hl2.exe error message with Vista only

[Guest]

hi. i've purchased the Half Life Two Orange Box package for use with my
Windows Vista Laptop. I recently installed and ran this game. I have had
Halflife and used the Source engine on my Vista computer multiple times
before. Recently, an error message has popped up whenver I attempt to launch
any Source based game:

hl2.exe has stopped working
a problem caused the program to stop working. please close the program.

I then went through my computer and attempted to change whatever settings I
could in attempt to fix this problem - to no avail.
Honestly, I'm tired of this. If this game HAS AND WILL WORK ON XP, why is it
I cannot run it on Vista, which, (correct me if i'm wrong microsoft) is
supposed to be BETTER than XP. If memory serves, I was told that a Vista
would be an IDEAL CHOICE over any other platform, yet the only game I want to
play on it refuses to function correctly, and it is WITHOUT A DOUBT an issue
prompted by the Vista machine.

I went through the error reports and the following information came up:
Faulting application hl2.exe, version 0.0.0.0, time stamp 0x470c11ae,
faulting module shaderapidx9.dll, version 0.0.0.0, time stamp 0x470bd05e,
exception code 0xc0000005, fault offset 0x00029c96, process id 0x1994,
application start time 0x01c8108eb375539b.

I have no clue what that means, but I know that it will help direct you to
finding a solution to this problem. I contemplated that it was just a problem
with my machine, but it happened to another person when he attempted to
launch his copy of Counter Strike Source, another Source game. For some
reason, Vista just doesn't like Source games. Why do I say this? because
there isn't even as much as a SIMPLE EXPLINATION as to why my game refuses to
open.

I meet all requirements for the game, I have my firewall open, I'm an
administrator, I have the latest updates for both Vista and Steam, the game
content is not corrupt, the files have been validated, i've restarted several
hundred times, I've re-installed thrice already, defragmented my computer,
and checked my internet connections, I've disabled the UAC (who's bright idea
was THAT peice of junk), and I've even done a complete system restore.

I think I've done every single check I could possibly due. This is common
problem with a not so common solution. Please help me fix this. Please don't
feed me the same "help" you give other Vista Users; I actually know what I'm
doing.

Thank you for your time, and if Vista is TRULY as great as you claim it to
be, this error will be something easy to fix that DOESN'T require ANOTHER
system restore.

-Sean

 

[Lee Phillips]

Don't be so quick to blame Vista for this one....

If you search for 'shaderapidx9' in Google or the Steam Forums you'll
see lots of other people getting the same error.
It appears to be related to a Steam update in July that affects certain
hardware configurations on BOTH Vista and XP.

Can't guarantee either will help you but the two most common solutions
appear to be....

1)
Change your desktop resolution to 1024x768 before running a Source game.

2)
Type 'cmd.exe' in the search bar to open up a command prompt.
Now type in....
net localgroup Administrators

You should see a message that ends with 'Administrator...Your
Name....The command completed successfully'.

If you don't get this message, type in....
net localgroup Administrators /add Local Service
and now try net localgroup Administrators again.

If that produces the correct message, restart your pc and now try a
Source game.

Lee.

 

[Guest]

I did everything you said and it refuses to work. My next two options are to
downgrade to XP (which at this point seems like an upgrade).

I do appreciate your assistance, as this is probably the most specifc help
I've recieved on the topic, so thank you very much for taking the time to
assist me with this issue.

I will say that it is a predominantly Vista problem, and it needs to be
corrected

-Sean

 

[Any]

Don't be so quick to blame Vista for this one....

That's always what the clueless do.

The smallest amount of research yields answer to most of these peoples
questions. However this is a problem that Steam created and the last I knew
still remains on either XP or Vista machines so it is not yet fully resolved
for some.