Game Crashes Immediately on Startup

AlexRJ · November 2012

<div align='center'><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#FF0000"><b>SOLVED</b></span></span></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Ok, I just fixed it, was reading other posts in the forum and came across this:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nacrus @ Nov 17 2012, 06:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2027484"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>
Second Edit:
It seems that the graphics overlay plugin for Mumble is actually what is crashing Natural Selection 2. If that is disabled, I can reliably start NS2.</div>

Now, I don't have mumble, however, I found that a default program installed with my graphics card - GIGABYTE OC GURU ii had a background overlay option. The moment I closed down this program the game worked perfectly. Not really sure how to go about getting the word out on this, but it appears to be an error caused by running any program with some form of in-game overlay (Obvious exception being steam). Anyway, summary:

<div align='center'><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#FF0000">If your game crashes on startup, try closing any programs that provide an in-game overlay - Including GPU tweakers.</span></span></div></div>

Whenever I run the game, the screen goes black as if it's about to load, but then the game crashes. I have never managed to get to the menu. So far I have tried the following:
<ul><li>Running the game as administrator.</li><li>Running the game from the Launchpad.</li><li>Updating my drivers.</li><li>Completely removing and reinstalling the game several times.</li><li>Installing the game on a separate PC, running it, backing it up through steam onto a USB stick, then installing on my computer.</li><li>Verified the integrity of the game cache.</li><li>Reinstlled Visual C++ Runtime Libraries.</li><li>Using a copy of Update.dll from a working version of NS2.</li></ul>
I've also tried the suggested fixes from the stickies.

System Specs:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Intel Core i5-3570K, 3.4GHz
8Gb RAM
Windows 7 64 bit
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670</div>

Computer is less than a month old so all drivers are up to date (have updated them since while trying to fix the issue).

Crash log is as follows:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Date: 11/12/12
Time: 13:15:22
--------------------------------------------------------------
Build 228
Steam initialized
Render Device: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 (9.18.13.697)
Sound Device: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio) stereo
Record Device: Microphone (2- USB Audio Device)</div>

Windows Event Log:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Faulting application name: ns2.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5092fe93
Faulting module name: Update.dll, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4e29bf2d
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0001af1f
Faulting process id: 0xac0
Faulting application start time: 0x01cdc0f4e1085c4d
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Natural Selection 2\ns2.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Natural Selection 2\Update.dll
Report Id: 1f9f8156-2ce8-11e2-bdf6-bc5ff4580dbe</div>

Anyway, I'm out of ideas one what could be wrong and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to fix this? Thanks in advance for any help!

METROID · November 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Faulting module name: MSVCR80.dll</div>

Try to reinstall MICROSOFT VISUAL C++ RUNTIME LIBRARIES 2005/2008.

AlexRJ · November 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (METROID @ Nov 12 2012, 01:44 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2021260"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Try to reinstall MICROSOFT VISUAL C++ RUNTIME LIBRARIES 2005/2008.</div>

Just reinstalled all the libraries, unfortunately didn't work - still crashes and gives the faulting module as Update.dll. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Faulting application name: ns2.exe, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5092fe93
Faulting module name: Update.dll, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x4e29bf2d
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0001af1f
Faulting process id: 0x1208
Faulting application start time: 0x01cdc121f86715f2
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Natural Selection 2\ns2.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Natural Selection 2\Update.dll
Report Id: 36da10a3-2d15-11e2-bdf6-bc5ff4580dbe</div>

jeffco · November 2012

Do you have similar issues with other games or is is just NS2 that keeps crashing?

AlexRJ · November 2012

Just NS2, it seems - Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Planetside 2, Orcs Must Die 2, L4D2, Just Cause 2, TF2 all work fine.

METROID · November 2012

<b>AlexRJ</b>, try to use <a href="https://dl.dropbox.com/u/36046461/NS2/Update.dll" target="_blank">my Update.dll</a> or Verify NS2 integrity via Steam.

AlexRJ · November 2012

Still crashes and brings up the same error (faultin module Update.dll still).

METROID · November 2012

Mb it's a crazy idea, but try to disable Realtek audio via bios.

Antipop · November 2012

i've been having the same problem sucks cuz friend gifted it too me an i really wanted to play

KuddlyKalli · November 2012

<span style="color:#FFC0CB">So my poor friend Antipop is having this same issue and we've tried everything to get it working. No luck yet. I did however just ask him to try opening the the Cinematic Editor and then the Viewer. Both immediately crashed. So it's definitely seems to be some kind of rendering issue...

OP, can you open these programs? They'll be in your "steam\steamapps\common\natural selection 2" folder.</span>

AlexRJ · November 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (METROID @ Nov 12 2012, 03:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2021342"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Mb it's a crazy idea, but try to disable Realtek audio via bios.</div>

Problem is, that means I'd have disabled my sound card and wouldn't be able to play the game with sound if it did work.

Also, Kallistrate, I seem to be able to run both the Cinematic Editor and Viewer fine so it's possible your friend could have more than one issue?

KuddlyKalli · November 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlexRJ @ Nov 14 2012, 12:17 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2022767"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Also, Kallistrate, I seem to be able to run both the Cinematic Editor and Viewer fine so it's possible your friend could have more than one issue?</div>
<span style="color:#FFC0CB">Bollocks. >:|

Back to square one...</span>

METROID · November 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AlexRJ @ Nov 14 2012, 05:17 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2022767"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Problem is, that means I'd have disabled my sound card and wouldn't be able to play the game with sound if it did work.</div>

The point is to find the problem source, not to play without sound.

AlexRJ · November 2012

Ah, true, had a look in the BIOS (ASRock Z77 Extreme 4) and couldn't find any options to disable Realtek HD Audio - so instead updated the drivers on it to the newest (was fairly sure it's what I had installed anyway) just in case, but still nothing.

METROID · November 2012

<b>AlexRJ</b>, how about the new NS2 build (229)?

AlexRJ · November 2012

Ok, I just fixed it, was reading other posts in the forum and came across this:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nacrus @ Nov 17 2012, 06:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2027484"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Second Edit:
It seems that the graphics overlay plugin for Mumble is actually what is crashing Natural Selection 2. If that is disabled, I can reliably start NS2.</div>

Now, I don't have mumble, however, I found that a default program installed with my graphics card - GIGABYTE OC GURU ii had a background overlay option. The moment I closed down this program the game worked perfectly. Not really sure how to go about getting the word out on this (or how to edit the post title to indicate it's been resolved), but it appears to be an error caused by running any program with some form of in-game overlay (Obvious exception being steam). Anyway, summary:

<div align='center'><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><span style="color:#FF0000">If your game crashes on startup, try closing any programs that provide an in-game overlay - Including GPU tweakers.</span></span></div>

IronHorse · November 2012

Thank you for confirming the fix!

Antipop · November 2012

wish this would have helped me but mine still crashes qq

slayer.faith · December 2012

I had the same issue with gigabyte oc guru (their stoopid overclocking program). Closed this and it fixed it.

RustInPieces · March 2013

MSI Afterburner used to work fine for me, but all of a sudden it decided not to let me play Natural Selection 2 or Retrovirus. closing MSI Afterburner fixed it for me. Thanks.

Tyrsis · March 2013

I have the same issue, but I do not have anything running that would cause a conflict like the OP. Also I can manage to fix it if I delete the shader cache and force a recompiling of my shaders. Otherwise I can only get it to run maybe 1 out of 5 launches.

IronHorse · March 2013

Thank you for posting your fix so clearly!

Game Crashes Immediately on Startup

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