Hey guys, so I am getting really frustrated and Google isn't helping, hope I can get some here.

So I have been trying to play old games, that is Mass effect an Dragon age origins but once I installed them they won't launch and they keep crashing with application errors. for example Mass effect give me, "The application failed to initialize properly(o xc0000005).click OK to terminate the application.)

What the hell can I do its frustrating, and I haven't changed anything from when I last played them.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

What OS do you use? usually updating drivers is a good policy too.

 

Are you playing these games on Steam?

Open Steam -> Library -> right-click Mass Effect -> Properties -> Local Files -> Verify Integrity of Game Cache

That'll put the game back to normal and won't mess with your old saves. If any of the game's files aren't correct, Steam will re-download them.

edit:

An access problem? If the Steam trick doesn't work, then try disabling all antivirus and firewall programs. Reboot.

 

Unfortunately I don't use steam, I usually get the Discs,is there another way of verifying the cache.

Also the access problem is in Mass effect, Dragon age just tells me that DA:O.exe has stopped working.

I am using Vista Home premium 32-bit, and a little while ago, I was replaying a game and it would not start unless I un-updated my drivers(installed the old ones)

 

There is your problem. Using Vista 32.

 

Did you try to start them in XP compatibility mode? And / or as Administrator? That might fix some problems.

 

Yeah I did, it was the first thing I did, sigh guess Hero of stupidity is right it has to be Vista.

What I don't get and completely frustrates me is that they were working, I had re-installed and played them again like two times, now this. How can I know where things went wrong?

 

Have you checked your security software? By which I mean, disable it completely. Reboot. Make sure it's still disabled - hell, uninstall it if you have to - and then try your games.

Security software has some bizarre behaviour sometimes.

 

Will try that when I get home, thanks for the advice guys.

---------- Post automerged at 10:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 AM ----------

Hey got home, did everything you guys suggested and nothing, could it be a .dll problem perhaps the .Net framework somehow isn't working? because IIRC thats what causes the error somehow.

 

My only advice is to degrade it to xp or upgrade it to 7.

 

I'm a little out of my depth at this point. xc0000005 seems to be a pretty generic error.

I'd re-install Vista [put Vista disc in drive and reboot]. It takes an hour or so, but once it's done, it's done. If you still have an error after that, then it's likely a hardware issue. Start looking at your RAM, video card, etc.

edit: Alternatively, upgrading with a Win 7 disc is a better option. Go for 64-bit Pro or Ultra if you can get them, but any of the Win 7s are good.

 

Have you made sure the games are fully patched? Sometimes manually downloading and installing any patches will fix start-up errors.

 

Honestly, I don't think your OS is the problem. I've played both games just fine on my Desktop, which runs Vista. I don't know how to fix, but I really don't think Vista is the problem. Maybe there was a error during the installation process that corrupted the .exe, in which case, you could always download one from the internet at a website that you trust.