Problem: World of Warcraft hang and the error message prompted showing Wow-64.exe application critical error due to access violation fatal exception. This error normally happens after Windows 10 update installed and caused unable to process temporary files or corrupted system files.
Solved: How do I fix Wow-64.exe Critical ERROR #132 (0x85100084) Fatal Exception ACCESS_VIOLATION?
The detail error message as below:
Wow-64
This application has encountered a critical error:
ERROR #132 (0x85100084) Fatal Exception!
C:\ Porgram Files (x86\ World of Warcraft\ Wow-64.exe
Exception: ACCESS_VIOLATION
The memory could not be “read”.
Press OK to terminate the application.
Follow below solution steps to resolve WoW access violation fatal exception error issue.
Content Summary
Solution 1: Delete the World of Warcraft Cache and Interface Folder
Solution 2: Execute World of Warcraft Scan and Repair Tool
Solution 3: Disable Antivirus
Solution 4: Update Graphics Card and Audio Drivers
Solution 5: Disable Xbox Game DVR
Solution 6: Disable Windows Game Bar
Solution 7: Disable Xbox Game Monitoring
Solution 8: Exclude the Game Executable from Data Execution Prevention (DEP)
Solution 9: Enable OpenGL Mode
Solution 10: Turn Off Windows Defender Firewall
Solution 11: Execute System File Checker (SFC)
Solution 12: Execute CHKDSK
Solution 13: Execute Windows Store App Troubleshooter
Solution 14: Execute Windows Memory Diagnostic
Solution 15: Uninstall and reinstall World of Warcraft
Reference
Solution 1: Delete the World of Warcraft Cache and Interface Folder
Step 1: Exit the game.
Step 2: Right-click on the game’s icon and choose Open file location option in the context menu.
Step 3: Locate the folder named Cache, Interface, and WTF.
Step 4: Delete both folders.
Step 5: The system will recreate those folders automatically when the game next launch.
Solution 2: Execute World of Warcraft Scan and Repair Tool
Step 1: Exit the game.
Step 2: Right-click on the game’s icon and choose Open file location option in the context menu.
Step 3: Locate the folder named WoW.exe or WoW-64.exe in 64-bits PCs.
Step 4: Double-click Battle.net launch app to open it.
Step 5: Go to the World of Warcraft panel and click on Options > Scan and Repair.
Scan and Repair option in War of Warcraft
Step 6: Click on Begin Scan. It will start to download the deleted cache and WoW.exe/WoW-64.exe.
Solution 3: Disable Antivirus
Many World of Warcraft players has fixed the Wow-64.exe application error by turning off antivirus protection because the antivirus software or services actively find and quarantine suspicious files and processes.
Step 1: Right-click on the antivirus icon on the taskbar and choose Disable.
Step 2: Start to the game again. If the game runs smoothly with no prompting the same error, then you can be certain that your antivirus program was the cause.
Step 3: Proceed to exclude the game from the virus scans by navigating to the Settings page and find the Exceptions setting.
Step 4: Click on Add and browse for the World of Warcraft executable file from its installation folder.
Remark: The locations of the settings for excluding applications vary in different antivirus software.
Solution 4: Update Graphics Card and Audio Drivers
Step 1: Press the Windows + “R keys to open the Run box.
Step 2: Type devmgmt.msc
and click on the OK button.
Step 3: Expand the Display adapters.
Step 4: Right-click on your graphics card and choose the Update driver option from the context menu.
Step 5: Click on the Search automatically for the drivers or Search automatically for updated driver software option.
Click on the Search automatically for the drivers or Search automatically for updated driver software option.
Step 6: Windows will start to look for a newer version of the driver from the Internet. If available, you will be prompted about the same.
Step 7: If the newer version of the driver found, proceed with the installation.
Step 8: Restart your PC.
Step 9: Perform the same update driver process for Audio inputs and outputs and Sound, video, and game controllers.
Solution 5: Disable Xbox Game DVR
Step 1: Right-click on the Start button.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon located in the bottom left corner of the Window to open Settings.
Step 3: Click on Gaming.
Windows Gaming Settings
Step 4: Switch to Game DVR tab.
Step 5: Toggle off Record in the background while I’m playing a game and Record audio when I record a game from Background recording section.
Toggle off Record in the background while I’m playing a game and Record audio when I record a game from Background recording section.
Solution 6: Disable Windows Game Bar
Step 1: Right-click on the Start button.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon located in the bottom left corner of the Window to open Settings.
Step 3: Click on Gaming.
Windows Gaming Settings
Step 4: Switch to the Game bar tab.
Step 5: Toggle off Record game clips. Screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar.
Toggle off Record game clips. Screenshots, and broadcast using Game Bar.
