[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?

[ZEUS_GB]

Hi,

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

[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.

[ZEUS_GB]

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

[creamesoda]

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

[courtlandhui]

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

[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-...hp?p_faqid=574

[creamesoda]

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

[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

[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!

[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-...=294#technical

[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.

[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

[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!

[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 )
comkid16@gmail.com