, like EAX and A3D.
You can get OpenAL by googling it and going to their website and downloading the windows installer, should take less than a second and your game should launch in crappy resolution after that you just need to change settings in game then you can play and have fun.

This is an out of date audio driver that was made for games like Battlefield 2, and 2142. And is not installed with the Dirt 3 since it was pre 2015.
Windows computers no longer come with it as it was replaced long ago with better software.

[Loverboy]

Downloaded it and it's still not starting

[Assassin]

Are you sure you got the right download?
Should get it from openal.org that's what fixed it for me.

[Turtle]

Thank you! It worked for me

[wholemealhepple]

There is a installer for openal with the game in the root folder under redistributible or redist or some such. Anyone online UK - London?

[wholemealhepple]

_CommonRedist

\steam\steamapps\common\DiRT 3 Complete Edition\_CommonRedist\OpenAL\

[Assassin]

Originally posted by WholemealHepple:

_CommonRedist

\steam\steamapps\common\DiRT 3 Complete Edition\_CommonRedist\OpenAL\

Thanks for sharing this, I didnt think to look for it in the game file.

[wholemealhepple]

Originally posted by Assassin:

Originally posted by WholemealHepple:

_CommonRedist

\steam\steamapps\common\DiRT 3 Complete Edition\_CommonRedist\OpenAL\

Thanks for sharing this, I didnt think to look for it in the game file.

[Psirhcillius]

Thanks heaps for this, I never would have figured this out!

[S4mY]

Thank you. :)

[wholemealhepple]

one more tip - full rooms dont show in the server list...

[Colledge]

I tried all dont work for me

[ConstWilD]

Thank you very much.
Your solution did the trick.
The game works again.

[kYkJI0B0Д]

the game still doesn't start.
I've found oalinst.exe file, installed openal with it, but it didn't work, the game crashes after 3 seconds

[Marder]

If anyone isn't aware: after installing OpenAL from the game files, you need to restart your PC for it to complete the setup

[shep]

I have used Compatibility Mode Windows 7 and Run As Administrator and finally got it working without the game crashing so now I can crash cars.