Well, I've worked my butt off and finally got the game to load the main menu (installed latest video codecs, vid card drivers, and the like).

But now, I am unable to start a new game. I click "New Game" and a loading screen appears with a white bar at the bottom. The white bar turns red within a second, and then the game crashes. Rather, the game disappears without a trace, and no error message. My exception.txt file ends with

"...
OLEPRO32, type: Exported
imagehlp, type: Exported

First trace:
(null) from AcLayers!0x230147F8

Second trace:
ZwGetContextThread from ntdll!0x77F96BE6
(null) from Game!0x489DC7
(null) from (null)!0x73656D61
(null) from (null)!0x73656D61
"

my engine.log ends with
Engine: Creating 'static' actor "iintro_theater@door1"
Engine: Creating 'static' actor "intro_theater_svetilnik"
Engine: Creating 'biped-lsh-cs' actor "cs_intro_danko"
Engine: Creating 'biped-lsh-cs' actor "cs_intro_burah"
Engine: Creating 'biped-lsh-cs' actor "cs_intro_klara"
Engine: Creating 'player' actor
Forcing load of sound 'Step_ground1.ogg'
"

I am well above the requirements, and all my other games work great.

Please help

Without the modified OpenAL.dll, the game just hangs at the same spot, instead of outright crashing. However, if I disable the sound in this instance, the game also crashes at the same spot.

Please stay tuned. Working on the problem. It would help, if you'd post your "engine.log" and DxDiag (Start -> Run -> DxDiag -> save All Info)

Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Log file created
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Build: "Airat" on Mon Sep 19 15:01:56 2005
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: Reading 'config.ini'
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: Initializing shell
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '3' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\scenes"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '0' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\actors"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '1' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\geometries"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '2' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\textures"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '4' from "FS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\sounds"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '5' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\fonts"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '6' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\strings"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '7' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\scripts"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '8' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\world"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '9' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\ui"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '102' from "VFS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data\video"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '100' from "FS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../data"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: FS: Mounting file system '101' from "FS.dll" "X:\games\PATHOL~1\bin\Final\../../saves"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: EyeCandy: enabled
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: Loading "main.dat"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: Loading additional strings
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: Creating window
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: Initializing "LifeStudio: HEAD"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: "LifeStudio: HEAD" initialized successfully
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: Initializing streamer
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: SCFG: Sample Rate: 44100
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: SCFG: Units in Meter: 100
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: SCFG: Stream buffer size: 131072
Thu Sep 07 16:15:06 2006: Init: Creating sound system from 'sound.dll'
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: Sound system was created successfully
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: Initializing video system
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: Video system initialized successfully
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: XRes: 1280
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: YRes: 1024
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: Refresh Rate: 60
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: 32-bit: 1
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: Antialiasing: 2
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: Texture Anisotropy: 16
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: Lightmap Quality: 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: Low Quality Textures: 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: Fullscreen: 1
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: VSync: 1
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: FrameSync: 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: NoBumpmapping: 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: NoPureDevice: 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: RCFG: WaterReflections: 1
Thu Sep 07 16:15:07 2006: Init: Creating renderer from 'D3D.dll'
Thu Sep 07 16:15:09 2006: Renderer: DirectX 9.0c is installed
Thu Sep 07 16:15:09 2006: Renderer: Driver: ati2dvag.dll (6.14.10.14) [RADEON X850 XT]
Thu Sep 07 16:15:09 2006: Renderer: VendorID: 4098
Thu Sep 07 16:15:09 2006: Renderer: DeviceID: 23890
Thu Sep 07 16:15:09 2006: Renderer: SubSysID: 50466818
Thu Sep 07 16:15:09 2006: Renderer: WHQL: 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:11 2006: Renderer: Total video memory: 256.0 MB
Thu Sep 07 16:15:11 2006: Renderer: Creating device
Thu Sep 07 16:15:11 2006: Renderer: Trying HW/Pure
Thu Sep 07 16:15:11 2006: Renderer: Trying depth format 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:11 2006: Renderer: Can't create device, error: 0x8876086a (D3DERR_NOTAVAILABLE), description: "Not available"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:11 2006: Renderer: Trying depth format 1
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: All caps are ok
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Device created
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Warning: D3DFVFCAPS_DONOTSTRIPELEMENTS not specified
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Vertex shaders are supported
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Detailed object's draw distance: 5000
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Compressed textures enabled
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Dynamic textures are supported
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: FFP range-based fog enabled
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Pixel shaders are supported
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Setting texture filters
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: MAG Filter: anisotropic
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: MIN Filter: anisotropic
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: MIP Filter: linear
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Texture filters are set
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Shadows textures created
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Creating reflection textures
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Reflection texture format: X1R5G5B5
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Reflection textures created
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Creating shaders
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Shaders created
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: INFO: Frame synchronization disabled
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Renderer: Setting device initial state
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Init: Renderer was created successfully
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Runtime script compilation disabled
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Engine started
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: CPU extension: MMX
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: CPU extension: SSE
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Windows version: Microsoft Windows 98
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Maximum virtual address: 7FFEFFFF
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Number of processors: 2
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Total physical memory: 2146480128
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Available physical memory: 1649147904
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Total virtual memory: 2147352576
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Available virtual memory: 2073399296
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Creating actor factories
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Init: Creating user interface from 'UI.dll'
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Init: User interface was created successfully
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: exec "init.cfg"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind a left
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind left left
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind d right
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind right right
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind w forward
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind up forward
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind s back
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind down back
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind e use
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind space jump
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind f12 screenshot
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind f flashlight
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind v visir
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind lbutton shoot
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind rbutton altshoot
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind tab holster
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind i inventory
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind m map
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind p stats
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind q diary
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind l message
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind r reload
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind t rescue
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind escape gamemenu
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind lshift sneak
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bind x handcombat
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bindcmd f5 qsave
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: bindcmd f8 qload
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: rd_wire off
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: rd_shadows on
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: rd_gamma 1.325
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: rd_stat 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: sshot_gamma 0
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: gt_speed 2
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: m_sensivity 2.256
Thu Sep 07 16:15:12 2006: Engine: Console: m_invert off
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: GameWorld: Items not loaded: no items specified
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: GameWorld: Weather data not loaded: no file specified
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: GameWorld: No main outdoor scene specified
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: GameWorld: No weather script loaded
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Loading 'indoor' scene "intro_theater"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'static light' actor "intro_theater_light_door"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'group static light' actor "intro_theater_light"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'group static light' actor "intro_theater_light2"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'group static light' actor "intro_theater_light4"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'group static light' actor "intro_theater_light3"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'static' actor "intro_theater_object"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'static' actor "intro_theater_stul01"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'static' actor "intro_theater_stol"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'static' actor "intro_theater_stul"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'static' actor "intro_theater_stul02"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'static' actor "iintro_theater@door1"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'static' actor "intro_theater_svetilnik"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'biped-lsh-cs' actor "cs_intro_danko"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'biped-lsh-cs' actor "cs_intro_burah"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'biped-lsh-cs' actor "cs_intro_klara"
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Engine: Creating 'player' actor
Thu Sep 07 16:15:20 2006: Forcing load of sound 'Step_ground1.ogg'

Hello...

I have exactly the same problem.

My system is an Athlon 64 4000, GeForce 7800GT, Asus A8N32...

http://pathologic-game.com/forum_eng/viewtopic.php?t=96 - try this first.

Running on only one processor made no difference