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Steam Problems FAQ and Basic Crash Troubleshooting


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Having a Problem with Steam Look Here

First easy fix For most problems :

Certain Steam issues may be corrected by renaming the ClientRegistry.blob and restarting Steam.

Completely exit from the Steam client.

Go to C:\Program Files\Steam (or the Steam directory that was specified during installation).

Locate ClientRegistry.blob and rename this file to ClientRegistryOld.blob.

Restart Steam to allow the file to be recreated.

This fixes most common problems like crashes and errors with the steam client

Steam Servers are Busy

Change Downloading Region:

On Windows

Start Steam

Go to Steam > Settings > Downloads tab

Under Download region, select a different but relatively close region.

Try launching or installing the game once more

On Mac

Start Steam

Click on Steam > Preferences > Downloads tab

Under Download region, select a different but relatively close region.

Try launching or installing the game once more

Other Possible Fix

On Windows

If the issue is isolated to a few Steam games, please exit from Steam and go to the Steamapps folder (default is C:\Program Files\Steam\Steamapps) and delete any listed .ncf files for the specific games. Once complete, please restart Steam to test the issue.

On Mac

If the issue is isolated to a few Steam games, please exit from Steam and go to the ~/Users/[username]/Library/Application Support/Steam/SteamApps and delete any listed .ncf files for the specific games. Once complete, please restart Steam to test the issue.

Missing essential Files or corrupted files :

Step one Verify Game cache (PC and Mac)

How to :

-Load Steam

-From the My Games tab, right-click on FM2011 and select Properties from the menu.

-Select the Local files tab and click the Verify integrity of game cache... button.

-Steam will verify the game cache files (GCF's) - this process may take several minutes.

-Once the process is completed, the Check Window will automatically exit.

Step Two: Restart Steam

Step Three: Verify Game Cache again

It should now re-download any damaged files

Also try deleting your cache files

First of all you need to turn on hidden files and folders.

XP:

My Computer

'Tools'

'Folder Options'.

The go to the 'View' tab and select 'Show hidden files and folders'

VISTA and 7:

My Computer

'Organize'

'Folder and Search Options'.

The go to the 'View' tab and select 'Show hidden files and folders'

Once this is done, follow the instructions below:

Windows XP:

1. Open “My Computer”

2. Navigate to : “Documents and Settings\<Username>\Application Data\

3. Go into the “Sports Interactive” Folder.

4. Go to the “Football Manager 2011” Folder.

5. Delete the 'cache' Folder found inside here.

Wndows Vista and 7:

1. Click “Start”

2. Click your username on the start Menu

3. Click on “AppData” and then “Roaming”

4. Go into the “Sports Interactive” Folder

5. Go to the “Football Manager 2011” Folder.

6. Delete the 'cache' Folder found inside here.

Steam Stuck on Updating

First

Try this

Restart Steam

Second

If the issue persists, exit Steam, rename your ClientRegistry.blob, and restart Steam. The ClientRegistry.blob can be found in your Steam installation directory. c:\program files\steam by default.

Third

If the issue still persists, you may have issues with your local Steam files. You may refresh these files without deleting your game files. Please follow this process to refresh your Steam files:

1-Exit Steam

2-Navigate to your Steam installation directory. (c:\program files\steam\ by default.)

3-Delete everything in that directory EXCEPT the following:

steam.exe

steamapps directory (All of Steam's game files are kept here.)

4-Restart Steam

Connection Problems

Firewall common errors:

Crash: Steam.exe (main exception): Unable to load library Steam.dll

Crash: SteamProcessCall(Login) failed with error 200: Connection Reset, WinSock error 10054 Connection Reset by Peer

Crash: SteamStartEngine(0x12e88c) failed with error 201: Cannot perform this operation while offline

Error: Steam Servers Busy or Servers are Busy

Error: Steam is temporarily unavailable

Error: Secure Connection Failed

Error: Could not connect to Steam Network

Error: Could not connect to Master Game Server to Retrieve Server List

If you are installing Steam for the first time or if there has been a recent Steam update, a firewall may be preventing Steam from connecting to the Steam Network.

Please remember to update your firewall permission settings for Steam with every Steam update and for Steam games every time a game update is released. Steam updates and game updates are announced on the Steam News page.

1-Before trying anything else, try bypassing your router by connecting your computer directly to your modem.

