HL2: Episode 2 Error

[The Grim Reaper]

Hey there,

I'm having a good time playing through the HL2 games, and im finally onto ep2. However im getting an error on a specific loading point.
Spoilers follow, its not too specific, but if your worried leave now. :)


The loading point is in The Vortal Coil after you fall down a short shaft after being chased by the Ant Bull. I fall down the shaft, you are meant to walk along the track towards the next part.

It seems theres one of those loading 'triggers', and I get a "memory could not be read" error. Previously it just froze and i have to reboot, but i managed to get it to freeze with the error on screen. This has happened 3 times, all requiring a reboot.

So, how do i fix it, without messing up all my save games? I really want to play this.

[Lancer]

Eeghas.. Poor, poor you... I know I went through the billions of fixes Google could find for me to try to fix that problem, but the only thing that ended up working was finding a spare hard drive and installing XP fresh. You might have more luck with Google's fixes.

One thing, though.. Some people noted only getting that error at any loading point, be it loading the main menu or in the game, so.. Try loading an earlier save, getting to an earlier point and seeing if it happens there. Either way, if you can start any Source-based game I doubt it's as unfixable as mine was.

First Google result (http://www.techspot.com/vb/all/windows/t-18030-Memory-problem-in-Half-Life-2.html), it's the most common fix I came across. Didn't work for me, sadly, but it might for you. Another fairly common fix I found people posting was just deleting the game files and re-downloading them. Seems it worked for some, but not others. If you do that though, I'd recommend you back-up your save files.

And to do that.. They should be in X:\program files\Steam\steamapps\your steam username\half-life 2 episode 2\ep2\SAVE
With X being the drive letter you installed on, probably C. Backing them up is as simple as copying them out, and restoring them as simple as copying them back in.

[Bail]

I had a similar thing, I found that as it says "loading..." on screen quickly alt+tab onto the desktop and wait a few minutes. For me the game then loaded in the background and when I brought HL2 back up from the taskbar all was fine, next bit of level all loaded.

[The Grim Reaper]

Thanks lancer,
+mat_forcehardwaresync 0 +snd_async_prefetch_priority 1 worked on the shortcut fine, and it seems it wasn't a loading point, as when i walked up to it i had no loading screen. Ah well.

Now i have that car, and have driven past the radio tower, and but there is one of those advisor things about. Do you actually encounter it? Is it in the second bigger house? Its actually quite freaky if its one of those things that looks like it has a giant nose for a face.

[Lancer]

Ah, that part was made of win. Especially when you get inside and the advisor does... things. I figure you'll be past that point by now though, but you have to admit it was pretty dayum good.

[The Grim Reaper]

Ah, that part was made of win Especially when you get inside and the advisor does... things. I figure you'll be past that point by now though, but you have to admit it was pretty dayum good.

Oooh thanks for telling me, now i'll be prepared.

No im not past it yet, had to go do other things + playing too much + got weirded out.

Oh and have a +. :)