- 1). Download all the latest patches for the game from the game publisher’s website. If the general protection fault is caused by a bug in the game’s programming this will usually solve the problem.
- 2). Press "Ctrl + Alt + Delete" on your keyboard to bring up a Windows menu. Select the “Task Manager” option.
- 3). Go to the "Processes" tab and use the "End Process" option to close down any non-essential programs that are running and might interfere with the operation of your game. The "Description" column will show you to which program each process belongs. If you are not sure about a certain process it is best to leave it running, as closing down the wrong process can cause instabilities in Windows.
- 4). Clear out your Windows “Temp” folder (located inside your Windows installation folder). This will ensure that there are no leftover files from previously installed programs that could cause a conflict with your game.
- 5). Run your defragmentation program of choice or just make use of the default Windows one, which can be found in the "System Tools" tab of your Start Menu (depending on your version of Windows). Hard drives that are very fragmented cause a heavier load on system resources; having your game files spread out across a big hard drive increases the chances of a general protection fault.
- 6). Check that you have enough space available on the hard drive where the game is installed. If the drive has less than 200 MB free, Windows will be unable to make a bigger swap file when needed. This can also lead to general protection faults while running your game.
- 7). Monitor whether the general protection fault only occurs when you are trying to run your game. If it happens randomly or during other programs as well, it is more than likely that faulty memory is the root of your problem which would mean replacing the RAM chips with new ones.
- 8). Uninstall Aureal A3D drivers if you have these present on your computer, as they have been reported to cause general protection faults in several games.
- 9). Reinstall Windows as a last resort if none of the above steps solved your problem. Windows files can get corrupted for a variety of reasons in which case only a clean install will rectify the problem.
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