Some Windows users are reporting that always experience a crash when they try to run the legacy 'Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines' game on a Windows reckoner. In most cases, this event is reported to occur on Windows 10.

Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines crash on startup

After investigating this issue, it turns out that there are several different potential causes that might be the underlying cause of the result. Here's a shortlist of potential culprits:

  • Missing admin admission – According to a lot of affected users, this problem can very well occur in situations where the game doesn't take the necessary permissions to admission a couple of required dependencies. In this case, you lot can fix the issuer by forcing the primary executable (vampire.exe) to run with admin access.
  • Incompatibility with Windows 10 – If you're seeing this mistake on Windows 10 and you lot haven't installed the unofficial patch from the modding community, the game won't first because it was not designed to run on this newer infrastructure. In this case, y'all can gear up the issue by forcing the game to run in compatibility mode with Windows 10.
  • The game is not patched for Windows 10 – Go on in mind that if the game is not patched with the files from the modding community, you have little chance of getting it to work on a Windows 10 installation. The best course of action is to install the unofficial patch from the official channels.
  • Missing DLL files – In order to get the game to work, yous need to ensure that the dlls subfolder contains 2 custom made Dynamic Library files that help the game run on Windows 10. Without them, the game will not boot up. If you don't want to install these files via the unofficial fan-made patch, you lot can copy them manually from an archive.
  • Safedisc is disabled by Windows Update KB3086255 – Keep in heed that Microsoft has finer disabled the main SafeDisc service via the security update KB3086255 in order to patch a security vulnerability. Since this is a requirement for the legacy version of the game to run, y'all can ready the consequence by uninstalling the update and hiding it in order to preclude information technology from getting installed again.
  • SafeDisc service is Disabled – It's likewise possible to come across this event in instances where the service is disabled by default, fifty-fifty though the security update is not installed. In this case, y'all tin go the issue fixed by starting the SafeDisc service from an elevated command prompt.

Now that yous know every potential culprit, here's a listing of methods that other affected users accept successfully used to fix this problem and play the game without information technology crashing at every attempted startup.:

Method 1: Running vampire.exe with Admin Admission

Co-ordinate to some afflicted users that were also encountering this issue, you tin also look to see this error in a situation where the game doesn't accept the necessary permissions in society to access every required dependency.

This is only reported to occur with users that are launching the game via Steam.

If this scenario is applicable, get-ahead and right-click on the master executable of Steam and click on Run as Ambassador from the context menu that but appeared. Next, when prompted past the UAC (User Business relationship Control) prompt, click Yes to grant admin access.

Running Steam as Admin

Once yous have successfully opened Steam with Admin access, open up 'Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines' game via Steam and see if the game is now launching normally.

If this method was successful, yous should consider forcing the Steam executable to ever open with admin access in the hereafter to avoid issues of this kind. Here'south a quick guide on how to exercise this:

  1. Navigate to the location of Steam's executable (or the shortcut) and choose Properties from the context menu.
    Accessing the Properties screen of Steam
  2. In one case you're inside the Backdrop screen of Steam, click on the Compatibility tab from the menu at the elevation, then coil down to the Settings section and cheque the box associated with Run this plan every bit ambassador.
    Forcing the program to run every bit an administrator
  3. Click Employ to salvage the changes, and so launch the game again via steam and see if the issue is now fixed.

If y'all are still encountering the aforementioned kind of startup mistake when launching Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines,move down to the next potential fix below.

Method 2: Running vampire.exe in Compatibility Mode

Equally some affected users accept reported, you tin can besides feel this upshot due to a compatibility issue. This is very likely if you're seeing this trouble on Windows x and you oasis't installed the Unofficial patch notwithstanding.

