"COULD NOT INITIALIZE DIRECT 3D" OR "REQUIRED .DLL FILE D3D8 WAS NOT FOUND" ERROR MESSAGE
If you received the error message, "Could not initialize Direct 3D" or "Required .DLL file D3D8 was not found," you do not have either the required version of DirectX installed on your machine, or a DirectX compatible driver for a hardware component.
The problem you are describing is one that is usually fixed by downloading the most recent version of Direct X, which gives you the best possible experience with graphics, sound, music, and 3-D animation. Click on this link to the website where you can find this free download:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.aspx
Click on the link for Direct X, and after following the directions, try your program again.