2-If the issue disappears after bypassing your router, (instructions how to do this will be given further down this topic )

Note: running your router in DMZ mode is not supported by Steam and may result in connection issues.

3-To ensure reliability, make sure you are using a wired connection to the internet. Close the Steam client application and remove all instances of the following executables from your firewall's permissions list:

steaminstall.exe

steam.exe

hl.exe

hl2.exe

steamTmp.exe

Permissions for these executables will need to be re-learned by your firewall.

4-Open Steam to allow your firewall to re-learn permissions for the Steam executables. If your firewall does not prompt you to set new permissions, the security settings may be too strict - you will need to change these settings so you will be prompted to set permissions.

Give the Steam executables permission for all TCP and UDP ports when prompted.

Restart your computer and load Steam.

Firewall Provider Resources

If you are using a firewall program listed above and have questions about setting permissions, please take the opportunity to open the program and use its Help feature or review the support site for the software:

Microsoft : http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/security/internet/sp2_wfintro.mspx

Norton : http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/support_options.html

McAfee : http://www.mcafeehelp.com/selectSupportType.asp?siteID=1

Zone Labs http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/support/techSupport.jsp:

nVidia - nVidia's Network Access Manager is bundled with some nVidia products. Unfortunately, this product is not compatible with Steam

The only solution is removing it in the Windows Add/Remove panel. After it has been removed and you have rebooted

If allowing permissions does not seem to affect the connection to Steam, please try disabling your firewall completely before launching Steam

Using a Router with Steam

Important:

Steam does not support gameplay on machines operating in a network DMZ. You must remove your machine from the DMZ in order to play through Steam.

If you are using a wireless connection to access Steam, you may encounter intermittent connection issues related to low signal strength - it is recommended that plug your machine directly into your router to ensure the highest level of connectivity.

Basic Router Troubleshooting

To determine if your router may be causing issues with connectivity, please observe the following troubleshooting steps:

Close the Steam client application

Bypass your router by plugging your machine directly into the incoming line from your modem

Restart Steam

If you are able to connect to Steam after bypassing your router, it is highly recommended that you reconfigure your router to work with Steam.

Stateful inspection or dynamic packet filtering may cause issues with Steam. If you have identified the router as the cause of your issue, disable these services.

Find Instructions to Configure your Router

If you do not have the original instruction manual for working with your router, please check your router for the manufacturer or brand name and the router's model number. You will need to run a search for your router manufacturer's website to find instructions for configuring your router to work with Steam.

PortForward.com is also a useful resource for router-specific instructions (please note that the information provided at PortForward.com may not reflect recent additions to the required ports for Steam).

Ports required for Steam:

Steam Client

UDP 27000 to 27015 inclusive (Game client traffic)

UDP 27015 to 27030 inclusive (Typically Matchmaking and HLTV)

TCP 27020 to 27050 inclusive (Steam downloads)

Dedicated or Listen Servers

TCP 27015 (SRCDS Rcon port)

Basic Troubleshooting Game Crashes

1-Check the Minimum System Requirements

If you have never played the game before on your system, it is crucial to double-check the system requirements to determine if your system can run the game. The minimum system requirements for each game can be found on the game's page in the Steam Storefront.

2-Verify Your Game Cache Files

Do not run this process while performing other system-intensive processes, such as defragmenting your hard drive or scanning for viruses.

Do not run this process for multiple games at the same time.

If you have problems with missing models, video artifacts (purple and black checkerboards) or unexpected crashes during single-player games and missions, please follow the steps below to use Steam's Verify integrity of game cache... feature to identify and replace corrupted Steam cache files.
1-Load Steam

2-From the My Games tab, right-click on the game and select Properties from the menu.

3-Select the Local files tab and click the Verify integrity of game cache... button.

4-Steam will verify the game cache files (GCF's) - this process may take several minutes.

5-Once the process is completed, the Check Window will automatically exit.

3-Rule out Background Applications and Anti-Virus/Security Software

Check the Programs Which Interfere with Steam https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9828-SFLZ-9289) , and Spyware, Adware, and Viruses Interfering with Steam (https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=6057-YLBN-1660)

topics to ensure the crash which you have encountered is not related to malicious software or a specific program which is known to cause issues with Steam.

4-Do Not Use Two Sound Devices Simultaneously

If you have installed a PCI or USB sound card on your system (such as a Creative X-fi or Audigy sound card), please ensure that your motherboard's onboard sound card is disabled in the system BIOS. Having both installed may result in system instability - even if the secondary device is disabled in the Windows device manager. Please consult your motherboard's manual for instructions on editing BIOS settings.

