How to Fix BioShock 2 Crashes and Freezes?
BioShock 2 was just launched (a bit later than the pirated copies, unfortunately) but reports from gamers all over the world are already pouring, with users complaining of BioShock 2 crashes and freezes. Although these game crashes, freezes and error messages don’t appear to be widespread, there are still a number of gamers that get them and we’re trying here in the Unigamesity to find a fix for all these BioShock 2 problems.
So… how to fix the BioShock 2 crashes and freezes? First of all, make sure that your drivers are updated and your computer meets the required system specifications to run the game. Also, if the game tends to lock-up while playing or have problems with the frame rate, try reducing the graphics to minimum levels.
Amongst the problems I’ve seen posted by gamers on the BioShock 2 forums, I’ve noticed a strange one:
“BioShock2.exe – Entry Point Not Found
The procedure entry point _except_handler4_common could not be located in the dynamic link library msvcrt.dll.”
Apparently this problem is caused by the surround sound, so it might work out if you switched to stereo mode!
Apart from that, users with Windows 7 seem to have the most problems with BioShock 2, with the game crashing to the desktop after the intro movie loads, with the error message: “Bioshock 2 has stopped working” For now, we weren’t able to find a possible solution to this problem, but we’re searching.
What about you? Did you encounter any problems/freezes/crashes while running BioShock 2. If so, did you manage to find a fix? Please share your experience with our users, maybe you’ll help them fully enjoy a great game!
UPDATE: It appears that some of the BioShock 2 crashes to desktop come from the usage of DirectX 10. Apparently, running the game in DirectX 9 mode will solve your crash problems. Here’s what you have to do in order to run BioShock 2 in DirectX 9 (for Vista and Windows 7 users only!):
Click Start. Select Games from the right hand side (should list documents music and games). A new window will open with the icon for Bioshock 2 inside. Right click this icon and select Bioshock2 (DX9).
If you have classic view enabled, Click Start, Select Games, Select Games Explorer and a new window will open with the BioShock 2 icon. Right click it and select Bioshock2 (DX9). Hope this helps, will keep you updated if any other fixes are found!
2nd UPDATE: Thanks to our great readers, especially Hoper, we have another fix that is said to work. Here’s what to do:
Delete everything in here”
C:\Users\*Username*\Documents\Bioshock2
Or whatever folder you have saves in, and then start the game. It will work!
The game suffers from random freezes for me too.
I will be playing for about 5 mins then it will lock up and revert back to desktop with the error message saying the program encounterd a problem. I am running Vista 32bit with higher spec than the recomended system requirements and have updated all my drivers (motherboard and graphics).
I dont know what to do, I cant figure out why. I was so glad I got the day off work to play this, had it all pre-orderd and everything just to buy a product I can’t even play.
So frustrating! :(
Th3 Jacke1, try out the DX9 thing as explained in the post’s update.. maybe it will work for you too!
I will give that a try hopefully they will release a patch soon so I can play in DX10 again. Seems like a little step back playing in DX9 but if it works I will give it a try.
Thanks Calin Ciabai.
Hi i just bought the game and i instaled and started….i chosed new game and it loading, then i press space and the screen turns black and freeze out what should i do? pls help
Hi Lemon,
Try what Calin told me to do play the game in DirectX9 mode that seemed to work for me. If you are using Windows Vista/7 press:
Start/Games right click on the bioshock 2 icon and select play – DirectX 9
The major issues apear to be with DirectX10. The game worked fine for me after doing this with no more aparent issues. :D
How about the people who use XP?
I can’t right click on anything to get the DirectX 9
Well the DX9 start diden’t work so well for me, now i can’t even see the main menu anymore when i do this instant crash after the splashscreens… Guess i’ll just have to wait for some more information.
There is no option for me to launch the game in DX9 ( Windows 7 Proffesional).
Is there any other way to launch the game in dx9 apart from the fix that is written here?
When I started the game it was working okay for about 15 minutes, after that when I wanted to save it crashed. Now every time after intro cinematics are over it crashes and gives this damn error. I’m using windows xp.
