# \[Windows\]\[Low Level API\] WASAPI/COM Crashes

**URL:** <https://qa.fmod.com/t/windows-low-level-api-wasapi-com-crashes/15703>\
**Category:** FMOD Engine\
**Created:** [April 28, 2020, 6:47pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/windows-low-level-api-wasapi-com-crashes/15703 "2020-04-28T18:47:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![phogen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71e660/32.png) [@phogen](https://qa.fmod.com/u/phogen)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2020, 6:47pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/windows-low-level-api-wasapi-com-crashes/15703/1 "2020-04-28T18:47:39Z")

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A minority of our users are experiencing crashes when FMOD initializes output via WASAPI – the two functions resulting in crashes are `CoCreateInstance()` and `IAudioClient::Initialize()`.

After reading Microsoft’s documentation on these functions, I am left with the impression that any errors that were to occur during these calls would be reflected in the returned `HRESULT` value. But instead, the program crashes in `ntdll.dll`, before these functions can return.

Are there any special considerations I need to take into account when calling FMOD methods that use these functions?

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**Author:** ![cameron-fmod](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/cameron-fmod/32/261_2.png) [@cameron-fmod](https://qa.fmod.com/u/cameron-fmod)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/windows-low-level-api-wasapi-com-crashes/15703/2 "2020-05-07T02:28:50Z")

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What version of FMOD are you using?

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**Author:** ![phogen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71e660/32.png) [@phogen](https://qa.fmod.com/u/phogen)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/windows-low-level-api-wasapi-com-crashes/15703/3 "2020-05-07T02:49:11Z")

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2.00.08

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**Author:** ![cameron-fmod](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/cameron-fmod/32/261_2.png) [@cameron-fmod](https://qa.fmod.com/u/cameron-fmod)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/windows-low-level-api-wasapi-com-crashes/15703/4 "2020-05-10T22:22:18Z")

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It sounds like possibly a bad driver, are you able to reproduce the crash at all?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![phogen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71e660/32.png) [@phogen](https://qa.fmod.com/u/phogen)\
**Post date:** [May 11, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/windows-low-level-api-wasapi-com-crashes/15703/5 "2020-05-11T17:15:40Z")

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I am not able to reproduce the crashes; I only have stack traces to go off of. I thought it could be faulty drivers at first too; however, our logging indicates that the crashes happen across a pretty good variety of drivers, and they occur with enough regularity to make me doubt it.

In the interest of not posting any implementation details, is there a method to share further information with you privately?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cameron-fmod](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/cameron-fmod/32/261_2.png) [@cameron-fmod](https://qa.fmod.com/u/cameron-fmod)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2020, 4:39am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/windows-low-level-api-wasapi-com-crashes/15703/6 "2020-05-12T04:39:02Z")

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You can email [support@fmod.com](mailto:support@fmod.com).