Install BIOS, Driver, and Windows/DirectX Updates

After each of the steps below:

Try launching the game to test - if you continue to experience crashes, proceed to the next set of troubleshooting recommendations.

1-Update Windows

Run Windows Update. It is imperative that your system is updated to the latest service pack and has all critical updates installed. It is also highly recommended that you install the latest version of the .NET framework.

2-Update DirectX

Download and install the latest version of DirectX from the Microsoft DirectX Download Page. DirectX is updated about once a month by Microsoft and should be checked for new versions (known as "Runtimes") on a regular basis.

Link:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2da43d38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&displaylang=en

Update Your Drivers

Check your current video and sound card driver versions and visit links to hardware manufacturer sites (on-board sound card drivers will be found at your motherboard manufacturer's site).

Remember to remove outdated drivers before updating and check for any known software or driver conflicts which may occur with the updated drivers. We do not recommend running beta or custom drivers (such as Omega drivers) unless they solve a very specific issue for a game you are playing.

If you purchased a separate video card or cannot obtain the appropriate drivers through the computer manufacturer you may be able to obtain updated drivers from the manufacturer of your video card.

ATI - http://www.ati.com/

Intel - http://www.intel.com/

Nvidia - http://www.nvidia.com/

Albatron - http://www.albatron.com.tw/

AOpen - http://www.aopen.com/

EVGA - http://www.evga.com/

Hercules - http://www.hercules.com/

LeadTek - http://www.leadtek.com/

Matrox - http://www.matrox.com/

MSI - http://www.msicomputer.com/

PNY - http://www.pny.com/

VisionTek - http://www.visiontek.com/

Please consult your video card manufacturer or computer assembler if you have any questions regarding the installation of updated drivers.

Sound Card Manufacturers

Audiotrak USA - http://audiotrak.net/international.htm

Creative Technology - http://www.creative.com/

Hercules/Guillemot - http://www.hercules.com/

M-Audio - http://www.m-audio.com/

Philips Electronics - http://www.philips.com/

Terratec Promedia - http://www.terratec.net/

Turtle Beach - http://www.turtlebeach.com/

Pre-Built System Vendors

If your machine was assembled as a complete system and you have not upgraded or modified the video card, it is recommended that you visit the system assembler's website. Listed below are some common computer manufacturers:

Acer America - http://www.acer.com/

Alienware - http://www.alienware.com/

Compaq - http://www.compaq.com/

Dell - http://www.dell.com/

eMachines - http://www.emachines.com/

Gateway - http://www.gateway.com/

Hewlett Packard (HP) - http://www.hp.com/

IBM Corp. - http://www.ibm.com/

NEC - http://www.nec.com/

Sony - http://www.ita.sel.sony.com/

Toshiba - http://www.toshiba.com/

4-Update Your Motherboard's BIOS and Drivers

Consult your Motherboard Manual Before Making Changes

Editing the system BIOS and motherboard settings improperly can result in system failure. Be sure to read your motherboard's manual thoroughly before attempting to flash your BIOS or update your motherboard's chipset drivers.

If you are not comfortable in performing the steps indicated by your motherboard's manual, please contact your motherboard manufacturer or system assembler for assistance.

It is important to keep the components on your motherboard in good working order, not just for playing games but for general system performance. The best way to accomplish this is to keep your motherboard's BIOS and chipset drivers up to date.

Many motherboard manufacturers release updates that resolve crucial issues related to system crashes and/or slow performance. This guide is intended to assist you in locating BIOS updates and chipset drivers to ensure that your system is in top working order.

Update (Flash) Your BIOS

The primary function of your system's BIOS is to recognize and initiate all of your system's hardware so it is ready to be used. "Flashing" the BIOS is synonymous with updating the motherboard's BIOS to the latest version. The often times requires a floppy drive to be installed on the system.

Please visit your motherboard manufacturer's website for instructions on how to check your BIOS version and for tools you can use to safely update your BIOS.

Update Your Chipset Drivers

Chipset drivers are responsible for controlling communication between various components in your system: the processor, the video card, the hard drives, PCI devices and system memory. Keeping these drivers up to date is important - especially if you are experiencing generally sluggish system performance.

Please visit your motherboard manufacturer's website to determine what type of chipset your motherboard has and where you can find the most recent drivers for it.

nForce Motherboards

Many motherboards use the Nvidia nForce platform for the chipset. Drivers are available directly from Nvidia, under nForce drivers:

http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

While installing these drivers, you may be prompted to install the Nvidia Network Access Manager. We do not recommend installing that component because the Nvidia Network Access Manager has been known to cause issues with Steam.
Here is a partial list of motherboard manufacturers and their websites where you should be able to get information and assistance (you may need to search for your motherboard manufacturer's site if you cannot find it on the list below):

A

Abit - http://www.abit-usa.com/

Acorp - http://www.acorp.com.tw/

Albatron - http://www.albatron.com.tw/

AMD - http://www.amd.com/

Amptron - http://www.amptron.com/

Aopen - http://www.aopen.com/

Archos - http://www.archos.com/

AS Rock America - http://www.asrockamerica.com/

Asus - http://www.asus.com/

B

BCM - http://www.bcmcom.com/

Biostar - http://www.biostar-usa.com/

C

Chaintech - http://www.chaintech.com.tw/

Compaq - http://www.compaq.com/

D

DFI - http://www.dfi.com/

E

ECS - http://www.ecsusa.com/

ECS Elitegroup - http://www.ecs.com.tw/

eMachines - http://www.emachines.com/

Epox - http://www.epox.com/

F

FIC - http://www.fic.com.tw/

Foxconn - http://www.foxconn.com/

Fujitsu - http://www.fcpa.com/

G

Gateway 2000 - http://www.gw2k.com/

Gigabyte - http://www.giga-byte.com/

H

Hewlett Packard - http://www.hp.com/

I

IBM - http://www.ibm.com/

Intel - http://www.intel.com/

IWILL - http://www.iwillusa.com/

J

Jetway - http://www.jetway.com.tw/

M

Matsonic - http://www.matsonic.com/

MSI - http://www.msicomputer.com/

N

NEC - http://www.nec.com/

P

PC Chips - http://www.pcchips.com/

R

Ricoh - http://www.ricohcpg.com/

S

Shuttle - http://www.shuttle.com/

Soyo - http://www.soyousa.com/

Sun - http://www.sun.com/

SuperMicro - http://www.supermicro.com/

Syntax - http://www.syntaxgroups.com/

T

Tekram Technology - http://www.tekram.com/

Tyan - http://www.tyan.com/

V

VIA-VPSD - http://www.viavpsd.com/

X

XFX - http://www.xfxgraphics.com/index.php

Other Important Drivers

Some games may require updated versions of other software. Commonly updated programs are listed below:

Microsoft DirectX : http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=04ac064b-00d1-474e-b7b1-442d8712d553&displaylang=en

Microsoft Visual C++ :http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a5c84275-3b97-4ab7-a40d-3802b2af5fc2&displaylang=en

Microsoft Visual C++ 64-bit :http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=ba9257ca-337f-4b40-8c14-157cfdffee4e

Data Execution Prevention

1-Go to Start > Control Panel > System > Advanced > Performance > Data Execution Prevention.

2-Select "Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select:"

3-Select "Add", navigate to C:\Program Files\Steam (or your default Steam directory), and add Steam.exe to the exception list.

Run a Memory Test

If the issue persists, please download and run the Memtest86 RAM test program and run it to determine whether or not the issue may be caused by a faulty RAM stick.

RAM sticks which fail this test must be replaced.

Contact Steam Support

If the crash continues even after performing all of the troubleshooting steps in this guide, you will need to contact Steam Support for further assistance. To ensure that your incident is handled in the quickest and most efficient manner possible, please follow these steps:

Prepare a MSINFO32 Report

1-Go to the Start button

2-Select Run...

3-Type msinfo32 and click OK

4-While viewing the System Summary node go to File then Save

Save your MSINFO32 report as msinfo32.nfo on your desktop for easy access (you may delete the file once you have attached it to support case and submitted the case)

Submit Your Support Request

See the Contacting Steam Billing and Support to submit your request. Please include your MSINFO32 report as an attachment to the incident.

How to contact Steam Support https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=1223-QROC-4460

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Your info has been a great help to some on here as i have replied to a few steam issues on here and used this link to point them in your direction good job buddy :)

Directed me here but after following all the advice I still have the same problem of "fm2010 is already running" when it isn't.

Any more advice would be helpful whilst i wait and wait and wait for Sega support.

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That was true with FM09, but it may be different with FM10 (based on the demo at least).

I've seen it posted a few times by an SI official in the DRM/Installation thread. Although I guess things could have changed prior to the release.

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Just downloaded steam and got this error: Steam.exe (main exception): To run Steam, you must first connect to the internet.

I'm on wireless which is working fine. I'm on Vista Home Premium and on my old laptop I was on the same yet Steam worked with no problems.

Does anybody have any ideas how to fix it?

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Aim less, I have installed the game and am playing by having the disc in the drive. When the game unlocks on Steam I want to verify or add my game on there so I don't have to have the disc in the drive anymore. Can you tell me how to do that please?

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You have a retail copy of fm and don't want to use the dvd again? simple :D

1-first keep your dvd in the drive ( you need to do this once )

2-open Steam

3-Go to My games and on the button its an option called activate product on steam (lower left of the games menu )

4-Follow the instructions

5-Your game is now activated Steam now you wont need to use the dvd again :D

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You have a retail copy of fm and don't want to use the dvd again? simple :D

1-first keep your dvd in the drive ( you need to do this once )

2-open Steam

3-Go to My games and on the button its an option called activate product on steam (lower left of the games menu )

4-Follow the instructions

5-Your game is now activated Steam now you wont need to use the dvd again :D

Thank you very much, it is much appreciated.

Thanks as well for looking/trying Leppard :thup:

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Aim Less, I have followed your instructions, selected the option to activate the game on steam. I entered the code on the manual and it accepted it. However it is now telling me I need to install the game. I don't need to install the game though as I already installed it via the disc. What do I have to do now as Steam is showing the game as 'Not Installed' in my game menu. Thanks.

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you have to download it again for some reason its not copying the files from the dvd :/

@Gunnar: steam will patch the game automatically , wen SI releases the patch to steam it will update. now you need to reinstall the game because you aplied the retail patch to the steam version

Edit : Steam version is already the latest version its 10.1

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you have to download it again for some reason its not copying the files from the dvd :/

@Gunnar: steam will patch the game automatically , wen SI releases the patch to steam it will update. now you need to reinstall the game because you aplied the retail patch to the steam version

Edit : Steam version is already the latest version its 10.1

Thanks. Won't bother with that then, not going through all that. Cheers for your help though.

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How can I activate my game through Steam so I don't have to play it while Steam is running? I did this with FM09 but can't remember how I did it, and I have received no activation code despite pre-ordering from Steam and now downloading and installing FM10.

Save a shortcut to your desktop (drag and drop or rightclick on Steam version).

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@tribe162,stornyboy80,Henry_14

1-Load Steam

2-From the My Games tab, right-click on the game and select Properties from the menu.

3-Select the Local files tab and click the Verify integrity of game cache... button.

4-Steam will verify the game cache files (GCF's) - this process may take several minutes.

5-Once the process is completed, the Check Window will automatically exit.

and Henry_14 dont be stupid be patient

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Save a shortcut to your desktop (drag and drop or rightclick on Steam version).

No, damn it, this still requires Steam to launch in order for me to play the game. When I use the shortcut, it loads Steam in the background and then loads FM.

In FM09, I simply typed in an activation code, and I was able to launch the game directly from the FM09.exe file without EVER having Steam running after initial installation.

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Got a bit of a problem with my Steam download. When I double click to start, it pops up with the 'preparing to launch' box, which just disappears after a second or so, with nothing happening. Tried changing the blob file as advised at the very start. Any ideas?

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@tribe162,stornyboy80,Henry_14

1-Load Steam

2-From the My Games tab, right-click on the game and select Properties from the menu.

3-Select the Local files tab and click the Verify integrity of game cache... button.

4-Steam will verify the game cache files (GCF's) - this process may take several minutes.

5-Once the process is completed, the Check Window will automatically exit.

and Henry_14 dont be stupid be patient

This hasn't worked for me, still getting the same error message...

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@tribe162,stornyboy80,Henry_14

1-Load Steam

2-From the My Games tab, right-click on the game and select Properties from the menu.

3-Select the Local files tab and click the Verify integrity of game cache... button.

4-Steam will verify the game cache files (GCF's) - this process may take several minutes.

5-Once the process is completed, the Check Window will automatically exit.

and Henry_14 dont be stupid be patient

that still doesn't work. i followed your guidelines and verified integ of game cache but same error message flashing up

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