Getting DirectX error again

[Iron Kat]

As the thread title says I'm getting this error again:

I've verified my game cache files twice and had a look at the Steam Support page for info about the error but none of the advice worked. This is on HL2 where it's not working now, btw. I manage to get as far as the last loading scene in Water Hazard then it crashes. I've got no idea what else to try and it's driving me mad.

 

[AtomicSpark]

Maybe, it's a problem with DirectX and not your game?

 

[Iron Kat]

Could be. What could I do about that. Strange how HL2 has never worked on my computer and I've never understood why not.

 

[hrbngr]

hello,
I am also getting this exact error when the game crashes on me. I am running an athlon xp-m, 1gb ram, ati 3850 agp video card and built in sound w/windows xp sp1a. I downloaded and installed the newest directx SDK download (november 2008) to update all of my directx files. I just installed the game on my pc yesterday.

If anyone has any advice or graphic settings you would recommend trying, please let me know.

finally, how do i get the console to come up on the screen, im trying to type this character in the game "~" but it does not bring the console down.

 

[hrbngr]

first update:

i've read this support article that mentions this exact error:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5204-UOSN-9830

basically it says to fool around w/the video options to see if any particular setting will reduce the crashes, so I was wondering if anyone knows which video option causes the the video card to work the hardest?

for example, in WoW, the full-screen glow affect was a major resource hog on the video card while not actually making the graphics of the game that much better so it was a very good idea to turn that option off, and I am hoping that one of the video options for HL2 will be like that.

also, it looks like "-console" for launch options will let me use the console, so that is covered.