KERNEL32.DLL Issue

[LandAirAndSea]

Integrity​

I have verified my game files (on Steam)​

Yes

I have disabled all mods​

Yes

Required​

Summary​

KERNEL32.DLL Issue

Description​

The game crashes shortly after I start a game. My W11, graphics drivers, chipset drivers, and BIOS are all up-to-date.

```log
Application: Victoria 3
Version: 1.9.5
Date/Time: 2025-06-27 13:07:03

Unhandled Exception C0000005 (EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION) at address 0x00007FF7E1B749EB

Stack Trace:
1 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
2 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
3 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
4 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
5 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
6 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
7 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
8 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
9 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
10 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
11 victoria3.exe (function-name not available) (+ 0)
12 KERNEL32.DLL BaseThreadInitThunk (+ 23)
13 ntdll.dll RtlUserThreadStart (+ 44)
14 ntdll.dll RtlUserThreadStart (+ 44)
```

Steps to reproduce​

Launch Game
Start Game
Wait

Game Version​

1.9.5

OS​

Windows

Additional​

Bug Type​

Crash to Desktop

Save Game​

Attachments​

View attachment victoria3_20250627_130657.zip

Player Pain​

10

 

[zosom]

I am encountering the same error since 1.9.5
Adding my crash report as well.

 

[LandAirAndSea]

I can confirm that the 1.9.6 beta still does not work.

 

[PDX_Sosanna]

GPU driver seems to be crashing

[13:06:42][gfx_dx11_fence.cpp:32]: D3D error: hr returned: The GPU device instance has been suspended. Use GetDeviceRemovedReason to determine the appropriate action.
[13:06:42][pdx_assert.cpp:628]: Assertion failed: hr returned:
The GPU device instance has been suspended. Use GetDeviceRemovedReason to determine the appropriate action.
[13:06:42][gfx_dx11_master_context.cpp:676]: Failed creating fence

Since this is not a game-side CTD that the QA department can help with, I'll move the thread to Technical Support.

 

[AndrewT]

This will be another Win11 24H2 issue, I'm pretty sure. A user has come up with a possible workaround
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...s-the-problem-with-computer-freezing.1774335/
Definitely worth a shot - let me know if that does help you! Note that to test it you don't actually need to use Processor Lasso, just Affinity in Task Manager (for testing purposes anyway).

Good luck!

 

[LandAirAndSea]

@AndrewT This suggestion unfortunately did not work. It crashed almost immediately in the game setup menu.

 

[AndrewT]

DXDIAG is a program you run from the Windows search box on the task bar. After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here.
IF dxdiag.txt fails to attach here, rename it to dxdiag.log , or zip it up.

Please attach here your Documents/Paradox Interactive/Victoria3/pdx_settings.json .
From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/Victoria3/logs/ folder, attach here system.log , error.log
From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/Victoria3/crashes/ folder, attach here the latest (only!) exceptions.txt

 

[LandAirAndSea]

@AndrewT

 

[AndrewT]

From that dxdiag I'm pretty sure this is the Win11 24H2 problem, so I'm not sure why excepting those cores in Affinity did not help you at all. You excepted the first and last 2 out of your 32, I think? You could perhaps try a few other combinations, say 1 or 4 at each end.

And, have you tried switching the renderer to Vulkan?