If this scenario is applicable, follow the instructions below to force the main game'due south executable (vampire.exe) to run in compatibility mode with Windows XP (an older OS version that the game is optimized for):

  1. Navigate to the location where y'all installed vampire.exeand right-click on information technology. Adjacent, from the context menu that just appeared click on Properties.
    Accessing the Backdrop screen
  2. Inside the Backdrop screen, click on the Compatibility tab from the context card at the top.
  3. Next, check the box associated withRun this program in compatibility fashion for,then select Windows XP (Service Pack 2) from the drop-down carte that but appeared.
    Running in compatibility mode
  4. Run the game one time again and see if the problem is at present fixed.

In case the same trouble is still occurring, motility downwardly to the next potential set below.

Method three: Installing the latest Unofficial Patch Version

Keep in heed that this is a legacy game that was originally released in 2004. Even though the game is non actively being supported by Troika Games (the original developer), the game is constantly improved and updated via the modding community around information technology.

At the time of writing this article, most compatibility issues caused by the new iteration of Windows (Windows x) have been resolved via the Unofficial Patch – Keep in mind that this should not be considered a mod since it only fixes bugs and compatibility bug.

Notation: The modding community too created a carve up patch called Plus Patch that can exist chosen at the installation. This is more than similar a restoration projection that adds missing content, new quests, levels, weapons, characters, dialogue, sounds, music, and new graphics.

If yous're encountering this result on Windows 10, installing this fan-made patch should allow yous to fix the issue entirely and prevent the game from crashing at startup ever again.

If you're unsure of how to install this patch, follow the instructions below:

  1. Open your default browser and navigate to the ModdDB page listing for the VTMB Unofficial Patch.
  2. Once you arrive at the correct folio, scroll downwards to the Files category and click on the hyperlink associated with the latest version of the Unofficial patch.
    Accessing the Unofficial Patch

    Note: At the time of writing this commodity, the latest version of the unofficial patch bachelor was 10.8.

  3. Inside the download page of the latest version of the Unofficial Patch for VMB, click on the Download button and wait for the functioning to complete.
    Downloading the unofficial patch

    Notation: The download should showtime automatically, simply in case it doesn't click on the hyperlink that just appeared at the acme of the prompt.

  4. Wait until the download is consummate. Keep in mind that they're using a free mirror, so look the download to take up several hours regardless of how fast your internet connexion is.
  5. Once the download is complete, double-click on the installer and follow the on-screen prompts to install the unofficial patch over the existing installation of Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines. Ensure that you are installing in the correct location.
    Note:     At one bespeak you will get asked if yous're willing to install the Plus patch too. If you want to preserve the exact country of the game when information technology was originally released, do non install this patch.

In case this effect is still occurring every bit the game crashes when yous attempt to launch information technology, motility downwardly to the next potential fix beneath.

Method 4: Copying over the missing DLL files

If you're not comfortable with installing the unofficial patch released by the modding community of Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines, yous should as well be able to go the game to work by manually copying over 2 Dynamic Link Library files that are really preventing the game from running (vampire.dll.12 and vampire.dll).

These 2 files are automatically added by the Unofficial patch, but some afflicted users have managed to set up the effect by copying the 2 files manually inside the dlls subfolder.

We've managed to finds a dropbox archive that a lot of afflicted users have used in order to prepare this issue. Nosotros've scanned it for malware and adware and it's completely make clean.

Note: If the link no longer works when you go to read this article, report the issue in the annotate section and nosotros will endeavour to replace the broken link as soon as possible.

If you're looking for step by step instructions on how to do this, follow the instructions beneath:

  1. Open up your default browser and navigate to this download link. One time inside, click on the Download button and wait for the operation to complete.
    Downloading the necessary DLL files
  2. Once the download is complete, utilize a utility similar 7zip, WinZip, or WinRar to excerpt the contents of the annal.
  3. After the files take been extracted, copy them both to your clipboard and paste them in the post-obit location:
    C:\Programme Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Vampire The Masquerade - Bloodlines\Vampire\dlls

    Note: If you installed the game in a custom location, paste the 2 DLLs in that location instead.

  4. In one case the 2 DDL's are successfully added to the game installation folder, double-click on the main executable and see if the issue is now fixed.

