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The Instruction at "0x241f8977" referenced memory at "0x01cdf5c0". This memory could not be "read".

Click OK to terminate this program.

Ok, when playing the newly released Half Life 2 and Counter Strike Source on XP, it crashes and it comes up with this error message. What causes this error and how do I fix it?

Thanks!

Ok everyone, I have the solution for the load failure with no error. There is in fact an error and it has to do with memory. You may or may not get this error message that looks like this: "The Instruction at "0x241f8977" referenced memory at "0x01cdf5c0". This memory could not be read".

Here is the fix:

First location:

Right click your Half Life 2 icon on your desktop (the one you would normally double-click to launch the game). Then click Properties. Click the Shortcut Tab. In the line labeled Target, you will see something like this, depending on where you put the program when you installed it:

"C:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe" -applaunch 22

Copy and paste the following AFTER the above line:

+mat_forcehardwaresync 0 +snd_async_prefetch_priority 1

Be sure there is a space between -applaunch 22 and +mat

Click save and you are ready to go.

Second location:

From the Steam Play Games Menu, right click on Half Life 2. Choose Properties, then click Launch Options. Paste the following in the box.

+mat_forcehardwaresync 0 +snd_async_prefetch_priority 1

Click Ok and you are ready to go.

Do the same fix for Half Life 2 Deathmatch and Counter Strike Source.

Offline and Online Mulitplayer modes will should all work now.

Good Luck!!!

Hey, thanks to Cattivo071 for trying to fix the problem, but it didn't work for me. Did anyone else find a solution? This problem seems to happen to a lot of people...

Hey Liquidman, I was running into this same issue at the part where the girl was being teleported at the beginning of the game. Anyhow, I looked through the steampowered forums, but none of their solutions worked.

So here is what I did to FIX the problem:
1) Right mouse click on my computer->Properties->Advanced
2) Performance Options -> Virtual Memory
3) I changed my virtual memory page size to have an initial size of like 550Mb and a max size of 1024Mb. In short, I upped the virtual memory page file size, and then I was able to play the game.

Your mileage may vary.

My HL2 was also crashing every time during a save or "loading.." with the infamous memory reference error.

Sanmeet's post at
http://www.moviecodec.com/topics/4097p7.html
helped me to resolve the issue and play HalfLife2 finally :bounce:

I quote him-
"
OK CHILL GUYS I HAVE THE SOLUTION FOR THE MEMORY REFERENCE PROBLEM. ITS VERY SIMPLE , I DIDNT THINK IT WILL WORK BUT I WAS AMAZED TO SEE IT DID. I ALMOST THREW MY HL CDS IN THE DUSTBIN...OK OK THE SOLUTION... CLICK PROPERTIES OF THE ICON U USE FOR RUNNING THE GAME. CLICK SHORTCUT TAB... IN THE TARGET ADD "-steam +mat_forcehardwaresync 0 +snd_async_prefetch_priority 1” WITHOUT QUOTES AT THE END INSTEAD OF JUST "-steam" "

Also, remove your windows temp files and have a clean installation.
It worked for me,

cya now, gotta meet Alyx
gans/

I got the same "memory could not be read" error message after adding the following line to Half-Life 2's config.cfg file:

bind "§" "toggleconsole"

Somehow the game didn't like that '§' character. When I replaced it with 'F12' everything worked again.

So perhaps there is something illegal in config.cfg and renaming/deleting/editing config.cfg solves the problem.

The memory read error is back. I'm not able to shoot down the airborne gunship and am stuck in Highway 17 !!!!

Every time I take the rocket launcher outside, I get the error dialog!
I put the subtitles ON and found that when the [Wood Splintering] sound occurs, my RAM splits. Any ideas why??

Someone help Gordon !!!!