Solution 7: Disable Xbox Game Monitoring
Step 1: Press Windows key + R to open a Run box.
Step 2: Type regedit
and press Enter to open up the Registry Editor. Click Yes to grant administrative privileges when prompted by the UAC (User Account Control).
Step 3: Navigate to the following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\xbgm
Step 4: Right-click on the Start REG_DWORD key at the right-side pane of the window, and click Modify.
Right-click on the Start REG_DWORD key at the right-side pane of the window, and click Modify.
Step 5: Type 4.
Modify Start DWORD (32-bit) Hexadecimal value to 4
Step 6: Click on the OK button.
Remark: If you want to enable back Xbox Game Monitoring again then repeat the steps, and change the value from 4 to 3.
Solution 8: Exclude the Game Executable from Data Execution Prevention (DEP)
Step 1: Open the Control Panel.
Step 2: Go to System and Security > System.
Step 3: Choose Advanced system settings option from the left column of the following window.
Advanced system settings
Step 4: Switch to the Advanced tab.
Step 5: Click on the Settings button under the Performance section.
Click on the Settings button under the Performance section.
Step 6: Switch to Data Execution Prevention tab.
Step 7: Check the radio button of Turn on DEP for all programs & services except those I select.
Check the radio button of Turn on DEP for all programs & services except those I select.
Step 8: Click the Add button.
Step 9: Browse to the WoW executable file location: C:\Program Files (x86)\World or Warcraft\Wow-64.exe
Step 10: Click on the Open button.
Solution 9: Enable OpenGL Mode
Step 1: Right-click on the World of Warcraft icon from the desktop screen and select Properties.
Step 2: Switch to the Shortcut tab.
Step 3: Add -OpenGL
in the last of the existing path adjacent to Target:
C:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\Launcher.exe” -OpenGL
Step 4: Click on the Apply button and then the OK button.
Solution 10: Turn Off Windows Defender Firewall
Step 1: Press Windows + I key to open the Windows Settings.
Step 2: Choose Update & Security.
Step 3: Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
Step 4: Click on Firewall & network protection.
Firewall & network protection
Step 5: Click on Private network and toggle off Windows Defender Firewall section.
Toggle off Windows Defender Firewall for Private network and Public network
Step 6: Perform the same step for the Public network.
Solution 11: Execute System File Checker (SFC)
Run System File Checker (SFC) to replace potentially corrupted system files.
Step 1: Press Windows key once.
Step 2: Type cmd
in the search box.
Step 3: Choose Run as administrator option to open an elevated command prompt. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or select Allow.
Step 4: Type the following command below and press Enter for each line of command: sfc /scannow
Execute System File Checker (SFC) scan
Step 5: Wait until the message The operation completed successfully
or Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations
show then close Command Prompt.
Step 6: Restart the computer.
Solution 12: Execute CHKDSK
Execute an Automatic CHKDSK scan with the ‘Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors’ option.
Step 1: Press Windows key once
Step 2: Type cmd
in the search box.
Step 3: Choose Run as administrator to open an elevated command prompt. If the UAC prompts then click on Yes to proceed further.
Step 4: Type chkdsk /f
and press Enter.
Solution 13: Execute Windows Store App Troubleshooter
Step 1: Press Windows + R to open up a Run dialogue box.
Step 2: Type control.exe /name Microsoft.Troubleshooting
or ms-settings:troubleshoot
, press Enter to open up the Troubleshooting tab in the Settings menu.
Step 3: go to Find and Fix other problems section > Windows Store Apps > Run the troubleshooter button.
Problem found in Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter
Step 4: Wait until the initial scan is complete, click Apply this fix button to apply the repair.
Step 5: Restart the computer.
Solution 14: Execute Windows Memory Diagnostic
Step 1: Press Windows key once
Step 2: Type cmd
in the search box.
Step 3: Choose Run as administrator to open an elevated command prompt. If the UAC prompts then click on Yes to proceed further.
Step 4: Type mdsched
and press Enter.
Step 5: Click on Restart now & check for problems to start the process.
Click on Restart now & check for problems to start the Windows Memory Diagnostic
Solution 15: Uninstall and reinstall World of Warcraft
Step 1: Press Window key to show the application list.
Step 2: Scroll down and locate World of Warcraft from the application list.
Step 3: Right-click on it and select Uninstall.
Step 4: Open Microsoft Store, type World of Warcraft in the Search Box, and then install on PC.
Reference
- Reddit > r/wow > Keep on getting “fatal error” crashes.
- Microsoft Community > ERROR #132 (0x85100084 Fatal exception! — 0x0007ff84ff8d431 referenced memory at 0x0000000000000018
- Microsoft Support > Get updates for apps and games in Microsoft Store
- Wow freakz error #132 fatal exception!