Even after trying it with DX9, seems the game still wonßt let many of us play after the loading screen. That is some great game they got there. Damn well spent bucks of mine….damn….
Anyway, tried it with newest graphic drivers, tried it with new DX 10 and 9, the machine itself fits the requirements, still won´t do shit.
The ones getting the crashes are the people using the pirated stolen copies, everybody I know that actually bought and played the game have had no problems, just delete your nuked torrent file and go buy the game, scrubs.
Actually, QUIT, your wrong. I went out and bought the retail version and my game crashes immediately, without fail, after the first cut-scene. My friend, who has a pirated copy, does not have nay problems with the game.
Retards, we all know one….
TRY THIS!
Computer>Games>Bioshock2>MP>Builds>Binaries
use the Bioshock2Launcher and the game starts without any problems for me.
i hope i helped.
Just to be clear I have retail version, and it happened to me. Anyway, here is solution I found.
Delete everything in here.
C:\Users\*Username*\Documents\Bioshock2
Or whatever folder you have saves in.
I’m running Vista x64 and the DX9 solution worked for me, played it for about 2 hours with no problems. Just follow the instructions that Th3 Jacke1(post Nº 5) wrote. I had the crash to desktop problem before that, played it for about 20 mins and bam crash.
i got the retail copy, not the torrent, and mine doesnt work either, IMPOSSIBLE ??? TRUE !
got over min specs, running vista 32bit. tried dx9, DOESNT WORK. same crashes.
I went out and bought it from the store.
I tried DX9 thing. Didn’t work. Tried the Computer>Games>Bioshock2>MP>Builds>Binaries thing, didnt work. Nothing working. Any help?
got over the min specs. have windows 7…
every time go on, click play single player, then Live tries signing in, then it freezes on me and “Bioshock 2 has stopped working”
“Delete everything in here.
C:\Users\*Username*\Documents\Bioshock2
Or whatever folder you have saves in.”
I just tried that. It works. :D thank youuuu hoper
No problems for me running Windows 7 64-bit with BS2 retail version. I do notice that the game pauses when I use the electro plasmid – maybe too much going on but it does it even with the graphic settings at their lowest.
I’ve also discovered a keybinding bug: When using the hack tool, you have to press the Use key. If you’ve changed the binding from ‘F’ to ‘E’ (like it was in Bioshock I believe), it doesn’t work.
Yeah, when I right click on the icon, this option just says play, it does not have an option for DX9.
I got it installed, but still no dice.
My version of Bioshock 2 locks up my xbox. So far, only during multiplayer, but I haven’t played much yet.
Realize this is a PC forum, but wondering ifthe problems are related.
People on steam right click the game in my games, select advanced options then type in -dx9
then click ok
mine is freezing too after first load, on the first cutscene. any solutions?
Im using xp the problem still goes on :S
Mhmm, Retail here too, game crashes after clicking “Press Space to Continue” after loading the first level, cannot delete saves because I don´t have any yet, -dx9 doesn´t work. I´m using Win7 64. What is the fracking problem here?
hi, guys turn of “reverb” in audio options and crash during the game will be gone. you dont have to play in DX9. it realy works for me. sorry for my english. im from czech :)
I did the dx9 thing and it seemed to work, downside is the graphics went all haywire in close quarters fights, I can’t play like this. I’d rather have crashes every 30 min.
Game ran fine for 10 mins or so under 64-bit Windows 7 and CrossFire X (HD4870s) but then locked my computer up completely. Tried the game with DX9 but the graphics got glitched, didn’t crash or freeze though. Disabled CFX and ran game again in DX9. No problems. Haven’t tried single card in DX10..
Hi guys, i had crash problem with bs2 retail..Disable the audio reverb and crashes gone..runs perfect now..BTW i am playing DX10..
(Win 7 Ultimate x64 and gtx295,SB Audigy)
When I try to play it in directX 9 mode the single player doesn’t work but the multiplayer does. What the hell is going on?
hello guys i tried evrthng you advised , running dx9, reverb sound setting, starting as win2000, everything however none of theese solved my problem. Game crashes just after the startng videos. I realized that when videos play on pressing “home” button then sing out my gfw account game plays on and i see the game menu. But after that if i sing in unfortunately game crashes again. I’m using win7 x64. Any other solution do you have?
