Age of Empires Err Msg: Invalid Page Fault in Kernel32.dll (178876)

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, use the following methods. Check to see if the issue is resolved after completing each section:

Change the Color Palette to 256 Colors

To change the color palette to 256 colors, use the following steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Display.
3. On the Settings tab, in the Color Palette or Colors box, click 256 Color, and then click OK.
4. When you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes.

Add NoStartup 640 Parameter to Shortcut

To prevent the cinematic sequences from playing when you start Age of Empires, and to set the Age of Empires screen resolution to 640 x 480, add the NoStartup 640 parameter to the Age of Empires shortcut. To do so, use the following steps:

1. Right-click Start, and then click Open.
2. Double-click Programs.
3. Double-click Microsoft Games.
4. Double-click Age Of Empires.
5. Right-click the Age Of Empires icon, and then click Properties.
6. On the Shortcut tab, click inside the Target box, and then press the END key.
7. Press the SPACEBAR, type nostartup 640, and then click OK.

Double-click the Age Of Empires icon to start the game. If the issue continues to occur, proceed to the next method. If you no longer receive the error message, quit Age of Empires, and then use the following steps to copy the modified shortcut to the Windows desktop.

1. In the Age of Empires window, right-click the Age Of Empires icon, and then click Copy.
2. Close all open windows.
3. Right-click an empty area on the desktop, and then click Paste. If you are prompted to replace an existing file, click Yes.

Reinstall Windows Audio and Video Compression

To verify that the audio and video compression components of Windows are properly installed, remove and reinstall Audio Compression and Video Compression. To do so, use the following steps:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs.
3. On the Windows Setup tab, click Multimedia.
4. Click Details.
5. Click the Audio Compression check box to clear it.
6. Click the Video Compression check box to clear it.
7. Click OK, and then click Apply.
8. On the Windows Setup tab, click Multimedia.
9. Click Details.
10. Click the Audio Compression check box to select it.
11. Click the Video Compression check box to select it.
12. Click OK until you return to Control Panel.
13. Follow the instructions on the screen. You may be prompted to insert your Windows CD-ROM or floppy disks.
14. Close Control Panel.

Test the Integrity and Version of the Wsock32.dll File

To verify that the Wsock32.dll file installed on your computer is not damaged or is not a version that is incompatible with Age of Empires, use the following steps:

1. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
2. In the Named box, type wsock32.dll, and then click Find Now.
3. In the list of found files, right-click the Wsock32.dll file, click Properties, and then click the Version tab.
   
   NOTE: If there is no Version tab in the Wsock32.dll property sheet, the Wsock32.dll file is damaged.
4. If the file version displayed on the Version tab is 04.10.01.27, then Age of Empires cannot start. If the version of the Wsock32.dll file on your computer is 04.10.01.27, or if the Wsock32.dll file is damaged, close the Wsock32.dll Properties window, rename the Wsock32.dll file, and then extract a new copy of the Wsock32.dll file from your original Windows disks or CD-ROM to the Windows\System folder.
   
   The Wsock32.dll file is located in the Win95_11.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 CD-ROM, in the Win95_18.cab cabinet file on the Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 CD-ROM, in the Win95_12.cab cabinet file on disk 12 of the Windows 95 DMF format disks, and in the Win95_19.cab cabinet file on disk 19 of the Windows 95 non-DMF format disks.
   
   NOTE: If you are prompted to overwrite an existing file, press Y, and then press ENTER.
   
   For additional information about how to use the Windows Extract Tool, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   129605 How to Extract Original Compressed Windows Files

Clean Boot Windows

If the methods detailed earlier in this article fail to resolve the issue, the behavior may be caused by a real-mode device driver, a Terminate-and-Stay-Resident (TSR) program, or a program that automatically starts when Windows starts. To determine if this is the case, clean boot Windows.

For information about how to clean boot Windows, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: