This is my first post to CivFanatics, so I'd just like to thank everyone for what I've learned from reading this site. The strategy guides and sample games are so helpful for this complex and absorbing game.

I have a technical problem that 2K Games tech Support hasn't been able to help me with so far, so I wanted to ask here:
I bought Civ 4 Gold (includes Warlords) (on disc) and it runs fine on my Vista system, then I bought BTS (on disc) and it comes up with the "Error Loading Shader Libraries" dialog after after the status bar shows "Check XML/Init Audio/Init Python/Init XML (cached)/Init Engine"".

2k Tech Support recommended doing what other threads here have discussed:
1. install the Direct X 9.0c update: here they recommend the "directx_mar2008_redist.exe" (the full package from Microsoft).
I did this; no change.

2. Run in older compatibility mode (Windows 2000 and others) - this causes a problem earlier in the load sequence, with a "Cannot locate the Cd-ROM" dialog box. This didn't seem a good path to go down ...

3. Also,I've re-installed BTS and updated BTS to the most recent patch v3.17 (no help).

I've been through the threads about this on CivFanatics; most fixes center on updating Direct X 9.0c (done, multiple times) and (sometimes) moving various Direct X .dll files into the Civ IV directory(ies): tried it, no help, assuming I put them in the right dir(s).

1. Does anyone have any further suggestions?
2. Do we know what the "Error Loading Shader Libraries" dialog is complaining about- what exactly is wrong? It's so odd that Warlords runs fine, but BTS won't.

Here's the basic specs for my system:
System description: Dell XPS720, 2 Quad CPU, 2.4 GHz, 3 GB RAM
OS: Vista Home Premium (auto updates)
Video card: NVidia GeForce 8800 GT, driver up to date (vers. 7.15.11.7519)
DirectX Version: dxdiag shows "Directx 10".

Interesting note: Civ VI, Warlords and BTS all run fine on my portable computer (Vista with ATI card), but ... slowly. At least I know the discs are OK.

Thanks for any helps or ideas.

Larry Samuels

Try this one: DirectX End-User Runtimes (June 2008) (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=822640AB-0983-4C41-9C70-632F6F42C557&displaylang=en)

I'm pretty sure its some kind of DirectX issue.
There's been at least 3 directx updates since the June 2007 one.

I'd uninstall BTS, install DirectX, skip updating GFX drivers for now. Then install BTS + 3.17 patch.

It's also possible "Gold" gets installed into an alternate directory? I recall reading something about that, and a Registry issue. Maybe someone else has more information in that regard.

CivFanatics comes through again! (Better than 2K support :))

First I fetched and installed the June 2008 redist Direct X; no fix.

Then I followed Balderstrom's suggestion:
##
I'd uninstall BTS, install DirectX, skip updating GFX drivers for now. Then install BTS + 3.17 patch.
###

and whaddaya' know - order matters! Direct X first, *then* BtS - this fixed my problem. Now I can run BTS - thank you!

Larry S.

Glad I could help... I think...
hmm Civ might just ruin your life...so just in case - there's always CivAnon (http://civanon.org)