# Steam Will Not Start Up



## creamesoda

Yeah, steam will not start up at all. I have uninstalled and reinstalled a lot of times. I ran checkdisk and I also ran system restore. None of this worked. I have no idea what the deal is, the process is in the task manager but steam will not boot up. Can someone help me out here?


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## ZEUS_GB

Hi,

What error message do you get?
Are there any errors in the event logs?


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## creamesoda

absolutely nothing. I try to open it, I get the hourglass and nothing happens. The process is there but no steam appears on the systray or anything.


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## ZEUS_GB

Terminate the process and then try running one of your games.


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## creamesoda

I can't run any of my games. I completely deleted steam, including the steamapps folder.


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## courtlandhui

hm... try running it in compatibility mode.. It should work with every system.


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## Givencube

If you are running any of these applications you need to uninstall them:

Ghostsurf 2007

Spycatcher Express

AOLacsd.exe (AOL connection driver)

More info on this here:
http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=574


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## creamesoda

hmmmmmmm had spy catcher but uninstalled the thing. I'm not too sure about AOL. I'll look more into it. Thanks.


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## jjthejetplane767

dude, i have this EXACT same problem. i have no idea wtf is wrong, and i really wanna play CS lol. 

i've heard about aggressive spyware protections that won't let you play (as mentioned above), so i completely disabled and shutdown both my spysweeper and norton antivirus, and it didnt do jack.

someone out there must know what's wrong lol HELLLLP


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## coolguy204

OK, I do not have this problem, but I have a few suggestions. Go to run under the start menu type in "msconfig" without the quotes and pick selective startup, uncheck the 1st, 2nd and 4th box. Now one of the tans at the top will say services, click that, then go to the bottom where it says "hide all microsft services, the list should refresh. Then click disable all. Then apply and ok. Ps. you have to restart your system. If this does not help, just type in "msconfig" again in the run command under start and hit normal startup to get ur system the way it was. Good luck!


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## jjthejetplane767

hmm, not a bad idea, unfortunately, it didnt help lol.

it seems the general consensus is that the problem comes from some 3rd party software that somehow interferes with steam's connection to the internet during update or something.

All of the suggested fixes i've read deal with disabling some kind of software, and I have now basically disabled every imaginable program that could possibly interfere with steam (the above post was probably the most thorough at doing this).

Since doing this has had no effect on the issue, I'm fairly convinced the problem lies elsewhere - probably something to do with steam itself.

ANYWAY - i'm sending in a tech support request into valve, i'll post their reply as here as soon as they send one. If anyone else wants to send one in, go here
http://support.steampowered.com/cgi...php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=294#technical


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## Givencube

Yeah I had the same problem and after I uninstalled Ghostsurf 2007 steam ran just fine.

Remember you have to uninstall not just disable spycatcher (spycatcher is bundled with Ghostsurf 2007). So just turning it off isn't enough (and it wasn't for me).

Also it appears that its not the spycatcher program it self that's interfering with steam, but some sort of system setting that the program changed when it was installed (which is why you have to completely uninstall it).

After I uninstalled Ghostsurf, steam updated and ran great. Then I reinstalled ghostsurf, and tried to run steam, and ...it didn't start. So its not just the update process that spycatcher's system settings are stopping.

If you have any Tenebril products on your computer, I suggest uninstalling them and seeing if steam runs.

JJ you're right, CS withdrawal is awful, I couldn't play CS for two weeks because of this.


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## j3rmz0r

I totally know how you feel JJ and Creame. I have been having the same problem. My Task Manager still shows Steam.exe as a running process.

I've tried ending and restarting the process from there, and it does not work. Steam just shows back up on the list and does nothing, (but must be up to something, cuz it still uses about 16,000 K of memory....??).

At one point i uninstalled and reinstalled Steam and it worked like a charm. I even downloaded a couple new games, but a few days later it disappeared again! It's been near a month since I noticed the first time... and i'm jones'n for a fix man...

Another thing that i should mention... When i log off/shut down Windows, it prompts me to close some "Hidden Window" (You know, when it gives you the "End Now" option with the timer?). This prompt does not appear if i End the Steam.exe process before Logging Off/Shutting Down though...

*scratches goatee*

Well enyhow - if ye figgurs sumthin outt then pleez... fur God sake... shurr the welth!
Thanks a million!
J3rmz0r


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## cricketmad27

I have the exact same problem as the last post. Steam.exe in processes, the hidden window thing showing up when I haven't ended process of steam. And nothing happens when I try everything. Does anyone have a clue what the deal is? It's soooo annoying!


