Not sure about W7, but if it complains about directx, my first question would be: Did you install 9.0c ?

Older games need dll out of this version as 10+ is not downwards compatible.

I had this message from time to time (once in ~5-8 hours continues playtime?) with and AMD dedicated card too. This is common and you just have to save more often.

p.s. Here is a good guide, that I followed if it happened just after a save game:
http://www.moo3.at/board/index.php?s=d77d246258e2d02eaf966cbf13de79b8&showtopic=794&st=15
Also, if it crashes every time at a certain turn or fight, load the turn before and change something slightly. For example use less or more ships, send them into a different direction than before and it most likely will not crash.
If a CPU attack produces the crash, make sure to avoid the fight.

tl:dr: change some variables before end turn, to avoid the crash scenario

I have 9.1 installed. I also had 5. , 6.0, 6.1, 7.0 and 8.0 installed and still did not work with new computer. My old one burnt up, even the hard drive trashed it self all over my memory boards going up in smoke for some reason not related to power supply. That and case was all I salvaged.

9.1?????

Max is 9.0c!

There is not the screen saver kicking in?

http://www.graphicsgroups.com/15-directx-graphics/7b6ddbdb8d46788a.htm

Ok, got me 9.0 it is

I only get it when I make changes to the game coding itself, save it then try to open the game. It goes directly to a screen that says Direct X Surface lost. I even retried to load and get the same message.

OK, now as this out of the way ;)
What did you modify?

OK, for me it was 100% after I click End Turn, so I had a chance to adjust things and prevent the error.

I would up the number of spies you could have selected so you would not have to go back to that screen every 4 turns or so.
I would up the count of Scout and Colony ships to 6 or 8 of each for the start screen. If I could find the right spot in the code, I would up the credits for start selections to 300. then save everything. I would some times play around with other things. I have never played on line with some one like my son and grand kids do, because I do not like that kind of internet exposure.

Might sound stupid ;)

Did you modify those figures or didn´t you? Would.....hmmm...not really clear, sorry

In case you upped the numbers, in which range? Do you already have spies active?

Aaaaand I just re-read your posts, you are doing this to the save, I assume?

Not in all games can the count be modified, did you try to just alter one figure and see if it happens as well?

I would make the changes I mentioned, in the spreadsheet file, save the file, and then start the game loading and a screen would appear that their was no direct X surface. if I did not make the changes it would load and play and I could play for hours even days before winning or loosing. As for the number of spies mentioned this would be how many I could have on file to be trained. I choose 39 just for grins and it loaded, in the past. I tried more once but the game did not like it. As for the test I attempt now, I only increase the number to 5 from the normal of only 4, and the dreaded message, no direct X surface appears. I have not attempted to go back in and change it back to 4 to see if will load or not, just never thought of it. I was usually to upset to think at that point.

I am making these changes to the spread sheet file of the installed game. I then would load and play the game. In the past and it would play like normal. It is only with this new computer hardware that I am having troubles. In the past I had a video card installed. With this new board their was an okay one as part of the hardware, but I would think that this should not be a problem. I do not have the video board anymore and no funds for a new one now or for the immediate future.

I must admit, I never tried ;)

But If you haven´t had a problem before, I must admit, I don´t know why ;)

But JUST to be sure, you make the changes to the save file, correct? ;)

I don´t see how it would correlate with graphic.....
And you are sure there wasn´t an update of the game (not that I know of ;) )

Aaaand one thing which jumps too my head: You are still the host?

AFAIR the host stores the reference....

I have been thinking about things since doing this posting stuff in relation to the game and thinking back into the past. Several things come to mind. This is the 5th time I have had computer melt downs and this is not the first time I have had trouble. This is the first time that I have used I have a computer chip with only one core with internal memory in it for taking several threads at once. It is the only time that I have not used a video card. The other times I was using XP , start of windows up thru windows 7, but always with multiple cores and video a card. I guess the next thing to try is to put back in my video card and try. Also in the past I upgraded to newer Direct X levels to get out of trouble.