Civilization 4: "error loading shader libraries"

Have you patched the game to the latest version? I think it's 1.61.

yup, I've got the latest patch and all that jazz, I don't know what else to do. I tried to the art pack patch, but that didn't seem to do anything either.

Uninstall the game and clean your PC of any files that the uninstall might have left behind. Reboot and re-install.

That's helped me in a few cases.

If you are using Warlords, then the problem lies in the latest patch
and you now have to update your direct x
it is all explained here at this forum http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=232116

Go to page 3 and it will have a link to the file you need

Hi guys. Are you having problems with shader libraries not loading. It seems like you all are, so don't listen to everyone sending you to download some crappy file or exe. that will not even fix it. I've tried numerous times and those updates from other places don't work correctly. I went to this link (below) and downloaded this in 10 minutes and installed, then I played the game with no problems (Online and Single player). So, trash those other updates and use this 100% Cure. I can now enjoy the game that I've desperately tried to get working for a week now.

Go Here: http://rapidshare.com/files/39588041/directx_jun2007_re...
(click the "free" button and wait 1.7 minutes to get your
download)

HEY!!! that file giagantic file is an unregistered torrent and possibly malware. Sysops if you are reading this delete Cowmatrix's post.  

To solve this problem simply download dx3d9_31.dll and 32.dll and drop them in the civ4 root directory. done.

where can you download dx3d9_31.dll ?

You can down load the files here
http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?d3dx9...
http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?d3dx9...

Its free and it works..

Solved it for me   Thank you.

"To solve this problem simply download dx3d9_31.dll and 32.dll and drop them in the civ4 root directory. done."

After trying all the other methods, this one worked and the game launched without the "shader libraries" error. Thank you much, macvsog.

macvsog,

Thank You from Brasil. Works!!! Finally I can play! Obrigado.

Jorge Lander

You would probably want to run the offical DirectX Updater from Microsoft, to update any missing DX files.

The root file? help me out here please guys cos' this is the most irritating problem ever for me to be honest so please can you tell me?

Download and run the offical DXupdater form M$ to make sure DX9.0c is updated. (Mandatory for Vista users).

If that doesn't fix it, re-install, as the games files probably got deleted/corrupt somehow.

It,s not Solved it for me

Just wanted to say that downloading those two .dll files posted above seems to have fixed my problem perfectly, and it only took about a minute. Thanks for posting them.

Problem fixed after downloading d3dx9_31.dll and d3dx9_32.dll from the locations provided by the previous anonymous post and placing those DLL files in the root directory of the Civilizaiton IV applicaton folder as instructed by the post by macvsog. Thanks!

A few details collected together:

The problem I needed to solve was that I could not use Civilizaiton IV (base game installed from 3 CDs and requires CD in drive to run) after upgrading it from version 1.61 to 1.71, which was the latest patch as I'm posting this, on a laptop running Windows Vista Business.

The unpatched version (1.61) of Civ 4 as installed from the CDs worked fine.

The patch produced the following error near the end of its installation:
I answered OK and the install quit.

Upon trying to run Civ 4, I received a missing d3dx9_32.dll error. After downloading and installing just that DLL from the location mentioned above, I received the error "Error loading shader libraries" After putting both DLLs mentioned above in the location mentioned above, the program worked.

By the way, for those unsure of what the "civ 4 root folder" means, it is often
C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4

In process of trying to fix this, I also downloaded (from Microsoft's site) what I thought was the DirectX 9.0c end-user run time files. That didn't fix the problem, and I think it had no effect, but I mention it as it is a step I did before the final fix so it might be required (although I doubt it).

- Bill

Just to confirm the same happened to me , I patched to the lates version 1.74 now and i got the error "error loading shader libraries", I updated to the latest directx end user run time files from microsoft . This alone worked for me, I have a dell dimension with vista business

omg lol hacker alert

This method work in Vista 32/64 and Windows 7 32/64


Install Civ4
Install Civ4Patch1.74_Final.exe
Copy d3dx9_31.dll and d3dx9_32.dll to folder where you install Civilization (search internet or unpack directx 9 .cabs)
Right click Civ4 Icon
Choose Properties -> compatability
Check Windows XP Service Pack 3
Check Disable Visual Themes
Check Disable Desktop Composite
Search Civilization4.ini in your Documents directory (usually on Libraries\Documents\My Games\Civ 4)
Search for NoMovies = 0
Change it to NoMovies = 1
Save it
Run Civ4

Great job, worked for me

Hello everyone...I am taking the time to write this to possibly save someone else the huge headache in dealing with the "can't load shader library errors." In Civ 4

This is what I discovered after countless reinstalls...tech support..registry edits...and software updates...

Its important to know that a specific version of direct X 9c is the most stable for this game...it also seems to be the only package that I could get to work...make sure you get this specific package because in later months several pertinent dll files were stripped and recoded for emulation. With umpteen versions of Direct X floating around out there this is where the majority of the problems arise. This is what I installed to get Civ 4 to work on a 64 bit Windows 7 platform:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/7/1/1718CCC4-6...

Last month I built a new rig with a shnazzy 5850 ATI card and made the mistake of installing direct x 11 BEFORE installing some of the previous versions of Direct X. Theoretically, DX11 is backwards compatible and allows for an upgrade from previous DX versions which should allow everything to run correctly. This is simply not the case as two crucial .dll files in the C:/Windows/System32 directory have been replaced by emulation files instead of the older, larger content specific files....even though the files look and are named the same...they are composed of a different code than what was given to many software developers.

This is what is causing Civ 4 to lock up and crash. Even after spending an hour with FireAxis games in Northern England...even they could not figure out how to correct this problem. Several sites want you to replace the files listed below in your C:/Windows/System32 directory...do not do this as you will mess up a clean install of DX which will cause more compatibility errors with newer games (Metro 2033 and Sims 3 in my case).
Instead, download and save the dlls listed below.

http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/
http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/

Next install Civ 4 in safe mode...this will prevent the application from automatically downloading premature software info...again avoiding a lock up and freeze. Once you have installed Civ 4 in safe mode...then unzip, copy, and paste the two dll files you downloaded and place them into the same directory as your Civ 4 Application...this will probably be your C rogram Files/2KGames/FireAxisGames/Civ4/ file folder.

The game should boot now. Fingers crossed and praying to Jesus...

I also found out that the majority of people having this problem use higher end ATI cards...make sure you have the latest version of Catalyst Control Center and download the most current drivers for your card: Here is a link for Win 7 Users of the 5800-5970 cards

https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206/0/www2.ati.com/dri... 10-3_vista64_win7_64_dd_ccc_wdm_enu.exe

Also this will correct the "no previous version of Sid Meires Civ 4 is detected" error when installing the new patches that are out for the game.

Also do yourself a favor and download the 1.61 version of the patch:

http://download2us.softpedia.com/dl/cb03f992b87a2d9cb32...

BEFORE installing the most recent 1.74 patch:

http://www.firaxis.com/downloads/Patch/Civ4Patch1.74_Fi...

Anyways guys, I hope this sheds some light on a rather obscure problem that noone seems to be able to fix.

God Bless

Big Gresh

not t sound totally un-techy, but how do I get to the CIV 4 Root Directory

go to your program files, sidmeirs civ 4, and you are there

this could get you a virus. go with the other guy, the guy with the root thing. it saved me!

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey