Serious DirectX Issues, help!

Ok, I've spent the last two days trying to get DirectX 9.0c to install without any luck.
Background:
-I downloaded dxwebsetup.exe from the microsoft website, and ran it. Half a second after I agree to the TOA it says complete. However dxdiag says I still have 9.0b, and the program I want to run still tells me to get 9.0c.
-So, I do a little research, and I download a DirectX uninstaller. It puts my version of DirectX back to my XP original of 8.1. I run dxwebsetup.exe again, with the same results.
-I then download several version of dxwebsetup from a variety of websites, no dice.
-I then try to reinstall SP2, hoping that it will fix some issues, I won't reinstall saying I have another copy of SP2 already. However, that copy doesn't show up in add/remove programs and I don't have a "\windows\$sp2uninstal$\" folder. (I.E. I don't have the removal program).

Please help me, I really need to install 9.0c and am just about ready to reinstall WindowsXP.

 

This might help, it's a standalone installer



http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2924

 

That is actually one of the versions I have downloaded. I have three on my computer at the moment and all three run the same way, with the same results; they run for about 1/2 a second and say they are complete without actually doing anything. =(

 

I actually did uninstall it to version 8.1 from 9.0b. Do you mean to uninstall compleatly?

 

I just now tried using DirectX Happy Uninstall as well. I uninstalled again and restored 8.1 from my back-up files. I then used the installer, opened up dxsetup.exe (from the directx redlist downloaded from MajorGeeks) and I get the following error message:

"windows\system32\EXTRACT.EXE"
"windows\system32\AUTOEXEC.NT The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications."

I can't get this thing to work, does anyone have any ideas?

 

Found this


http://www.geocities.com/clb92001/

 

Still ran into the same problem....Even with DirectX 9.0 gone, it still won't install a newer version. I'm stumped.

 

I just downloaded and ran a registery cleaner. Afterwards I came up with the same result. I have also done several virus scans without any results. There is actually no error message that pops up when installing, it simply does not install. It says that it has finished installing but infact it has done nothing. I've also throughly looked at the microsoft website, but there is no mention of such a problem. However, there are many posts out on the web from people with similar problems. Sadly, none of the solutions offered out there work for me. If I can't figure this out, or someone can't help me, I'm going to have to reformat sometime tonight... Sad. I hate reformatting.

 

Try checking msconfig to see what is running in the background and limit to only the vital ones, reboot and try to install it.

If not, you could try booting into Safe Mode and installing it.

Also, have you tried to install it via the Windows Update site?

If none of the above work, try uninstalling unused programs and rebooting, then install 9c.

Check that you are using the correct hardware drivers and that Device Manager doesn't report any errors.

 

It's brutal I know but you could have a look through your uninstall folders (in Windows folder), find the one pertaining to the update concerned and deleting it followed by a reboot.

Alternatively I remember reading somwhere that you can edit files in the update folder to spoof that the update hadn't been done.

I think this is where your problem lies, it's looking at an update log, seeing it marked done and stopping. I'll do a bit of research.

 

I don't know... I just tried reinstalling Windows XP compleatly (thus far w/o a format) and it still won't install. I'd think that the update folder would have been cleared by the reinstall, no? I also tried installing in safe mode, great thought, I was hoping that one would do it... In MSConfig I don't have a single thing checked, I make sure to keep it clear of useless start-up progs. The Windows Update site has been giving me an error ever since I first tried to use it, some error that isn't in their database and they won't get back to me as to what is wrong, yipee. And I just did a massive uninstall of all the old games and unused applications I have, and even after that the program still wouldn't take. I swear it's like my computer is just doing this to spite me.