My rig is rock solid, its has to be.
I had completed bioshock 2 without any hitches.
Decided to play through it again and my machine crashed the worst i have ever seen.
During gameplay about a hour into the game Lost video, music looped.
When i tried to hit the reset switch my machine would not respond.Thats REALLY wierd
My fireface 400 , was flashing my machine was making the worst noise ever.
I quickly held in the power button and it shut down.
Strange stuff, never had my machine behave like this.
As i said, its rock solid.
Delete the C:\Users\*Username*\Documents\Bioshock2 save files that are 1Kb or 0Kb and Bioshock 2 should work.
Their were no save files it that folder when I checked it.
Hi guys,
Bioshock 2 crashes when loading Dionysus Park. Up until now everything worked fine. Even tried both Razer and Reloaded exe’s. No go.
If anyone have a fix or a workaround please help
Thanks
PloX
I deleted save files, now it starts!
But I have to start over :|
Hey, i deleted my save folder and im runing in dx9 and i turned of reverb, and then the problem with crash after first schene where gone, but now it sometimes crash when i press M for more information about item or pressing esc for menu, doesnt happen all the time i do those things but sometimes and its pretty irritating becouse of my sucky network i been downloading this from steam in 3 days now and i finally got the game and now its crashing -.-
Hey guys i just got the game was playing fine unit l turn off Direct 10 detail surfaces in the graphic option, it just crashed from there and from since then I’ve been crashing ever since. i cant even start up the game the bioshock logo comes up then i get a message: Bioshock 2 has stopped working is there anyway i can fix this? :S
when ur game crashes when loading dionysus park u should just patch ur game.
alper.
QUIT – You should do what your name says. I bought the collectors edition for £60 and you have the cheek to sit there and call me a scrub and that I’ve got the pirate version? FU nonse.
This works….Its all in the video movies…Just move the following movies to a backup folder and the game works.
Just move these videos in SP>Content>BinkMovies
attractMovie
bio2_sp_mp
Genebank_Static – Gene Banks graphic
Genebank_Static2
Genebank_Static3
Map – Map graphic
PlasmiTonicNow – Plasmid Graphic
TwoLogo – The logo, don’t know for sure if it causes a problem
VendAmmo – Vendors
VendCircus
VendGarden
VendWeapon
prelude_intro – Intro of the game ( After Loading – Hit Space thing )
waterfall – The ingame menu (Ingame – ESC – Menu )
I am running Win7 x64, I put the Bioshock2.exe and Bioshock2Launcher.exe in the “C:\Program Files (x86)\BioShock 2\SP\Builds\Binaries” folder in compatibility mode for WinXP SP3 (Right click file, properties,Compatibility) , and all crashes disappeared. It was crashing 5 mins in, then a few mins. in and then randomly, All drivers updated, and turning off settings. I put it in compatibility mode, and now I run it with SLI enabled, DX10, 1080 res, everything on HIGH and it has not crashed once since.
after intro movie (eleanor taken by lamb) the game freeze and crash out to desktop and the messages tray appear “AMD device driver service stopped”
how can I fix this?
irving, looks like a driver issue, update to the lastest Video driver (I’m assuming you have a ATI/AMD based card)
This is the third GFW game I own that will not run properly while logged in to GFW. I hit HOME during startup and log out and now BS2 no longer crashes after intro cut scenes. The down side is that I lost my save game file and have to start from the begining again
I have ATI card too and I disabled every high detail options on graphic menu at the game. It worked fine to me.
if i delete the save files, will i lose all my progress and will have to satrt again?
Yes James. Deleting your save files means you will have to start over.
thanks for your help frank…
but, last day I’ve bought a new card (HD3650) but.. the messages still appears…
is there anyone can help me out of here?
Irving have you downloaded and installed the video drivers from AMD’s website?