In example this method didn't allow you to fix the event as the game still crashes while attempting to launch it, move downwardly to the next potential fix below.

Method 5: Uninstalling Windows Update KB3086255

Go along in listen that Windows Update KB3086255 is the update that finer turned off the secdrv service – This is the master service of SafeDisc, which is a legacy compy protection scheme that is no longer used by modernistic games due to some security vulnerabilities.

Notwithstanding, if this service is disabled, every SafeDisc game that was designed to use this service (including Vampire the Masquerade) will not start properly.

So one way of fixing the startup mistake with Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines is to uninstall this update and hide information technology from the queue of pending updates in order to ensure that it doesn't get reinstalled once again at a later appointment.

Important: Following the instructions below will effectively re-enable the SafeDisc service which might betrayal your organization to a security vulnerability. If you lot don't play a lot of legacy games that make use of the SafeDisc service, possibly stay away from this procedure and go for Method iv instead.

If yous're willing to uninstall the Windows Update (KB3086255) iteration that's causing this issue and you understand the consequences, follow the instructions beneath:

  1. Open up up a Run dialog box by pressing Windows primal + R. Adjacent, type 'ms-settings:windowsupdate'inside the text box and press Enter to open up the Windows Update screen of the Settings app.
  2. Inside the Windows Update screen, click onView Update historyfrom the card on the left-mitt side.
  3. Next, one time the list of recently installed Windows updates loads up fully, click on Uninstall updates (at the tiptop of the screen).
  4. Scroll downwardly through the list of installed updates and locate the KB3086255update.
  5. When you see the correct update, right-click on it and cull Uninstall from the context card that just appeared. At the confirmation prompt, click Yes to kickoff the uninstallation.
  6. Once the functioning is finally complete, open up your browser of choice and navigate to the download page of the Microsoft Show or Hide troubleshooter package.
  7. When the download is consummate, become ahead and open the .diagcab file. When the utility is opened, showtime by clicking on theAdvancedcard, and then cheque the box associated withUse Repairs Automatically.
  8. Next, click on Next to begin the browse of your current lineup of installed updates.
  9. From the next prompt, click onHide Updatesfrom the list of available options.
  10. Side by side, check the box associated with the KB3086255and click Side by side to effectively hibernate it from the scope of Windows Update.
  11. Wait until the change is enforced, then restart your computer and launch the Vampire the Masqueradegame one time once more and come across if you're still encountering the same kind of crash.
Uninstalling and hiding the KB3086255 Windows Update

In example you are still encountering the same problem or y'all're non comfortable with hiding security updates, move downwards to the side by side potential fix below.

Method 6: Starting the SafeDisc service

In case the methods higher up didn't work in your case or yous're non willing to uninstall the KB3086255Windows Update, one workaround that will notwithstanding allow you to launch the game is to use an elevated Command Prompt to manually re-enable the main service of SafeDisc (secdrv).

In that location are a lot of affected users that we're able to finally launch the Vampire the Masquerade game after they ran the sc start secdrvcontrol inside an elevated CMD prompt.

Important: After you're done playing the game, it'due south essential to run a command that will disable this SafeDisc service in order to close off a security vulnerability that might go out your system exposed.

Hither's a quick step by footstep guide that will show yous how to outset the SafeDisc service from an elevated Control Prompt:

  1. Press Windows fundamental + R to open upwards a Run dialog box. Next, type 'cmd' inside the text box and printing Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open up up an elevated Command Prompt. When you're prompted past the UAC (User Business relationship Control), click Yes to grant admin access.
    Accessing the CMD prompt
  2. When yous're inside the elevated CMD, type the following command and press Enter to re-enable the SafeDisc service:
    sc start secdrv
  3. Launch Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines and see if the game is now running without the same blazon of crash.
    Annotation: Once you are downplaying the game, run the following command in an elevated CMD prompt to disable the service:
    sc stop secdrv