Fixing Portal Crashes
For those of you who are getting the following error when trying to launch Portal, there is hope! Unless you’re running it under Boot Camp on a MacBook, if that’s the case you’re screwed.
Hanging application hl2.exe, version 0.0.0.0, hang module hungapp, version 0.0.0.0, hang address 0×00000000.
Just add the following to the end of the Target path of the Portal shortcut:
-dxlevel 81 +mat_forcehardwaresync 0
You can do so by right clicking on the Portal icon and selecting Properties.
After you’re finished, it should look something like this:
Steam.exe -applaunch 400 -dxlevel 81 +mat_forcehardwaresync 0
Now click Ok.
Please note this fix is only relevant for launching Portal using the desktop shortcut, this will not fix launch problems with launching Portal from within Steam.