weird problem w/ runtime errors

OK, i posted this in the gaming forum but think it's the wrong spot, so i'm gonna repost w/ updated info here.

I have HL2, UT3, WoW, and a few other games installed on my comp and they work perfectly fine. However, whenever I try to install Fable: Lost Chapters or CoD4 or even Worms3D I can play the game as long as i want until i shut the computer down. When i start it back up i get an "interactive services" dialog informing me that:

Windows Visual C++ Runtime Library had to terminate in an unusual way. and the file associated w/ it is spoolsv.exe.

This seems odd to me, as that exe is related to printer spoolers. I'll get this error every 2min until i go into services and shut down the printer spooler. Problem though, then I can't print, and I still can't play any of my games. I get some gay error about a dll not being found. Now, not only can't I play Fable or CoD4, but i can't play any of my other games.

I did CCleaner to hopefully fix registry stuff, i set compatibility mode and ran as administrator, nothing works. even uninstalling Fable or CoD4 doesn't work. I even installed C++ Runtime 2005 and SP1, *which is what i have, and it only makes me get even more errors.* the only option for me is to do a system restore to before i installed it. Obviously that means I can't play the games cause they don't exist anymore..... Was hoping someone could help me figure out how to fix all this. Any help is appreciated.

 

Start by googling for "fable lost chapters vista", "cod4 vista", and "worms3d vista" and see if there are any common threads between them. It might be a Vista video driver issue, a sound driver, a DX10 issue, or any number of issues.