Project Zomboid fmod.dll crash

Problem:

When starting Project Zomboid, it is crashing immediately with the following crash report (hs_err_pid):

#  EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (0xc0000005) at pc=0x00007ff87df15966, pid=21620, tid=7232
#
# JRE version: OpenJDK Runtime Environment Zulu17.30+15-CA (17.0.1+12) (build 17.0.1+12-LTS)
# Java VM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM Zulu17.30+15-CA (17.0.1+12-LTS, mixed mode, sharing, tiered, compressed oops, compressed class ptrs, g1 gc, windows-amd64)
# Problematic frame:
# C  [fmod.dll+0xb5966]

and the following stack trace:

Current thread (0x00000199fec5e530):  JavaThread "MainThread" [_thread_in_native, id=7232, stack(0x0000009713800000,0x0000009713900000)]

Stack: [0x0000009713800000,0x0000009713900000],  sp=0x00000097138fea70,  free space=1018k
Native frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code, C=native code)
C  [fmod.dll+0xb5966]

Java frames: (J=compiled Java code, j=interpreted, Vv=VM code)
j  fmod.javafmodJNI.FMOD_System_Init(IJJ)I+0
j  fmod.javafmod.FMOD_System_Init(IJJ)I+3
j  fmod.fmod.FMODManager.init()V+75
j  zombie.GameWindow.mainThreadInit()V+42
j  zombie.GameWindow.mainThread()V+0
j  zombie.GameWindow$$Lambda$79+0x0000000800caf418.run()V+0
j  java.lang.Thread.run()V+11 java.base@17.0.1
v  ~StubRoutines::call_stub

Cause:

This is due to the FMOD Sound Library, which is running outside of the Java Virtual Machine (via JNI - Java Native Interface).

Solution:

There are numerous work-arounds available online, for example:
 
1.)  If you are running Netflix or any other video streaming service in your browser, try closing all such tabs/windows and try again.

2.)  Try ensuring the correct libraries are loaded by defining the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable in Windows -> Settings/Control Panel -> Advanced -> Environment Variables.

LD_LIBRARY_PATH="/usr/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH" %command%

 
3.)  If that doesn't work, then installing and using Pulse Audio is another option
 
4.)  If that doesn't work, installing xrandr also seems to resolve this issue
 
5.)  Finally, if none of the above work, you can verify it's the FMOD Sound Library causing the crash by running without sound and see if it still crashes.  Right click PZ in the Steam game library -> Properties -> Set Launch Options -> add "-nosound" without quotes and press Ok. Also disable Steam overlay, just in case.  Launch it from there to verify it no longer crashes.
 
Otherwise, you could try opening a bug report with the FMOD developers here:  https://github.com/NateAustin/fmod-jni/issues
Or open a bug with the Project Zomboid developers here:  https://steamcommunity.com/app/108600/discussions/0/