Something wrong with Steam

[ChiChi]

Whenever I want to launch a game, of two things happen.

1.The "preparing to launch x game" window starts, like normal and then dissapears.

2. Or the same thing happens, but when the launch window leaves, my screen turns black, likes it's about to start, then the black screen dissapears.

 

[$kelet0r]

what are your specs?

 

[lister]

Hi, has STEAM always done this? or has this just started to happen since the latest update? & some system specs would be useful.

 

[ChiChi]

Um, 2.7 Ghz, 764 RAM, 40 GB har drive, high-speed internet, Windows XP. A couple of weeks ago, my computer was really screwed up and I dowloaded the HL2 demo. It worked but slowly. So, now I've upgraded my computer and all and it doesn't work. Same with Hf,Hf:Source,CS:S,Loast Coast, Hf2 deathmatch. And it's not my computer, I installed Opposing Force a month ago and played it on Steam. Worked fine. But now it doesn't work. I installed it again, but didn't register it on Steam.Works fine.

 

[ChiChi]

Hi, has STEAM always done this? or has this just started to happen since the latest update? & some system specs would be useful.

Since the latest update. Or even after that. Not totally sure.

 

[$kelet0r]

So, now I've upgraded my computer and all and it doesn't work

what did you change?
what is your graphics card
can you play other games

 

[ChiChi]

I upgraded the RAM.
I can play Opposing Force[I'm not a big PC gamer]
I'm not sure what my video card is, but I'm pretty sure it's over Direct 7. And remeber, I don't think this applies to my video card, I can't play Half-Life eithef.

 

[$kelet0r]

i'm stumped
try validating your files

 

[Ennui]

yeah, validate. otherwise you might have to wait, since it could be a problem with the latest update.

 

[^Ben]

Do any other games give you this problem?

 

[Mr Stabby]

what is your hardware accelerator tab set too, usually if not at maximum then source games do that

 

[Beerdude26]

I upgraded the RAM.
I can play Opposing Force[I'm not a big PC gamer]
I'm not sure what my video card is, but I'm pretty sure it's over Direct 7. And remeber, I don't think this applies to my video card, I can't play Half-Life eithef.

I've heard that some people upgraded their RAM and your problem went away. So it's probably the RAM. Try changing their slot positions (swap them), that helped some people too. If nothing works, try taking the new one you got out and see if Steam works then. If it doesn't, I guess you'll have to reinstall Steam :|

 

[ChiChi]

what is your hardware accelerator tab set too, usually if not at maximum then source games do that

Um, how do you change your harware accellerator tab? What is the hardware accellarator tab.

 

[ChiChi]

Also, when I upgrade my RAM, I erased my harddrive. And I doubt it's even the upgrades fault, because the proble happened on Tuseday, right after I played a bit of Half-life

 

[$kelet0r]

Also, when I upgrade my RAM, I erased my harddrive. And I doubt it's even the upgrades fault, because the proble happened on Tuseday, right after I played a bit of Half-life

YOU ERASED YOUR HD??????
WHY????????

please before you damage an expensive piece of equipment that more than likely is not yours, get someone who knows what they are doing to help you

 

[ChiChi]

YOU ERASED YOUR HD??????
WHY????????

please before you damage an expensive piece of equipment that more than likely is not yours, get someone who knows what they are doing to help you

I didn't, I'm computer illiterate, someone I know, who's a computer techie did.

 

[ChiChi]

Plz, does anyone know what to do?

 

[MTG_Maro]

That happened to me cause of an outdated graphics card and video driver. Go to run and type dxdiag to check what graphics card you have, then go to that company's website to update the driver, if that specific company will do that. Or it could be the hardware or a virus. Sometimes a crash log is sent to the files of that thing of which is crashing, if its a FATAL, then its corrupted files or a virus/spyware. This can be found in My Computer, program files, whatever folder contains the stuff, itll be a notepad icon and open it with notepad. If this isnt the case then I couldnt tell.

 

[ChiChi]

My video card's a 9.0, so no problem there and my Norton says I have no corrupted files or viruses.

 

[MTG_Maro]

The card being directX 9 compatable doesnt mean its a current version. Whats your video card from?

 

[ChiChi]

Uh, this is what it says on the DirectX Diagnostic Tool

System Manufacturer:Hewlett-Packard
Processor:Intel Celeron CPU 2.70 GHz0904
Memory: 760 MB
Directx Version: DirectX 9.0c[4.09.0000.]

 

[Beerdude26]

Follow this tutorial for finding the video card : tutorial

 

[ChiChi]

PROBLEM : My games aren't starting on Steam.

SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS


OPERATING SYSTEM :Windows Xp Proffesionnal 5.1
PROCESSOR :Intel[R] Celeron[R] CPU 2.70GHz
MEMORY : 760 MB RAM
VIRTUAL MEMORY:296 MB used, 1561 available??[it says Page File, but it's under Memory]
DIRECTX VERSION : Directx 9.0c
GRAPHIC CARD :N/A?[Can't find the name "Graphic or Moniter", but on the "Display Tab it says this:
GRAPHIC CARD MEMORY :N/A
RESOLUTION :1024X764
DRIVERS : vga.dll

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION :

It just happened when I upgraded my sucky and virused full computer and erased the HD[got someone else to do that though]. Before, I had Half-Life and Half-Life 2:demo. The demo ran fine, albeit slowly, though I'm not sure if it was running on maximum setting. I upgraded my RAM from 256 to 768 and not nothing on Steam runs. The launch windows appears, but then dissappears.

 

[Beerdude26]

That's your problem. You don't have a video card! Either that, or it's not recognised or supported by Windows! Do you still have the original box or advertisement for the computer? Are the system specifications on there? Look for things like "ATI Radeon 9600" (Or 9200 or lower or higher) or "nVidia GeForce 6800 GT" (Can again be different).

 

[ChiChi]

Then how could the demo play?

 

[Beerdude26]

Then how could the demo play?

It just happened when I upgraded my sucky and virused full computer and erased the HD[got someone else to do that though]

Your video drivers were probably erased. See if you can find that person that erased your HD back and ask him if he can help you with video driver updates.