For the 2022 PC release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, a DirectX error does not point to one guaranteed cause. Start by confirming Windows and game compatibility, then update Windows and your graphics driver, let shader preloading finish, and repair the game files. These steps follow Activision and Microsoft guidance; they are not guaranteed to resolve every crash. The steps below are for the 2022 Modern Warfare II, not the 2009 Modern Warfare 2.
First, confirm which Modern Warfare you have
Activision has separate support entries for 2022’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and other titles, including Modern Warfare 2 Remastered. Check the game’s title in your launcher before following these instructions; the Windows guidance and requirements here concern the 2022 PC release.
Activision lists Windows 10 and Windows 11 as supported for Modern Warfare II and recommends keeping Windows up to date. Its PC troubleshooting guide says Windows 7 and 8 are unsupported. Check the published specifications against your system before treating a crash as a hardware problem.
| Launch-era specification | Activision’s published baseline |
|---|---|
| Minimum graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470 |
| Minimum video memory | 2 GB |
| Minimum RAM | 8 GB |
| Storage listed at launch | 72 GB |
| Recommended graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 |
These are the launch specifications published by Activision in 2022, not a guarantee of smooth performance or proof that a component must be replaced. Its launch post also gives higher competitive and Ultra 4K tiers, so compare your PC with the tier that matches how you intend to play. See Activision’s original PC specifications.
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Update Windows and check DirectX
- Open Windows Update and install available updates. Restart if Windows asks you to.
- Open Start, type
dxdiag, and launch the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. - On the System tab, check the DirectX Version field. If you need to share system details with support later, choose Save All Information to create a report.
Microsoft says DirectX 11.3 and 12 are included with Windows 10 and receive updates through Windows Update; there is no standalone package for those versions. Installing a download advertised as a DirectX 12 fixer is not the supported update route. Microsoft’s DirectX guidance also describes a separate End-User Runtime for older applications that need legacy DirectX 9 components, such as when a specific file like d3dx9_35.dll is missing. That runtime does not change the DirectX version installed in Windows, and it is not a routine fix for this DirectX 12-era game.
Install a compatible graphics driver
Get a current, compatible driver from your GPU manufacturer, using its official driver page or update tool. Activision’s troubleshooting article, dated April 26, 2023, listed NVIDIA 526.86, AMD 22.9.1, and Intel 31.0.101.4972 as recommendations at that time. Those are dated versions, not current driver recommendations. Check Activision’s PC troubleshooting steps, but do not use the old numbers as a reason to install an outdated driver.
Let shader preloading finish
On the game’s first boot, wait for shader preloading to complete before entering a match or leaving the main menu. Activision says leaving the menu interrupts preloading and can cause performance issues. This is a useful startup check, not a confirmed cure for every DirectX error.
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Repair the installation and check for software conflicts
Repair game files in your launcher
- Battle.net: Use the game’s Scan and Repair option.
- Steam: Use Steam’s option to verify the integrity of the game files.
Follow the repair or verification process to completion before launching the game again. The launcher labels can vary slightly as their interfaces change.
Temporarily isolate background software
Activision recommends disabling applications or services that may interfere with the game. As a targeted test, close NZXT CAM, MSI Afterburner, and Razer Cortex, then launch the game. If needed, try a Windows clean boot to check whether another background service is involved. Change one thing at a time so you can identify whether it affects the crash; do not permanently disable security software as a blanket fix.
Activision also advises keeping Razer Synapse updated. If the game will not start and you previously disabled ASLR, its guide says to re-enable it. These are specific checks, not steps every player needs to take.
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Save diagnostics and contact Activision if the crash continues
If the error persists after these checks, record the exact error text and when it appears, then create a DxDiag report: open Start, search for dxdiag, launch the tool, and select Save All Information. Submit the report with Activision’s PC crash report or when contacting support. Activision’s known-issues page specifically requests DxDiag information from players reporting PC performance loss; it does not list a general DirectX error as a confirmed issue. View Activision’s current known-issues page.
Activision and Microsoft provide compatibility, update, repair, and diagnostic guidance, but do not identify one cause or a universal fix for every Modern Warfare II DirectX error. A crash alone does not establish that the GPU is defective, that DirectX must be reinstalled, or that replacing hardware will solve it.
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