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## komkid

I have the same problem... I remember it used to work before they updated their steam program... ( added some more buttons and integradted some skins into it..) I know that i had installed it once and got it to work for like 10 minutes and then it stopped working ... before like last year i know it worked just fine on my older comp ( which really sucks.... ) and i think maybe the problem is the steam program it self or driver issues ... or a windows update that might be stopping it..

not sure but need problem solved fast.....

-Josh ( Komkid )
[email protected]


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## komkid

i bring good news to you.... i have a solution for the steam problem should help most of you ..... 

Steps:

1. Push Ctrl + R
2. Type in msconfig
3. Click Selective Startup
4. Then click Services
5. Find the Adobe LM service and if you have it then make sure its unclicked. ( if you don't have it then don't worry about it )
6. Click ok and don't restart yet
7. If you have Tune Up Utillities Installed then UNINSTALL IT NOW!!!!
8. After uninstalling it then restart your computer and it should work just fine


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## tomabounader

I found that clicking 'End Process' on the 'steam.exe' file then re-starting Steam worked... but I think you may have other problems...


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## komkid

I just think that the adobe prosess and the Tune Up program are having esome conflict with the program mostly.... b/c alot of people I know have alrready tried anding and restarting steam with no luck... my friends and I had the same problem so we did the above steps and it worked fine afterwords.


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## j3rmz0r

I have no adobe LM and no tuneup utilities installed... Still no dice.

Ya know it's funny, I'm finding this problem everywhere, so many people have it (Mostly starting in early January), and yet there is not a single mention of this issue posted on Steam's website...

If i can't get this fixed by the time HL2:E2 is out, i'm gonna be pretty upset....*sigh*


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## sheriff01

i click steam and nothing comes up, it will be in processes but still not there. i have tried reinstalling steam, rebooting pc, rebooting internet modem, but still no difference. i downloaded the winsock repair program but it said "limited or no connection" then i click repair connection and it said "the following action could not be completed: clearing the DNS cache". when i turn off my computer it says "hidden window.. end now". can somebody help me fix this problem?


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## tomabounader

start separate threads guys...


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## alexmbt

sooo EVRIKA!
start your computer .....kill steam.exe in taskmanager ...disable your network internet connection ....start steam (select start in offline mode) ....enable your inetrnet connection ....CHANGE USER in STEAM ...and login again. bafta 
hai romania


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## alexmbt

right click an steam "run as.." select administrator(enter pas) ..and PLAY
hai romania


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## NoSaidDate

alexmbt said:


> right click an steam "run as.." select administrator(enter pas) ..and PLAY
> hai romania


I signed up just so I can personally thank this guy and call him Jesus. Good job Jesus, it appears you are smarter than everyone at Valve and Steam as it has been two months and those fools couldn't help me out. Note that I didn't even have to go to select administrator, instead just my own acct.


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## j3rmz0r

alexmbt said:


> right click an steam "run as.." select administrator(enter pas) ..and PLAY
> hai romania


This seems to be working! alexmbt, i would like to kiss your face! 

but won't cuz thats gay  (not that there's anything wrong with that!)


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## Ralampaga

When I do the run as thing it says Debug Assertion Failed... This happened a while ago then it worked out of the blue. Now it's doing it again. Help please.


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## flickflame

i try to play cs, and also open steam, and it says its updating, then it just disappears, i cant play cs!


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## j3rmz0r

hey flick, i had the same problem for a long time, and tried EVERYTHING that ANYONE said would work. Alexmbt's solution was the only one that really worked.

Since Steam is set to start up with windows, you must Ctrl+Alt+Del, click the processes tab, locate steam and right click on it, then click end process. 

After that, find steam.exe on your harddrive, right click on the icon and click "Run as..." And run it as "administrator." Then thank god for alexmbt!


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## j3rmz0r

Ralampaga - are you making sure to close the current copy of steam.exe that is running but hidden? If i dont close it first, it gives me a similar error.


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## Xephar

At this point, I would say, try reformatting your computer and then trying again.


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## j3rmz0r

Woah Buddy.

Thats a pretty desperate measure. Must we always bring complete disk erasure in to this?


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## Ascendantjustice

Im having this exact same problem, ive just signed up so i can reply. 

