This is what worked for me on the Steam download version:

1) Browse to your game folder and find the folder 'redist'.

I found mine here :C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\il-2 sturmovik cliffs of dover\redist

2) Try running the Direct X installer. ( This was the problem for me, but I had tried running all other installers in there too).

So pretty much run each installer in there. If it said 'repair' or 'uninstall' I just repaired it. But I found that for me, Direct X had not auto-installed in the first place. After I ran that and restarted my PC, it all appeared for me.

I hope that might help.

EDIT: I also updated the Nvidia driver to the latest one for my PC, and selected launcher.exe as a program in the Nvidia Control panel.

You might want try a simple solution.
(I'm having the same problems as posted above. Turning off AVG helps at times, but only about 3 percent of the time. Otherwise I get the 'driver has stopped..' warning and the game crashes to Desktop.)

(First disable AVG if you use it).
Try turning off Steam in the System Tray (right hand bottom of desktop). Then launch the game from your desktop COD icon.

I know it sounds strange, but it works quite a lot of the time for me.

Lewis.

Thankyou, worked for me too and i am running 64 bit and an unsupported gfx card Nvidia 8600GT

Very slow though but hey i have video now, thanks again

Hello and sorry my bad english... :) If you see black window and stopped video driver....

Try such version with the registry...
1. win+r -> cmd -> regedit
2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\GraphicsDrivers
3. Create DWORD 32bit
4. We name - TdrDelay and appropriate parameter 12
5. Reboot

Thanks Todenis...although before I try it I would prefer that someone write it whos native tongue is english as I am not 100% sure how to do it with your instructions...

Thanks todenis...~S~

i tried it didnt change any for me,what he mean is create new folder in
the reg gfxdrivers section name the file TdrDelay then a little option
window will pop up,set parameter to 12 and reboot

The instruction he gave it to add a new Registry entry (presumably and optional entry that the drivers check ).

Try such version with the registry...
1. win+r -> cmd -> regedit

translates to ==> run the program called regedit.exe
you can also run it for filesystem explorer..
on 32 bit system it should be in c:\windows\system
on 64 bit system it should be in c:\windows\sysWOW64

2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\GraphicsDrivers

This is the Registry key location where you must add a new entry/value
When you open regedit.exe it displays you'r regestry as a tree, like folders in exlorer.
1st thing to locate is "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" (it should be one of the top 'folders' )
when you open it you need to find "SYSTEM"
in "SYSTEM" you need to look for CurrentControlSet etc...
untill you get GraphicsDrivers

3. Create DWORD 32bit

This creates a new registry value entry. think you can do it by right click on "GraphicsDriver" , else select (left click) on "GraphicsDriver" and add a new value from the menu.

4. We name - TdrDelay and appropriate parameter 12

When you create a new value (MAKE SURE THE TYPE IS REG_DWORD ie. a 32bit integer value) you need to name it "TdrDelay" and set its value to 0x00012 (this is hexadecimal ==> decimal value 18 )

5. Reboot

Note what I don't know what the actual RegEntry does, presumably add a longer delay in the graphics driver while it initialize something. I'm sure you should be able to find the details of the entry via google though..

Thanks Fellas....~S~