The steam client does not start. Why does not steam start

Many users use the Steam special service to purchase and use various gaming applications for their purpose. Unfortunately, some users sometimes have a problem - games on Steam do not work.

What to do? Return purchased games and refuse to run them on the hardware you are using? Some people do this because they believe that their technology simply does not "pull", and this is the main reason why interactive software does not start. In fact, if the game does not start in Steam, the reason is not always the weakness of the equipment used - quite often you can solve such an error with a positive result for yourself.

How can this be done? It is enough to use the method described below.

Problem with damaged files

This situation is most common when used as a source of games. Unfortunately, sometimes a slight disconnection may occur and the components needed to start will not be correctly transferred to the user's disk.

To fix the situation, it is not at all necessary to completely demolish the installed application and start the whole procedure from the very beginning. Everything is simpler:

Go to the Steam library.
Select the component / utility with which the problem occurred.
Call "Properties" by clicking the right button on the computer.
Open the “local files” tab.
Use one of the buttons: "Integrity check" or "cache recalculation".

Wait for the result. If the program finds a discrepancy, then it will automatically correct the situation.

No executable file

Another fairly popular situation. Almost always, the root cause is the action of the antivirus program used. The solution is pretty simple:

Add a similar file to the antivirus software exclusion.
Download it separately and drop it into the folder with the installed game.

Compatibility issues

The vast majority of modern users use Windows 7 or 10 on their PCs. But many of them often want to play applications developed for earlier versions of Microsoft operating systems. The bottom line is that a similar conflict may arise.

What needs to be done:

Find an executable file, the icon of which is usually placed on the desktop during installation.
Call the additional menu by pressing the right mouse button.
Go to "Properties", then to "Compatibility".
Install the version for which the game was developed.

On the network, you can find information that indicates the type of OS for which the development was carried out. If this is not possible, then you will need to go through all the proposed ones or start the procedure for fixing problems with compatibility, which is started by the same clicking on the software icon using the right mouse button.

Lack of required libraries

Most of the interactive computer entertainment requires special programs for its functioning. Most often these are DirectX, Framework, and so on.

Of course, you can install everything yourself. But to avoid unnecessary installations, the following is recommended:

Find a game folder.
Find a directory named "_CommonRedist" in it.
Go to it and install all the required components.

Hanging solution

This usually happens when the OS thinks that the program continues to run, although the user has already tried to close it. If the operating system says "the application is running" or something similar, then you can perform the correction forcibly:

Activate the "task manager". You can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl”, “Shift” and “Esc”. Or you can use the more traditional “Ctrl”, “Alt” and “Del”, and then select the desired tool.
Go to “processes”.
Find a stuck file.
Click on “finish”.

Clearing the stim cache

A cache of this service that has not been cleared for a long time can also cause a conflict, so you need to be able to clear it:

Log out of your Steam profile by clicking on your login and choosing the "Change user" function.
Close the program window.
Go to the client folder.
Find "appcache" and "cached" in it.
Delete them, preferably with a backup.

At the end, you need to restart your computer.

Departure solution

If the games stopped running in Steam precisely because of the constant departure of the client, then it is recommended to perform the following actions:

Activate antivirus program and check the operating system for infections.
Install all important updates through the special Windows Update Center.
Temporarily deactivate antivirus software and firewall software.
Update all required drivers. Preferably in manual mode through the device manager.
Clean up the system registry with special tools. For example using CCleaner.
Uninstall and completely install the new client.

In addition, you can always write to Steam support or go to the community page, where you can get all the necessary information from other users.

One of the most common problems a Steam user may encounter is the inability to launch the game. Amazingly, nothing might happen at all, but an error window will appear when trying to launch the game. Other variants of the manifestation of this problem are also possible. The issue can be related to both the game and the incorrect zoning of the Steam service on your computer. Anyway, if you want to continue playing the game, you need to fix this problem. Read on to find out what to do if some game does not start on Steam.

If you wondered why GTA 4 or any other game in Steam does not start, then first you need to identify the cause of the error. You should carefully look at the error message if it is displayed on the screen. If there is no message, other measures may need to be taken.

Method 1: Checking the game cache

Sometimes game files can get damaged for one reason or another. As a result, in most cases an error appears on the screen that prevents the game from starting correctly. The very first thing to do in such situations is to check the integrity of the cache. This procedure will allow Steam to re-check all game files, and if errors are found, replace them with a new version.

Earlier, we talked in a separate article about how to correctly carry out the mentioned procedure. You can familiarize yourself with it at the following link:

If you checked the integrity of the cache, and the result still remains negative, then you should move on to other methods of solving the problem.

