Certain games won't start (bluescreen)

[dtamonis]

I have this issue now that certain games (Half Life, Collin McRae 2, zDoom) won't start, and the result is always bluescreen. Furthermore, after reboot Windows does not load into GUI until I restore a previous copy of registry with Scanreg. This does not affect other games - for example GlQuake and Quake 2 run without problems.

 

Time interval between the moment when everything was OK, and the moment when I noticed this issue was a couple of months. The only change to the system during this time span that I remember was updating Kernelex. However, uninstalling it did not solve the problem.

 

Any ideas where to start troubleshooting?

[Tripredacus]

1 hour ago, dtamonis said:

bluescreen

It could be a million things. Start first by posting what error shows on this screen. Also if there is any difference in the specifics of the error message when using different games.

[jumper]

> The only change to the system during this time span that I remember was updating Kernelex. However, uninstalling it did not solve the problem.
Interesting. What was the previous installed version of KernelEx and to what version did you update?

[Destro]

Reinstall kernel EX.  During installation uncheck the box.  I don't remember what it was something about global settings. uncheck that.  Uninstall kernel ex then.  Try to play the game again.

[dtamonis]

Update to KernelEx was 4.5.1 > 4.5.2. So far, I tried uninstalling and installing again 4.5.1, which made no difference. Will look into Destro's suggestion when I'm home.

 

I also looked more closely at the bluescreen messages, and they are always fatal exception 00 in VXD VDD. Video card/driver problems? Uninstalling and reinstalling video drivers did not help, dxdiag tests are OK. Maybe I should try to get another card, but there are no problems on Windows XP on the same machine...

Edited January 5, 2018 by dtamonis

[Destro]

why don't you just back up your image and clean install 98se and drivers and see if that changes anything then copy back whatever you need.

[dtamonis]

Nah, there are so many things installed/customized that clean reinstall would be the last thing I would do. Anyway, problem is now solved, and the reason was Nvidia drivers 61.76. I vaguely remember downgrading the display drivers in hoping to fix the shutdown issue. It was not fixed, but I forgot to roll back to newer drivers. And this bluescreen issue was noticed much later, so I didn't relate it with the driver downgrade. Now I installed 77.72 drivers and everything is fine.

 

The hint came when I was able to call the task manager and see ddhelp not responding, and after reading below links I knew that was it.

 

http://www.ttlg.com/Forums/showthread.php?t=89957

http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f6/blue-screen-of-death-starting-halflife-12601.html