NotHereToPlayGames

I use that utility! Some other good ones are RegistryChangesView by Nirsoft, ProcMon and RegMon by Sysinternals, and Thinstall (this one is now owned by VMware and is called ThinApp).

I would sincerely hope that this was already tried! Not necessarily "uninstalled", but disabled or in INCOGNITO MODE.

AWESOME !!! One more reason why I do not, never have, and never will install any "anti-virus" or "anti-malware" programs! I've always also preferred REFORMAT and REINSTALL versus relying on "uninstall and hunt for left-behinds". Glad you got to the bottom of it!

Strange indeed. When you right-click and "inspect", do you see any difference in their <a> or <img> content? I do! And they reveal that it really still could be something on YOUR computer! Something on YOUR computer may be blocking anything-everything alt="spacer.png" or data-ratio= as a GENERIC ADVERTISEMENT.

I did give r3dfox a trial-run a week or two ago. I witnessed close to 200 telemetry connections on first launch. Dropped to 100-some on second launch. I do recall installing uBlock (but not Adblock) and seeing no effect on these telemetry connections. That's basically where my trial-run was cancelled and I did a thorough cleaning of my computer because the "portable" version writes to system folders and to the registry. For your Adblock behaving as though not installed, is it possible to see a screencap?

As far as my Thorium and Supermium and 360Chrome and Ungoogled first-launch crashes on XP x64 and only on nVidia GPU computers. I "thought" these crashes were 100% of first-launches. Turns out, it is closer to 65-70% of first-launches. I did try to video-capture a first-launch crash last night, but the failure rate had me not spending the time to start video-capture each and every first-launch. For one, my only remaining XP machines are ABSOLUTE JUNK, SLLOOWWW POS, et cetera! For two, I was in a bit of a "wtf" mood when trying to capture and a first-launch NOT crashing - because I thought they were 100%, they are not. This does remain true - I never get that first-launch crash if I keep the "vulkan" files. Though this recent round of investigation reveals I only need to keep ONE of the two "vulkan" files. At any rate, I'm hereby ending this investigation for the time being. I no longer use 360Chrome and Thorium/Superium is only on my radar for future-use if-and-only-if one-or-both becomes "ungoogled".

I'm kind of taking UCyborg's word on this. I personally have no insight here. At any rate, I'm kind of moving on now. Good discussion though.

WebGL *DOES* work in my releases. I was originally DISABLING it via --disable-webgl I later STOPPED disabling WebGL because the only comments in my threads were "This web site doesn't work". And the solution was ALWAYS to enable WebGL. Which *DOES* and always *HAS* worked in my releases - when not disabled via --disable-webgl

Deleting the dll's ONLY ONLY ONLY breaks the FIRST LAUNCH after a REBOOT/HIBERNATE. I'm DONE! You are correct. It only affects me. There's actually very FEW XP x64 users, most here are all x86. Unless, of course, @UCyborg is willing to verify FIRST LAUNCH after a REBOOT/HIBERNATE (assuming UCyborg is running XP x64 and an nVidia GPU). That is (and has been ALL ALONG) my only only ONLY issue when I delete the vulkan dll's.

Eureka! THAT explains it all. The *two* (and only two) members that shout from rooftops to delete vulkan files also do not enable WebGL. I didn't used to enable WebGL, not even for my uploaded releases here at MSFN. But I do enable WebGL nowadays. Partly because each and every "bug report" for my uploaded releases were dang near ALWAYS tied to the end-user needing WebGL. Partly because the "security risk" associated with WebGL is "much ado about nothing".

My nVidia 635 reports I am Vulkan-capable. One moment... Performing additional tests...

@Karla Sleutel -- The imgur image *DOES* show up for me. It's something on your computer that is blocking it.

I'll run CPU-Z (?) tonight and verify.

I took his reply to mean he was performing this IN XP. Regardless, he is talking about another matter, agreed.

Good point. He posts later down that he KEEPS the vulkan files, that he only deletes D3DCompiler_47.dll.

Even Thorium has crashed on REAL HARDWARE ALSO. Only in XP x64 and only first launch after reboot or hibernate. UNFORTUNATE for YOUR PROOF, that real harware has since been upgraded to Win10.

Not to cloud the issue, but I have never confirmed that the .dll's are actually LOADED as a DEPENDENCY. Only that their PRESENCE is required in ALL Chrome/Chromium-based browsers EVER used on my home Dell XPS 8700 (7800?, have to look when I get home). I don't mind uploading a video because the folks that keep telling other people to delete "vulkan" files needs to realize that their "advice" may be BAD ADVICE. It certainly is for MY computer. But only for XP x64.

I know that UCyborg also had this issue. Also both in Thorium and in 360Chrome. https://msfn.org/board/topic/186133-thorium/?do=findComment&comment=1265727

I will post a 360Chrome video of this first launch crash. I do not keep Thorium and Supermium around, only test in VM to see if they are "ungoogled" or not. BUT THAT HAS TO PUT THIS D#MN RELENTLESSNESS TO BED! "Enough is enough."

Maybe. Kind of not really worth my time. But maybe. Depends on how bored I get in the next day or two, lol. Granted, the video may be 360Chrome and not Thorium - will that still serve as your PROOF that your "advice" does NOT pertain to MY computer ???

Technically, I shouldn't say that PEOPLE (it implies multiple) keep INSISTING that I do not need. There is only TWO PEOPLE and they are RELENTLESS in this pursuit. Downright RELENTLESS.

Agreed! I'm honestly not finding much of anything. But I can report with 123,456,789.0% accuracy that the ONLY ONLY ONLY time that I get these FIRST LAUNCH CRASHES is when I take the advice of removing "vulkan" .dll's. That advice always comes from "users" and NEVER "developers". No offense. Again, I can only report WHAT I WITNESS. And sure, Thorium and Supermium and 360Chrome and Ungoogled are "usable" without these "vulkan" files. But I hibernate several times per day! And having to go into the OS's Task Manager to "kill" a process just to relaunch it after a CRASH is something I really have no interest in doing "for the sake of removing two .dll's that people keep insisting I do not need".

I didn't see that it was locked. Thanks. I was googling for vulkan issues on XP x64 and that thread was in the top three results.

nVidia web sites also confirm. They post a guide on configuring "power management support". Not sure if I will get around to testing, to be honest. My primary OS is now Win10. But I do have multiple XP machines, no partitions, just XP. But those computers are SSSLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW - when I retire, I'll have all the time in the world to sit and wait... and wait... and wait... LOL

I can report that I'm finding several LINUX reports of the same (Chrome/Chromium crashes on first launch after reboot, additional launches work just fine). The LINUX crowd is suggesting --use-gl=desktop but I suspect this to be a Linux-Only Chrome/Chromium flag. Seems to date back to Chrome v85 and only with nVidia (my home computer is nVidia). Linux crowd reports v84 to be just fine. Another suggestion is to open Chrome's "task manager" and to END TASK for GPU Process. I have not tried that, when Thorium or Supermium or 360Chrome or Ungoogled, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, crashes, I just assumed that the browser's task manager was also crashed.