Constant Critical Error 001 all of a sudden

[sandman2575]

Greatly appreciate if anyone can help me out here.

I'm getting constant ctds with the dreaded "Critical Error 001" message when I play -- playing APOS.  Not sure why this is happening all of a sudden.  Game had been totally solid since I installed, and I haven't tried to update any of the game components.  However, I did recently update my nvidia drivers, and thought perhaps that might be causing the ctds.  But I reinstalled my older drivers, the one I used when the game was stable, and I'm still getting these crashes.

I've seen it suggested that I create a new User Profile in game.  I"ve tried that but am still getting crashes.

Really have no idea what's causing this.  Any help to get me up an running would be tremendously appreciated.  Here is my install order:

1. Game Update:  4.02
2. District Update:  1.03
3. Addon Krasnaya Polyana 1943:  1.01
4. Addon Sokolovo 1943:  1.07
5. Addon Blau 1942:  1.09

[andrey12345]

At first
1) Install core update
http://www.graviteam.com/AP-STAR/gtos_cu_581c1_eng.exe

There may be a problem with automatical installation of DirectX (need june 2010) or Microsoft Visual studio 2005 libraries (vcredist_x86_sp1_v2.exe)

All present in docs\support\redists and may be installed manually if automatical installation failed

2) Install latest patch
http://www.graviteam.com/AP-STAR/gtos_patch_march13d1_eng.gt2extension

More info:
http://gravitac.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Installing_updates_and_modifications

[sandman2575]

Thank you.  I will try what you suggest.

I'm confused though why the game could go from being very stable to constant crashes, when I didn't change a thing either with the updates or internal settings.  What could have changed?  Could it have be some Windows update that suddenly creating the problem?

[andrey12345]

Thank you.  I will try what you suggest.

I'm confused though why the game could go from being very stable to constant crashes, when I didn't change a thing either with the updates or internal settings.  What could have changed?  Could it have be some Windows update that suddenly creating the problem?

If game at start have stable crash, this means with high probability what core update or MS VC2005 librarys do not installed carefully. or may be some game files was broken.

[sandman2575]

ugh -- things were going well.  I installed the 5.81c1 engine update and the 4.07 march13d1 patch.  Played a quick battle and things ran fine for about 20 minutes, when I suddenly got the Critical Error 001 crash again.  Previously it had been crashing more quickly, like within 5 minutes into a quick battle.  I thought this had solved it until I did get the ctd about 20 minutes in...   

Are there any other steps I can take?  Are there any in-game settings, in Video or Audio for example, that I should be sure I have enabled or disabled?

[sandman2575]

It gets worse.  I did a complete uninstall / reinstall from scratch.  Played about 10 minutes.  CTD with Critical Error 001.

Why on earth is this happening?  The game was *completely* stable until just recently.  Now I can't get through a single Quick Battle.

I've really tried everything I can think of. 

Please, if anyone has *any* advice, I would appreciate it.  Otherwise this game looks like it's finished with me. 

[andrey12345]

It gets worse.  I did a complete uninstall / reinstall from scratch.  Played about 10 minutes.  CTD with Critical Error 001.

Maybe computer is overheating? or GPU

It's always happens with all proportions and types of troops?


P.S. Do you have any mods installed?

[Kyth]

I'm getting constant ctds with the dreaded "Critical Error 001" message when I play -- playing APOS.  Not sure why this is happening all of a sudden.  Game had been totally solid since I installed, and I haven't tried to update any of the game components.  However, I did recently update my nvidia drivers, and thought perhaps that might be causing the ctds.  But I reinstalled my older drivers, the one I used when the game was stable, and I'm still getting these crashes.

Did you do a rollback of the drivers, or did you just install the old driver on top of the newer one.
It's better to do a clean install if you do it the 2nd way,

[sandman2575]

My gpu / cpu are definitely not overheating.  The GPU which I monitor pretty closely never really gets above 60-63C even during high load playing APOS.

I have no mods installed. 

I did a clean reinstall of the old drivers.

I've been trying to isolate if it's a graphics problem.  I turned all the 'demanding' graphics settings to low as a test, but still got the Critical Error 001.  The crashes happen during big and small battles alike.

Could it be something in the other settings?  Audio settings? 

I'm really baffled by this.  I can't guess what is causing the problem.

My specs:

i7 3770k at 4.5 GHz
nvidia GTX 680 FTW
16 GB RAM
Windows 7 x64

[andrey12345]

That is, this problem appeared after a latest patch? Always takes place some time after the beginning of the combat?
Or at the game without any patches too?


P.S. Can you zip an 'out' folder after the CTD is happened?

[sandman2575]

This just gets stranger and stranger.

I just played two full length Quick Battles without any ctd at all  --  which is great!  Although I don't understand it.

The ctds I was getting were always in the middle of battles, usually within 5-10 minutes of staring a battle. 

But just played 2 battles, which I deliberately stretched out over time to see when the CTD would hit.  But it never did.

 
 

I'd love to think the problem has just somehow fixed itself (since it came without any apparent cause to begin with).  That may be too much to hope for, but for now I will keep my fingers crossed and hope the game continues to be stable.

[Rod]

Here is my attempt to solve the problem.
What compatibility mode are you running it on.?Just right click the exe. to see
FWIW I run Win 7 64 bit -but both Op Star & Steel Armor I run in XP service pack 3 compatibility mode. No problems.

[Flashburn]

maybe some back ground program was taking a ton of memory?  Maybe it DID fix itself.   

[sandman2575]

Here is my attempt to solve the problem.
What compatibility mode are you running it on.?Just right click the exe. to see
FWIW I run Win 7 64 bit -but both Op Star & Steel Armor I run in XP service pack 3 compatibility mode. No problems.

Were you getting crashes before you switched over to XP compatability mode?  I've always played APOS in straight Win 7 mode, but this is an intriguing idea, since it seems possible -- although I have no way of knowing for sure -- that APOS has been crashing on me due to some Windows update I installed.  I've had other PC games where a Windows update inadvertently screwed things up, so I think it's at least possible that's what happened here.  Given that APOS went from completely stable to constant CTDs, without my having done *anything* in the way of updating or changing settings, I'm not sure what else could have changed about my system besides Windows update and AV software updates. 

I never install anything other than the 'strongly recommended' security updates to Windows (and I always do it manually), but I know from experiecne that even these can cause problems. 

On the other note -- I doubt it could be a memory leak or memory issue.  I have 16 GB of RAM, and I never run any other programs when playing APOS.

[Rod]

To tell you the truth I don't recall if it defaulted to XP Service Pack 3 when I installed -some games I installed say Win7 others XP. But if it ain't broke I don't fiddle with it.
The error messages I use to get with modding over a year ago. Left the OPS Star game for over a year and came back and reinstalled with the new patches. . My game is from GamersGate and I use their patches. Only problems I have is when action gets heavy and their is dust clouds it slows a bit. I don't have a stand alone video card. But otherwise-no complaints.