Application blocked from accessing graphics hardware and more

[Commander Matt]

Recently I've caught a case of the "Application blocked" bug. (Pardon the pun)

This is happening in Pulsar: Lost Colony and Subnautica. Will update the thread if more games pop up with this problem.

Pulsar's story is this:
No matter what drivers I use, CCC 15.7, 15.7.1, Radeon Settings (first one), or the fan fix, it randomly gives me the app blocked problem and crashes. Just, randomly. Maybe a few seconds after doing something, but still randomly. No consistency. I've tried running as admin, running in windowed mode, and running with lower graphics settings. Nothing's worked. It also did this on my 6870.

Subnautica is a bit more complicated. I used to be able to play it just fine, on a 6870 and an R9 380. Just after updating to the fan fix Radeon Settings, it spits out the app blocked error and crashes. In this case, I was recording with OBS using AMD VCE. As you've probably guessed, everything related to graphics died; OBS, Radeon Settings itself, and Subnautica. Haven't tried any fixes. Game used to run fine.

The GPU is not overheating; temps never go above 80C.
I don't think it's my OC; I'm using Radeon Settings (not sure if AB works with RS), and the memory clock is 1525 from the base 1450. In practice, it's stable; Blender renders fine with it (using GPU), most every other game is fine, video rendering is fine, video recording is fine. I'll try lowering the speed tomorrow. Power limit is +20.

Some unrelated issues that I think are linked with this one:

Spoiler

I'm unable to play Age of Empires 3 or Call of Duty: World at War. Both of these I've been able to play flawlessly in the past. AoE3 gives me a Direct3D initialization error (after I've given it a missing DLL, "atium" something), and WaW crashes with the console telling me "Unhandled exception caught." All the help I can find on AoE3 says try compat mode (it's in compat mode for XP SP 3), update video drivers, update DirectX. All of which I've done. Drivers 15.7, 15.7.1, and both Radeon settings
WaW I haven't done anything with. All the help I can find on it is update drivers.

Any and all help is appreciated.

Mini-frustration-rant if you'd like to read it:

Spoiler

I'm really frustrated with all this; I've been having a lot of problems with my PC, no matter what I do. Freezes on both monitors, random black screens, audio issues, search service can't be started, and game crashes related to memory that have just gone away on their own. Not to mention the "Couldn't complete updates" loop that went away on it's own. I'm hoping to get a sound card for Christmas to fix the audio, but the other problems just come and go at their own will. I'm wondering if I should do a flat out reinstall of Windows (my search is also broken in Windows; search service wont start). Will my Windows 8.1 key work with Windows 10?

 

[Shaun o]

Matt,

If you have an application that is blocked when you first run it, or you are randomly met with the application has been blocked message.

You need to look at the settings of windows security center for windows 7, or for windows 8 and 10 use Action center.

Open Action Center by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, and then, under System and Security, clicking Review your computer's status.

Lower your firewall Status, and also check your UAC settings.
Any executable file right, click on the main executable, do not use a shortcut to the program.

Click on properties, and tick the privilege level box for run as admin.
Click apply, then ok.

Any other firewall, or antivirus program also installed should also be checked.
Do not run two software firewalls at the same time.

Use the one built into windows os, or a third party solution.
Mcafee, Norton antivirus should be checked for blocking of apps or execution.

Often antivirus memory system monitoring, software can be the cause of an application terminating while running after a set period of time. Due to the software thinking it is a malicious executable., there for terminating the process from memory.
The option to monitor memory and terminate a process or, block it from execution can often be disabled.

I suggest you click on your start bar on windows desktop, and in the search box type: msconfig.
Then press enter.

Click on the startup tab and check to see what is set to run or execute after the windows os has loaded.
Check for auto startup of programs that may be causing your problems, and un check them.

After doing so restart your system and see if it solves your problems.

 

[Commander Matt]

Matt,

If you have an application that is blocked when you first run it, or you are randomly met with the application has been blocked message.

You need to look at the settings of windows security center for windows 7, or for windows 8 and 10 use Action center.

Open Action Center by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, and then, under System and Security, clicking Review your computer's status.

Lower your firewall Status, and also check your UAC settings.
Any executable file right, click on the main executable, do not use a shortcut to the program.

Click on properties, and tick the privilege level box for run as admin.
Click apply, then ok.

Any other firewall, or antivirus program also installed should also be checked.
Do not run two software firewalls at the same time.

Use the one built into windows os, or a third party solution.
Mcafee, Norton antivirus should be checked for blocking of apps or execution.

Often antivirus memory system monitoring, software can be the cause of an application terminating while running after a set period of time. Due to the software thinking it is a malicious executable., there for terminating the process from memory.
The option to monitor memory and terminate a process or, block it from execution can often be disabled.

I suggest you click on your start bar on windows desktop, and in the search box type: msconfig.
Then press enter.

Click on the startup tab and check to see what is set to run or execute after the windows os has loaded.
Check for auto startup of programs that may be causing your problems, and un check them.

After doing so restart your system and see if it solves your problems.

I checked the UAC settings, and oddly enough, it was set to never notify me. I don't remember this, but I guess I must've sometime.

I only have Windows Firewall enabled, and set to notify me when it blocks an app. I wouldn't think a firewall would prevent a local program from running?

I use, AVG and I can't find any memory monitoring settings to change. Do you know if AVG has this?

I only have three things set to start at boot; AVG, Java Update, and Radeon Settings.

I attempted to run Subnautica again, and Radeon Settings had a fit. Crashes if I move it to my second screen, crashed while Subnautica was loading. Still has kinks to work out.

Going to go back to CCC 15.7.1 and see if anything improves.

Thank you for your help! I'll let you know if changing the UAC settings and lowering firewall settings help (I'll lower firewall if things don't work out after I install 15.7.1).