ntdll.dll crashing fixed (tentatively)

[primebunbun]

constant crashing since the illuminate update. sometimes i can play a mission or two, most of the time it crashes after 5-10 minutes.

from event viewer:
Faulting application name: helldivers2.exe, version: 1.8.27207.0, time stamp: 0x6798f47f
Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 10.0.19041.3636, time stamp: 0x9b64aa6f
Exception code: 0xc0000026
Fault offset: 0x00000000001024f6
Faulting process id: 0xc90
Faulting application start time: 0x01db7a02a5e10bd5
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Helldivers 2\bin\helldivers2.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll
Report Id: 91976f93-5a63-4661-b246-ea9e76ccdc02
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:


I have done everything from:
tailoring graphics settings
limited frames to 60
updating drivers
updating bios
DSIM + sfc /scannow
replacing ntdll.dll in system32 with ntdll.dll downloaded from dll-files.com
fresh windows install
launching hd2 in windows 7 compatibility mode + nvidia debug mode

specs:
z390i (ms-7c04)
1080ti
i7-8700k
32gb ram


i am at my wits end. is there anything anyone can think of that i have not tried, or god forbid, experienced the same issues and actually fixed them?

i think i have read every single thread about this issue - i am not kidding.

2/8/2025 edit:

I can only imagine some of these steps/settings will be irrelevant for you, especially if you aren't using an NVIDIA gpu. However, I'm going to try and be as comprehensive as possible. I have been trouble-shooting this issue for a couple months and up until this point, have not found a combination of settings to stop the crashes.

These settings were applied after a fresh windows10 install off an SD card inside a USB card reader, created with the windows media creation tool.
The only driver that was not automatically installed by windows was the specific NVIDIA driver I'm using.


NVIDIA Driver:

Version 552.22 - Released Tue Apr 16, 2024
NVIDIA Overlay - OFF


NVIDIA Control Panel Settings:

Debug mode ON (sometimes resets after a system restart, double check before booting hd2)
Antriscopic Filtering - 4X
Max Frame Rate - 70 FPS
Power Management Mode - Prefer maximum performance
Texture Filtering Negative LOD BIAS - Clamp
Shader Cache Size - 100000 MB


Windows Settings:

Automatically manage paging file size for all drives - OFF
Virtual Memory (Initial size) 5120 MB - Virtual Memory (Maximum size) 50000 MB
Adjust the appearance and performance of windows - Adjust for best performance
Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling - OFF
Game Bar - OFF
Captures - OFF
Game Mode - OFF


Steam Settings:

Steam Overlay - OFF
Steam Cloude - OFF


helldivers2.exe (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Helldivers 2\bin) properties:

Run this program in compatibility mode for - Windows 8


Helldivers 2 Settings:

High Dynamic Range - OFF
Camera Shake Strength - Medium
Vertical Field of View - 70
Resolution - 1920x1080
Render Scale - Native
Display Mode - Fullscreen
Framerate Limit - OFF
V-Sync - OFF

Graphics Preset - CUSTOM
Motion Blur - 0
Depth of Field - OFF
Bloom - OFF
Sharpness - 0.85
Texture Quality - Medium
Object Detail Quality - Medium
Render Distance - Ultra
Shadow Quality - Medium
Particle Quality - Low
Reflection Quality - Low
Space Quality - Medium
Ambient Occlusion - OFF
Screen-Space Global Illumination - OFF
Vegetation and Rubble Density - High
Terrain Quality - Medium
Volumetric Fog Quality - Low
Volumetric Clouds Quality - Low
Lighting Quality - Medium
Anti-Aliasing - OFF
Use Async Compute - NO


using the above combination i was able to play without a crash for 6+ hours between two sessions. i could also complete a difficulty ten illuminate defense mission - which would usually cause a crash within the first minute or two.

i hope this is able to help someone. i don't know which specific setting is contributing to my solution, but if you have similar hardware it might work for you too.

[klirko]

I've been routinely reading every thread about this issue since Christmas lol (when it first started crashing). Yours just became the newest addition. Uninstalling and reinstalling GameGuard using the game's tool folder files and then verifying the game files via Steam seems to fix it for the rest of my play session, usually..

[d1stance]

me too bro

[primebunbun]

Originally posted by klirko:

I've been routinely reading every thread about this issue since Christmas lol (when it first started crashing). Yours just became the newest addition. Uninstalling and reinstalling GameGuard using the game's tool folder files and then verifying the game files via Steam seems to fix it for the rest of my play session, usually..

Originally posted by d1stance:

me too bro

okay i tried windows 8 compatibility mode and i haven't had a crash in like two hours. i really want to say this was the fix that did it.

i'll try and do a complete list of all of my settings and any windows settings in the morning for posterity.

[d1stance]

I am still crashing in windows 8 compatibility............

[Peeth]

The game freeze sometime I play after illuminate, and to day I have the first crash

[Dargadon]

Same here. On other factions as well. Since the release of that new warbond.

[darkshadows17]

SAME HERE BRO NEED HELP KEEPS CRASHING THEN SONY POP UP ABOUT ANN ISSUE SO WEIRD CAUSE I CAN PLAY IT ON MY LAPTOPP NO PROBLEM BUT ON MMY DESKTOP NAHH KEEPS ONNN CCRASHING

[primebunbun]

Originally posted by d1stance:

I am still crashing in windows 8 compatibility............

Originally posted by Peeth:

The game freeze sometime I play after illuminate, and to day I have the first crash

Originally posted by Dargadon:

Same here. On other factions as well. Since the release of that new warbond.

updated post with relevant information