Rendering Thread Exception with Memory Access Violation because of Windows 7's ntdll.dll

[Lone Wolfe (Hoover1979)]

I was platying Dishonored, and just finished the kill Campbell mission, I then had my sleep, and as I was approaching the Admiral to get the next mission the game just crashed with a Rendering thread Exception crash and the error pointed to the windows System Direct Link Library "ntdll.dll" as the trigger.

Checking windows 7 event viewer showe error code 0xc00000005 (Memory Access Violation, AKA the daddy of all crashes)

Failting application was "Dishonored.exe" and faulting module was "ntdll.dll"

Is there any know way to fix thiis other than reformatting the boot drive and performing a clean reinstall of windwos (usually the only way to fix an access violation)?

Assistance would be greatly appreciated.

System Specs:

Windows 7 Professional 64bit on Kingston HyperX Fury SSD (120Gb)
ASUS Z97-k Mobo
Corsair HX850i Platinum Grade 850w PSU
Intel i7-4790k in turbo mode 4.4Ghz via BIOS XMP settings
Corsair H115i Liquid CPU Cooler with 280mm Radiator & 2x Fans
32Gb Corsair Vengeance pro 2400 DDR3 RAM set to 2400Mhz in Bios XMP settings
8Gb Gigabyte Xtreme Gaming GTX1080 Waterforce OC (2,150Mhz Core + 10,600Mhz VRAM)
Sound Blaster Zx PCIe Sound Card
Logitech Z906 THX Certified 5.1 Surrond Speakers and LFE
Seagate 8Tb Archive Internal HDD
Seagate 4Tb Internal HDD
WD Caviar 1.5Tb Internal HDD
WD Elements 1Tb External USB 3.0 HDD
WD Elements 3Tb External USB 3.0 HDD
ASUS VG278 27" 120Hz 3D Monitor with Nvidia 3D Vision 2 (tm)
AVERMedia Volar Green USB2.0 HDTV Tuner
Targus Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter
AfterGlow Wired Xbox360 Controller
Logitech K260 Wireless Keyboard
Fractal Design XL-R2 Full Tower ATX Chassis
ASUS PCE-AC68U AC1900 PCIe WiFi Card paired with:
ASUS RT-AC68U AC1900 Dual-Band Router on 5ghz band

[Zekiran]

Well, let's get the obvious out of the way:

Have you restarted your computer and has this happened again since that restart?

Have you installed all the updates (or refused the updates and hidden them) for your Windows? (I'm using 7/64 ult, and have had to stop getting updates at all due to their pushing w10 on me).

Have you verified the game files? Right-click the game icon in your steam library, click Properties, then Local Files, and then verify them and RESTART STEAM.

Chances are likely that this was a one-time issue, and it won't happen again. But if it does, list what you've tried to do and hopefully there will be more expertise on the way than me to help :)

[Lone Wolfe (Hoover1979)]

Thanks for the reply.

I had this happen once so far. I will play again today (the crash happened at 1:00Am so I just shut down after making this thread and went to bed, and just got up now)

I am recieving updates for Windows 7 x64 and use a great program called "Never10" which automatically blocks all updates that force thw Windows 10 virus. Windows 7 only gets updates once every 3 months now, I'm betting the same for windows 8/8.1

I verified the files and all successfully validated. I am hoping it isn't a problem with Windows causing this as another app, I use to view photos now insta-crashes all of a sudden with Memory Access Violation, so now I am needing to use Photoshop to view photos full screen and have this ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ rulers on the top and left of the screen, so not happy there. I really don't want to wipe my machine and clean reinstall Windows again, that is a nightmare.

I will update after then next playthrough to say if the crash happenes again, or not.

[Zekiran]

Ew, yeah if you're having the same dll give you issues you might want to try and find out how to install that again because that isn't good overall.

Crossing my fingers for ye :)

[Lone Wolfe (Hoover1979)]

That .dll file is part of windows itself. to reinstall I would need to wipe my system and reinstall windows from scratch and rebuild a new registery, then reinstall thousands of apps and games and set them all up again one-by-one! This is a technical nightmare, and I would be spending the next week or two setting everything up, before I can watch movies or play games again.

A repair install won't fix this isse and system file checker won't detect an issue.

Adding a replacement dll file from a dll site would be the epitome of stupidity, as if it doesn't infect my righ with a nasty piece of Malware, Windows would be insta-corrupted and won't restart again. meaning I won't get a chance to back up any files as I would be booting from the Windows install CD and performing the format+reinstall outside of the OS.

Plus my boot drive is an SSD, and I want to avoid the extra writes, as it is already slowing down.

With all my recent issues with my health, the last thing I need is my PC to go FUBAR too.

[Zekiran]

Are you sure it's not available from a trusted source? Usually there are ways to do that, I mean, up to and including directly contacting microsoft for some support?

[Lone Wolfe (Hoover1979)]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Zekiran:

Are you sure it's not available from a trusted source? Usually there are ways to do that, I mean, up to and including directly contacting microsoft for some support?

no matter what the source is if it isn't from Microsoft, and it replaces a windows system dll file windows will be corrupted by it. Microsoft don't offer replacement dlls (at least for Windows 7 and 8/8.1), and their so-called customer support is nonexistant.

Everytime I got serious issues with windows 7, from dll errors, to the infamous broken windows update service I just got the same copy-paste bot reply emailed back, simply telling me to "upgrade" (or downgrade more like it) to windows 10 and I won't have anymore issues.

I call BS on Microsoft for that! Windows 10 is SkyNet!

MS won't stop untill they shove windows 10 down everyones throats.
I want MS to shove windows 10 up their ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ ass !
Even the newer Microsoft controllers won't work unless your PC is infected with the Windows 10 Virus (ie XBONE Elite Controller) and the newer iterations of Intel and AMD CPU's won't work unless Windows 10 is the OS, what about Linux and SteamOS users?! (will Linux and SteamOS have to be run in a Virtual Machine from Windows 10?)

Sources:
https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/16/10780876/microsoft-windows-support-policy-new-processors-skylake

https://www.extremetech.com/computing/234881-from-this-point-forward-all-intel-and-amd-cpus-are-windows-10-only

But digress, pointing out my exassperation at Microsoft: the Digital Devil. Lets get back to the original topic.

[Jurassic Fart 2]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Lone Wolfe:

"a replacement dll file from a dll site would be the epitomy¹ of stupidity"

¹epitome

Not necessarily. You are making assumptions based on "facts" not in evidence—otherwise known as "opinions." Your assertion is supported neither by statistics nor my empirical experience.

Yes, there are guys intentionally uploading malicious DLLs, however, I've never actually installed one, and I've been "doing the PC thing" since 1984. The majority of these files you're so quick to decry are legitimate fixers—but, there's a right way and a wrong way to install them—ways to insulate yourself against the chance (and there IS a chance) of corruption or infection.

The stupidity comes into play when you just dowload and install it without taking precautions.
"But, doctor, I was wearing a rubber!"
"Well, son, did you KISS her? I see you have some open ulcers in your mouth."
"Oh."

BTW, the longer you stay with Windows 7, resisting the "virus" Windows 10, the more the chances increase that your system will fall prey to intrusion or attack. Forget about Windows 8.1—it's pure crap. Now, you may disagree with my assessment of Windows 10, which, while it's not glowing, it isn't NEARLY as bad as earlier Windows releases, and it boots up and reboots a lot faster than Windows 7.

Here's the only reason I brought up that particular chestnut: It's not going to be long before a game you want to play REQUIRES Windows 10, won't function on Windows 7. Chances are, it's already happened to you or someone you know.