I’ve done anything… No I use the Catalyst 10.1…
anyway thanks to answer it
So this is the oddest fix I have ever heard of yet it worked for me and a buddy.
Problem: audio cuts in and out or just out totally, sound loss during heavy game play.
Solution: plug anything into the mic input. I used headphones, played for 3 hours, no sound crash.
RIG: Q9450 quad core
8gigs corsair dominator xms2-8500
2x Nivida 8800GT
EVGA 750i ftw (using the realtek onboard sound)
1x ocz SSD 128gig drive
Thermal Take 1000watt power supply
running it in DirectX 10
Full specs, turned off reverb in audio settings in BS2
I had all sorts of crashes, sound issues.. And crazy sounds issues where the sound would totally cut out, wait 1-3min, then slowly fade back in.. I tired adjusting the channels in the .ini file and nothing worked until I plugged headphones into my mic jack. No audio problems. I do get better audio performance in stereo mode over 5.1 for some reason.. Both work, but 5.1 sounds tinny and flat. Not a huge deal.
I also had some crashing happen when I first got the game. The entire came would crash either during load screen or just at random. Tired all the fixes here, only one worked and that was going into my Nvidia control panel and forcing AA off. Did that and it goes 3hours no problems yet.
Hope this helped anyone.. I’ve spent about 20 hours fixing the game and 5 hours playing it! :) Damn you 2k!
ookay i tryed the thing with direct x9 but it didt work game crashed again
you better yellin’ at 2k games, I’ve spent a lot of money for their games (Bioshock,Bioshock2,Borderlands,etc) but none of their games has no bug… always a bug everywhere… sounds,graphical,ctd, and much more… I’m disappointed…
irving,
I am 100% with you on my extreme displeasure of 2k games. My bioshock1 actually ran good, had bugs but nothing as bad as bioshock 2. Ya in 1 sometimes a enemy would just hover in mid air, sure sound might be a little off and not in sync, but bioshock2 just crashed and crashed and crashed. Still tho, ever since I put headphones into my mic jack its been almost perfect.. had it crash after 4hrs of play but I think it was my video cards fault and it was just running to hot.
colby,
my bioshock1 got an error when tryin’ to get out from the bathysphere in bioshock intros… there’s only 2 characters outside that freezes and no sounds…
and my bioshock2 had an ctd with my radeonhd3650 after the directx10 enabled…
I’ve read a lot of people have issues with Direct X10. I don’t tho. I did install Directx11 and I know its not using it but maybe it updated 10 somehow? I’m just angry with 2k, all this time spent on this game and its buggy as hell.
I am running windows 7, with the right specs, and I still had trouble with this. I did the Direct 9 thing, and it worked but I had no sound, and with a game with so many sound clips that help you to understand the complexity of the game, that sucked, but I saved the game after I got out of the first area (which had some very odd graphic problems) and I ran the game normally with DirectX 10, and it has worked just fine for me ever since. I hope this helps.
Casey,
this problems also happens in the older sequel of the game “Bioshock” somebody says that our Soundcard is the problems… but anyway, that’ll be better if you use the directx 9 to jump over the buggy areas, then close your games and run it on directx 10. before you close the game, make sure that your game saved safely…
*this bug was never been announced by 2K
alternate: you better dual-boot your machine if you want to play this game without the bug present. run it on XP ServicePack 2.0 or newer, but you’ll lost your DirectX10 Ability…
thanks.. I hope this post will help you
casey,
plug a mic in or headphones into your mic input and see if your sound problems go away. I have onboard realtek and it works fine with audio ever since I plugged in headphones to the mic input. soon as i take them out, it starts acting up.
My problem is this. Until i encounter a window with the ocean behind it, games plays fine. Than i look at the ocean in the window and sudenly the frame rate drops to unberable. Once the whole computer shut down and I had to wait few minutes before it would start again( assuming overheating my vid card)
Ill try the going back to DX9 but i have no hope.
None of the above worked for me. Figured out the issue for me was Comodo Defense+ needed to be disabled to play the game. I read that it used to do the same for Demigod so maybe it’s a bug that will get fixed. Worth trying if you do have comodo installed.