HL2 doesn't load

[[CareBears]Lucky]

Ok so after many many many hours of annoying installation-ness I finally have HL2 installed along with CS:S with the latest ATI drivers and i'm ready to go...one problem. When I attempt to start HL2 OR CS:S I get the steam screen that says it's loading Half-life 2....it disappears (as i'm familiar with from my many years of Counter=Strike addiction) and.............nothing happens....and I wait...........and nothing happens....so i try again...and nothing. And since then..nothing i do does anything. I have the game on my computer..i bought it retail..straight from Electronics Boutique....and now it won't even f'in let me play. Can someone shed some light on this subject for me...i'm getting really irritated and starting to feel like i might die from irate-ness and never even get to play HL2. I'm going nuts!

I saw in another forum that it might be a result of the security feature...well what the f''k I paid for the damn game..it's a legal freaking copy..let me play my damn HL2!!!! ::tear::

 

[[CareBears]Lucky]

To add another point if I load the autoplay from disc 1 i get the HL2 setup menu where i can select to play the game...edit the installation..uninstall..etc...when i go to click on play game it appears to be a dead button. It doesn't even register that i'm trying to click on it. All the other links on that menu work fine..however it will not let me click on play game.........