# hl2.exe error. Driving me nuts!



## tuckerse (Mar 20, 2006)

Whenever I try to start Half-Life 2, HL2DM, or CS:S, I get this error:

hl2.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

My guess is that it's a problem with the registry. Anyone have any clue how to fix this? I've tried reinstalling the game like 3 times: twice from Steam and once from the CDs. Please help.

Thanks,


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## pjhutch (Aug 23, 2005)

Need more details?
What is the spec of your PC?
Are you using dial up or broadband?
Are you installing from the original CD or a backup CD?
Have you run chkdsk on your hard disk?
Have you checked the Event Viewer for possible problems?


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## tuckerse (Mar 20, 2006)

pjhutch said:


> Need more details?
> What is the spec of your PC?
> Are you using dial up or broadband?
> Are you installing from the original CD or a backup CD?
> ...


PC has the minimum specs needed for Half-Life 2. It's worked just fine before. I have a Geforce 4200 (ancient, I know. But it works.), integrated SoundMAX sound system, decent processor.
I'm using broadband.
Tried installing from both Steam and the original CDs.
No
No


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## Super-D-38 (Apr 25, 2002)

Minimum specs is pushing it. Thats asking allot of your system just to start the game.
Close background programs, to take some of the load off your system.

Aren't computers fun? 
Google "hl2.exe has encountered a problem and needs to close".
Good news..... Your not alone.
Bad news.. I've read several pages and have no solution yet. 

Could be many things... Clean out your temp folders.. defrag your drive...
uninstall and delete all steam folders.... reinstall..

Its a tough one..


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## tuckerse (Mar 20, 2006)

Tried all the stuff you said, post 4...no luck still :-(.

It's only really my video card that's pushing it a bit. HL2 ran just fine until this happened...


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## Preston (W*A*R) (Apr 14, 2007)

you might need to upgrade a few parts and make sure all other apps and programs are closed before you can run it on a minimum req pc. perhaps a newer graphics card?


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## tuckerse (Mar 20, 2006)

Why would upgrading make a difference when I've been able to play the game on medium graphics settings already?

I'm able to play HL2 Mods, like Hidden:Source, and that uses graphics just as good as HL2.

It has to be a software problem...maybe something with the registry. I had another problem with this computer a few months ago that wiped some of my registry. It caused other programs such as Windows Installer and iTunes to stop working.

Maybe that'd help someone figure out what's wrong with my comp.


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## rebon (Oct 21, 2001)

Try the support here it may have the solution http://support.steampowered.com/cgi...+has+encountered+a+problem+and+needs+to+close.


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## Super-D-38 (Apr 25, 2002)

Well yeh.. It might.. Did you reinstall windows after all the registry problems?
Without knowing all the stuff deleted in that goof, you may have lost a driver or location that the game uses. Or Windows isn't finding something the game needs.

Did you get the things fixed or just went on without them?
Having a possible bad registry will be difficult to work around.


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## amkhun (Sep 14, 2007)

I had the same problem with vista.
I had an easy fix though. Try the following: set your DEP for essential windows programs and services only. Right click 'computer' - properties,-advanced settings,-advanced,-under performance,-settings,- data execution prevention,-and Turn on DEP for essential windows programs and services only.


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## Hebeinator (Oct 9, 2007)

I had this issue and I couldn't figure it out for abput two weeks. This is what you have to do to fix it in some cases (worked for me at least).

Verify that you have this specific problem by going to Control Panel>>>Administrative Tools>>>Computer Managment>>>Services and Applications>>>WMI Control. If you right click on WMI control and you get any sort of access denied error, then you need to run this fix.

Go to the command prompt and type this in:

net localgroup Administrators /add Local Service

Then reboot your computer.

After you run that command you can verify its success by typing in:

net Localgroup Administrators

It should spit out something to this effect:

Administrator
LOCAL
NT AUTHORITY\SERVICE
<Insert your user name here>
The Command Completed Successfully

Mission complete, I hope this helps some of you. Have fun fragging n00bs in CSS or HL2!


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## evilbob1000 (Nov 9, 2007)

Thanks. Got it to work.


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## klucky (Jul 13, 2008)

amkhun said:


> I had the same problem with vista.
> I had an easy fix though. Try the following: set your DEP for essential windows programs and services only. Right click 'computer' - properties,-advanced settings,-advanced,-under performance,-settings,- data execution prevention,-and Turn on DEP for essential windows programs and services only.


mine was already set to that, and it still doesnt work lol. i thought that if i restored my comp to how it was before hl2 started screwing up but that didnt help.



Hebeinator said:


> I had this issue and I couldn't figure it out for abput two weeks. This is what you have to do to fix it in some cases (worked for me at least).
> 
> Verify that you have this specific problem by going to Control Panel>>>Administrative Tools>>>Computer Managment>>>Services and Applications>>>WMI Control. If you right click on WMI control and you get any sort of access denied error, then you need to run this fix.
> 
> ...


ok so when i try to do this it says System Error 5 has occured.
Access is denied.

how do i fix this? i dont know how i couldnt be administrator but im not.


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## begtognen (Jul 27, 2008)

I was getting the hl2.exe error. I replaced my Intel onboard video card with: BFG GeForce 8600GT OC. Everything has worked beautifully ever since.


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