HL2 won't run!

[Havoc_One]

ok, just purchased the game tonight. It installed just fine, created my Steam account, updated HL2, all with no problems at all.

Open Steam and double click on HL2. It says "Preparing to play HL2" for about 5 seconds, my CD spins up, the "Preparing" screen goes away and--- nothing... I stay at desktop.

If I open the task manager before I launch, I can see hl2.exe come up for about 3 seconds then it just goes away.

There is no disk emulation software on this PC. The only burning software is Nero 5.1. 100% virus free and double firewalled. (yes, my ports have been manually opened for Steam). I have also tried shutting down all non essential processes, no luck...

I have over 50 games and this is the only one that won't run. D3, Far Cry, Guild Wars, WOW, Neocron, Splinter Cell, War Craft 3, Quake 3, UT2K4, Ground Control 2, etc etc etc...

System

WinXP SP1
Abit NF7-S (Latest Bios and drivers)
Athlon XP 1700
Radeon 9800 pro 128mb (running 04.9 Catalyst's)
Hercules Fortissimo III sound (Latest Drivers)
512mb PC3700
TDK 24x burner (Latest firmware)

 

[KagePrototype]

Happening for me as well, all Source games are dead.

 

[Tyguy]

thats gay that you JUST got the game becuase the new update messed up and most of the people cant play any source games....its nothing to do with your system, so just wait it out....it should be fixed soon.......

 

[Demon Wraith]

Hey! Aren't there other threads on this already?

 

[Frezz]

Same problem here... cant start my source games.......................................................................................................We............ just............ have................ to............... wait.............................................................................................................................¤#"...........................&¤#"/()&¤/#")&¤/)"#¤#%)"(¤#"%/!!!!! ! ! !

 

[Dark Auro]

A new update was released tonight for HL2 DM which seemed to have screwed up many peoples games on steam so it's not just you. Valve will release a patch for this soon so you will be able to play.

 

[Willem123]

Valve releases something and after that we need a patch to play it :s

 

[Havoc_One]

Well, at least it's not just me. Sounds like Valve pooched this bad boy. I guess quality control is not a big issue? heh...

 

[Willem123]

Well, at least it's not just me. Sounds like Valve pooched this bad boy. I guess quality control is not a big issue? heh...

Having no Q&A from a big publisher does that to a company I guess.

 

[sneaky_bastard]

I can play DM and CS:S but I can't play HL2 SP. Figures they'd screw this up and of course the Steam forums are down. Ever notice the they're always "temporarily unavailable" every time something like this happens?

 

[ThrasherX9]

Valve ****ed up. Tons of people can't play and there's no explanation as to why.

 

[Rocketman9mm]

I'm glad all my stuff still seems to be working after the update. but this is the primary weakness of steam. When something can be automatically updated to a game that could screw the game's playability without the user knowing any better. a gamer shouldn't have to worry about a game automatically screwing itself through not worms viruses or the like, but the game's own developer updates.

I'm talking about steam in general, like its early days, not just this event.

 

[nagual678]

i can't get ANY Source game to work since last update
after the "preparing to play ...." window, steam just stands there, it doesn't load or launch anything

 

[Darth_DJ]

I have one question. Im going to buy HL 2 today or tommorow. Do I have to download DM update or SDK? Can I just register game and play Single Player? [I don't need DM or SDK, I only want to play SP]

 

[sneaky_bastard]

It's automatic, if I were you I'd wait until this update mess is sorted out because it's totally FUBAR right now.

 

[jet jaguar]

Valve tries to do something nice and it ends up exposing the primary weakness of Steam and the reasons some people don't like it. Not good.

 

[Varsity]

Darth, you only download what you want.

Everyone else, try moving your SteamApps/account/ folder to the desktop.

 

[Gossoon]

Everyone else, try moving your SteamApps/account/ folder to the desktop.

What the hell will that do?

 

[jeremy_jezza]

wont start new game

hi i open half life 2 and it opens fine but when i click new game it doesnt open it doesnt freeze the mouse just flickers how do i fix this?

 

[Link]

Follow these steps:

Create a new thread instead of resurecting a 2004 thread.
Look at the way OP posted, and how much information he gave. We cannot help you from a single line description.