Please make it stop crashing!

Tried the clean boot, still same issue. None of the cons to fast startup apply to my system.

I had hard locks under Windows 7 too.

Try to check if GPU is not getting overheated. Does the cooler on GPU start to make a lot of noise when you play EQ2 for 5-10 minutes? Try to replace your mouse/keyboard if possible (just as a test).

Haven't done anything with mouse and keyboard. The GPU isn't overheating, I even took manual control of the fans and kept the GPU at about 50C and it still crashed.

Crossing fingers but think I might have found the issue for me at least (not sure if it will apply to others). Something with the Asus AI Suite software for my MoBo. I tried limiting my overclocking and shutting it off before, but if I switch into the default power saving mode instead of performance or manual, the game has stayed stable. I have been logged in for over 2hours now. Will update tomorrow.

If that doesn't work,

Try checking your ssd or sata drive cables.

I was getting nearly exactly the same problems you describe and turned out it was my ssds sata cable, it had worked loose over time. I repeated the cable and worked fine after. I also bought a 15$ cable to ensure it wouldn't happen again (ones with clips, https://www.mwave.com.au/product/si...ta-3-data-sleeved-clip-straight-cable-ab83566) like that)

I'm also experiencing hard locks every play session since having returned from a few months break from EQ2 a week or two ago, my first major break since launch really.

They usually always occur within 30-60 minutes of hitting up any overland zone (doesn't seem to happen in the guild hall or bouncing around housing). The two zones where I've been experiencing this so far are Enchanted Lands and Barren Sky. Haven't really hit up any other overland zones since coming back, other than Zek (Scourge) and I had an hour or two there the other night and I think my PC survived it to the best of my recollection. But have just finished a play session in EL on an alt and had about 5 hard locks, and enoughs enough.

I've tried validating assets, turning down in-game graphics settings but to no avail. It's nothing to do with SSD SATA cables, nor is my PC running overclocked. I think this is more than likely some issue relating to Nvidia drivers or Windows 10.

I seemed to remember this happening to me in EQ2 circa 2005 - and if I recall correctly it was some visual or particle effect on a Guardian spell or weapon proc that always triggered it.

I really can't bear hard locks. Crashing to desktop is one thing and acceptable and far more bearable, but having to press the reset button every half hour is probably doing my PC or blood pressure no favours.

Hope this is being looked into, clearly it's affecting numerous players other than myself. Don't think I've got the patience to continue playing until it's resolved, and hard locks can fry hard disks.