As you know, the specialized DirectX platform in various modifications is included in all operating systems of the Windows family, since without it some programs for working with multimedia, not to mention modern computer games, will not work. Almost everyone knows about it.
But far from all ordinary users are aware that this platform also contains a special automated diagnostic tool DirectX, which allows you to timely detect some problems with installed or connected separately equipment, as well as get brief information about many components. Consider the tools of this system component in more detail.
What is the DirectX diagnostic tool in Windows 7 or any other version of the system?
Since its inception, the platform has firmly established itself in Windows-systems, and without its participation there is not a single process related to multimedia. But the DirectX diagnostic tool was not initially oriented towards automatic hardware testing, since some types of tests (for example, regarding video card performance) had to be started manually.
In addition, it was required to independently activate the use of some filters like ffdshow or DirectDraw. In all recent versions of Windows, you don’t need to do this. Based on the results of self-testing, the platform automatically includes the use of the necessary components in the optimal mode.
As mentioned above, the DirectX diagnostic tool in Windows 10 and earlier systems is now not only a test utility, but also an informative applet, which sometimes is simply irreplaceable to obtain information about the installed equipment and its drivers. We’ll dwell on them later, but for now we’ll deal with the launch of the program.
How to run the DirectX diagnostic tool?
The easiest method to invoke the desired dialog is to use the Run console or the command line with the dxdiag shortcut.
In the same way, you can simply run the utility from the "Task Manager", creating a new task.
Another starting technique is to directly run the dxdiag.exe executable file, which is located in the System32 system directory. Please note that, unlike some other system tools, the DirectX diagnostic tool is not required to be run as administrator.
Main tabs and information presented on them
After starting the utility, a window appears in front of the user containing several tabs. How many of them will depend on what kind of equipment is installed on the computer or connected as peripherals. However, the main ones are the general tab, screen, sound and input.
Now briefly about the information presented on each tab.
On the general, as the name implies, the main indicators are presented regarding the operating system and its modifications, installed processor, RAM, current date and time, computer manufacturer, main language pack, version of the main DirectX platform, as well as the general and used in currently the size of the swap file.
The screen tab displays brief information about the installed video cards, as well as their drivers. It is interesting that in the description of the latter you can find not only the developer or an indication of a digital signature, but also a link to the driver files themselves. So, if you need to find exactly the same, you can download them just by that name. The filters and accelerators involved are listed below.
The sound tab corresponds to the same parameters that are indicated for graphic chips. And here in the driver description you can see not only its general name, but also the name of a specific file.
Finally, the input tab is dedicated to peripherals currently connected to the computer. Here it is noteworthy that, in addition to the main equipment, you can also see information about the drivers of USB hubs, if external devices are connected through them. Thus, it becomes quite obvious that it is possible to get the basic characteristics of some devices and information on drivers from this dialog without resorting to the help of system information or the “Device Manager”.
In addition, on all tabs, with the exception of the general one, there is a special field below that indexes possible malfunctions and malfunctions of the equipment. If no errors are indicated, then the devices are working fine, and the drivers are fine.
How can this utility be useful (except for testing the main components)?
Separately, it is worth saying that the described DirectX diagnostic tool can be of particular interest to all those users who have integrated video-on-board video chips on the motherboard, since this tool allows you to find out the true allocated memory of the graphics accelerator. For this, there are no other means in Windows-systems, and you do not need to resort to the help of third-party software that provides absolutely all the characteristics of the installed equipment.
Report Creation
In conclusion, it is worth noting that the DirectX diagnostic tool, in addition to its direct purpose, can be used as a tool for exporting information (descriptive) parts regarding equipment and tests performed to a report text file. And the latter, after being saved on the hard disk in any convenient place or on removable media, can be opened for viewing even in the most primitive text editor, such as the one built into the Notepad system, to refine this or that information. To do this, use the button to save all information.
And if you look at what can be found in this file, the user will be pleasantly surprised, because there is much more information here than on all the tabs present together. So, it is impossible to underestimate the information content and the testing performed by the tools of this applet.
As it is already clear, in some situations, this utility can become the only tool that allows you to identify problems and malfunctions in the work or functionality of the main equipment used by the DirectX multimedia platform in time.