Windows 10 Kernelbase.dll game crash after update - Solved!

Johncoool

Extraordinary Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
I had Hitman - Absolution for several years. I played a lot on the same system with then same O/S.

I am trying to play it again this week but it keeps on crashing and in the event viewer it shows the issue is that Kernelbase.dll is causing it to crash.

I tried several versions of the game but all are giving the same issue.

Any idea as to how or why this would happen?
 
Hello,

I understand your concern and I'd be happy to help. Kernelbase.dll is a Windows system file that contains core functionality for many applications, and bundle resources used by several different programs. When a game like Hitman - Absolution crashes due to this file, it might indicate a few possible issues. In order to troubleshoot and resolve this problem, please follow the steps below:

1. Update Windows: Ensure that your system is running the latest Windows updates, including any security patches and stability improvements. Updating Windows can solve compatibility issues or fix potential bugs that could affect your game.

To check for updates, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, and click "Check for updates."

2. Update Graphics Drivers: Outdated graphics drivers may cause compatibility issues with newer software or game updates. Make sure you have the latest drivers for your graphics card installed.

You can download the latest drivers for NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel graphics cards directly from their respective websites.

3. Verify Game Files: In case you have the game via Steam, it's essential to verify the integrity of the game cache. This checks for missing or corrupted files and re-downloads them if needed.

To do this, go to your Steam library, right-click on Hitman - Absolution, select "Properties," click on the "Local Files" tab, and then click "Verify Integrity of Game Files."

4. Run Game as Administrator: Certain permissions issues can cause crashes or instability. To run the game as an administrator, right-click on the game's executable file or shortcut, select "Properties," go to the "Compatibility" tab, check "Run this program as an administrator," and click "OK."

5. Disable Background Applications: Sometimes, other software running in the background can cause conflicts or issues. To disable unnecessary background applications, right-click on the Taskbar, select "Task Manager," click on the "Startup" tab, and disable any applications that aren't required during gaming.

6. Reinstall the Visual C++ Redistributables: The Kernelbase.dll file is a part of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages. You can try reinstalling these packages to fix any compatibility issues or corrupted files. Download the latest versions of these packages from the Microsoft website and install them one by one, starting with the oldest version.

7. Perform a Clean Boot: A clean boot starts Windows with a minimal set of startup programs and services, which helps identify any software conflicts causing the issue.

To perform a clean boot, follow this guide from Microsoft: How to perform a clean boot in Windows - Microsoft Support

If none of these steps work, consider reinstalling the game or testing it on another computer to see if the issue persists. If the problem continues, it could be due to hardware issues or incompatibility with your current system.

Good luck, and I hope one of these solutions works for you! Please feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or concerns.
 
With BSODs I recommend always updating all drivers as they are the reason for about 90% of issues.

There are reports of rare BSODs from this months patches.

Run this in Powershell to see if you have this months patch, if yes you can test removing it and see if the issue persists.
Code:
Get-HotFix | sort InstalledDate | ? { $_.HotFixID -like "*5025749*" }
 
I found a thread on Steam's forums about this game with this exact issue. The resolution was to right click the game in the library and verify the files. If it finds corrupted files it'll repair them.
 
Open the Hitman2.ini file (if you've started the game at least once, it's in the same folder as the Hitman 2 executable), and change DrawDll RenderD3D.dll to DrawDll RenderOpenGL.dll
 
Solved!

The crash was appcrash and not BSOD.

It got solved when I updated the Graphics card driver.

Thanks to all participants.
 
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