My steam wont come up at all, only the hourglass breifly, ive tried Ctrl alt Delete and ending the process, ive tried reinstalling it, and tried "Run as" administrator, but none of it has helped so far, ive even gone onto msconfig, to be sure it wasnt an exterior program interferring with it but alas, to no avail. 

If anybody has any other suggestions i would gladly appreciate it


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## Kenshin122

I have found that my trillian astra alpha is probably why steam refuses to load up. I can only load steam if trillian is off. Even then steam works sometimes. I have to repeatedly open and close the process, and usually threaten to end process or increase priority before it freezes up.

In conclusion,
I hate steam.


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## j-sim

I tried disabling Adobe LM Service in msconfig and it worked! Then now a couple of days later it just started doing the same thing again. It's just beyond me. The run as administrator I haven't tried because I don't have an administrator login only one login with no pass, so I can't even test this (but I geuss it shouldn't be the problem when I don't even have an administrator login). I can't remember installing any new software either.

So anyone with new solutions to this problem?


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## Kenshin122

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=546016&

a thread on steampowered.com.

http://downloads.subratam.org/Fixwareout.exe

The fix that worked for me^^


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## j-sim

thanks kenshin
but actually the run as and then chosing another account did work. if anyone else is going to try this remember to give the new account a password or else xp won't do it. this problem is truly weird.


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## xeiio

omg !!! dude ur a GOD! my persona usually , i dont tnx ppl when i know i should but this man, this i had to sign up , register and say "TNX YOU!!!" im soooo happy, i can almost cry of joy :]


steampowerd help has nothing u bro tnx.


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## francissrossi

Wow iv bin up two nights trying 2 fix this! phoned all me mates, unin and rein, all the usual suspects, done the lot! done me wifes head in too. had to sign up as well' as xeiio. just to say thank you so much DuDe!!! it works 4 me !! nice one.


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## francissrossi

:up: Kenshin122 sorry dude didnt mention ya name. thanks again.


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## striker0204

ok, i know you said that its in your process bar. ive had this problem before, and i read in Steam forums. 

Basically, if it shows being active in proccess bar, then simply give it time to load. i waited for 2 hours. and finally it opened.

Steam is very tempermental


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## Ryan_Bowskill

I've been having this issue for a while now, if any of you still have a CD/DVD for any Steam game (ie I have the HL2 CE disc) use that, launch a game from that and it will start Steam up. It is the only thing I've found that works, the advice Steam give is useless.


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## nuub

Hello, I just solved my own problem what was same as u guys, so here it is, if u are using KAV (Kaspersky Anti-Virus) don't!  That solved my problem, whole time that ****in KAV was buggin.


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## ElWumpus

I had the exact same symptoms. Steam didn't visibly do anything when I tried to run it. I ended all my process associated with 3dsm and it fixed the problem. I'd recommend ending all non-essential processes... it worked for me. Good luck.


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## Depictau

Howdy,

I recently reformmated after Windows Vista x64 Crashed. So i had to re-download steam and what not. And i had a copy of my steam cache, anyhow, I installed and copied all the steam cache then tried running steam and it didn't work so i thought oh crud my steam files are corrupted so i spent a few hours downloading 18GB of games to find it still doens't work, after resorting to google i found this site.

And i saw some mention of anti-virus/spyware programs may be the problem which it was in my case.

So what i highly recommend people do is go into your firewall i use Windows, just go in an add an exclusion eg "C:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe" to it and enable it. Then go into your spyware add an exclusion eg "C:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe (Default location.. i think)" and repeat this with your anti-virus and any other program that may block programs.

Restart The anti-Vrius/Spyware .. Restart You PC. And try and see if it works.

So now I successfully can run steam on my new fresh copy of Windows XP x64 Edition. I use NOD32 Anti-Virus/ NOD32 Smart Secruity.

Thanks,


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## moglinpunter

i have the exact same probelm as you all have. only thing that might help explain what happened is that the day before steam stopped working i downloaded a worms world party torrent and AVG antivirus. i thought its the torrent but when i scanned my computer vith AVG nothing showed up. ill try to uninstall AVG now and i hope it will work


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## Karos

Maybe you should also try the following, at least it solved our problems after trying everything else:
Push down ctrl - alt - del. In the following screen look at the tab "processes"". Stop the proces "Steam.exe".
Try to start Steam again. If it works, log in and go to "settings". Look for the option "start steam when windows starts. Disable it, because steam can only operate with one working copy. That should do the trick.


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