That's not a DF error, that's a Windows system error. Looks like UAC or DEP. User Access Control or Data Execution Protection. Toady and Bay12 doen't include any Publisher info in their executable, so these Windows features try and crash it, to prevent a virus or copyright violation. *shrug* That's what I make of it. Could be wrong. I still get, the Publisher error msg popup, each time I start mine without the Lazy Newb Pack. I went into DEP and put an exception for Dwarf Fortress.exe, ea time I install a new copy. Dunno if that'll help you, could be a memory error like was mentioned.
Ice, you do have lotsa oddball icons down by the date/clock with lil red Xs on them. Might have too many apps in a stasis, hung state. Friend of mine got that error. Heck I think we all can get it, if we force a crash, doing too much stuff. Open 40some IEXPLORERS, then try any program, betcha that window will appear. I could be wrong, but I think its telling you, in courteous geek, that your low on system resources, close some stuff. Dunno.
Do ya know how to up the priority and run it on other processors, through the Task Manager? Before I would do that, I'd tweak my Advanced System properties, to Best Performance. I'd run the melt the case energy profile, not that treehugger profile. Your USBs are powered regardless, and the monitor is the major drain. Just turn off the monitor... if ya wanna save bark. And if you wanna REALLY hug trees, shut off your USBs, they are always ON, in the Device Manager. Sincerely, Knutor