Method 2: Installing the required libraries for the game

Perhaps the problem is that you are missing the necessary software libraries that are required to run the game properly. Such software is a C ++ update package, or Direct X libraries. Usually, the required software components are located in the folder where the game is installed. Also, they are often offered to be installed before the launch itself. Moreover, they are usually installed automatically. But the installation may be interrupted due to various reasons. So try to install these libraries yourself again. To do this, you need to open the game folder. This is done as follows:

After you have installed the required libraries, try starting the game again. If that doesn't work, then try the next option.

Method 3: Duplicate gameplay

If it starts incorrectly, the game may not start, but the game process itself may remain in "Task Manager"... In order to start the game, you need to disable running game processes. This is done through the already mentioned "Task Manager"... Press the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl + Alt + Delete"... If a "Task Manager" did not open immediately after this action, then select the appropriate item from the proposed list.

Now you need to find the process of the frozen game. Usually, the process has a similar name to the name of the game itself. After you find the game process, right-click, and select "Remove task"... If confirmation of this action is required, then follow it. If you cannot find the process of the game, then most likely the problem lies elsewhere.

Method 4: check system requirements

If your computer does not meet the system requirements for the game, the game may very well fail to launch. So it's worth checking if your computer can pull a game that won't launch. To do this, go to the game page in the Steam store. The lower part contains information with the requirements of the game.

Check these requirements with your computer hardware. If the computer is weaker than the one specified in the requirements, this is most likely the cause of problems starting the game. In this case, also, you can often see various messages about the lack of memory or about the lack of other computer resources to start the game. If your computer meets all the requirements, then try the next option.

Method 5: error specifics

If, when starting the game, some error or non-standard window pops up with a message that the application is closed due to some specific error, try using the search engines in Google or Yandex. Enter the error text into the search bar. Most likely, other users also encountered similar errors and already have solutions. After he finds a way to solve the problem, use it. Also, you can search for a description of the error on the Steam forums. They are also called "discussions". To do this, open the game page in your library of games by left-clicking on the item "Discussions" in the right column of this page.

The Steam forum associated with the game will open. There is a search bar on the page, enter the error text in it.

The search results will be those topics that are associated with the error. Read these topics carefully, most likely they have a solution to the problem. If there is no solution to the problem in these topics, then sign off in one of them that you have the same problem. The game developers pay attention to a large number of user complaints and release patches that fix the game's problems. As for the patches, here you can move on to the next problem, due to which the game may not start.

Method 6: Critical developer errors

Software products are often imperfect and contain bugs. This is especially noticeable at the time of the release of a new game in Steam. It is possible that the developers made critical errors in the game code, which prevent the games from running on certain computers, or the game may not start at all. In this case, it will also be useful to go into the discussion of the game on Steam. If there are many topics related to the fact that the game does not start or gives any errors, then the reason is most likely in the code of the game itself. In this case, it remains only to wait for the patch from the developers. Usually, developers try to eliminate critical errors in the first few days after the start of the game's sales. If, even after several patches, the game still does not start, then you can try to return it back to Steam, and get the money spent. You can read about how to return the game to Steam in our separate article.

The fact that the game does not start means that you have not played it for more than 2 hours. Therefore, you can easily get your money back. You can buy this game later, when the developers release a few more "patches". Also, you can try to contact Steam technical support. We also mentioned how to do this earlier.

In this case, you need an item related to a specific game. The support forum may also contain answers to common problems with the game.

Conclusion

Now you know what to do when the game does not start on Steam. We hope that this information will help you get rid of the problem and continue to enjoy the great games of this service. If you know other ways to get rid of the problems that prevent the game from starting in Steam, then write about it in the comments.

Steam is an international platform for the sale of computer games and communication between gamers. The developers have created a unique service that runs on almost all computers and allows you to play games. However, problems with Steam's performance often occur. In this article, you will learn why Steam does not open, what causes this problem may have and what methods can be used to fix them.

Types of problems

All startup problems related to "Steam" can be divided into several categories, presented below:

problems with the service itself;
hardware problems;
problems with the software on your PC.

Each malfunction can be eliminated, but not all of them depend on your actions or decisions. Let's take a look at each problem separately.

System requirements

One of the first reasons why Steam does not open is incompatibility with equipment. Like any program or game, Steam has a set of system requirements, without which the application will not work. If you have just installed Steam and have never been able to start it, check compatibility with the official requirements:

processor 1 GHz or higher;
512 MB of RAM or more;
operating system not older than Windows XP or OS X 10.7;
at least 1 GB of free hard disk space;
stable internet connection.

If all requirements are met, then the problem is clearly not in the hardware. If your computer does not meet the stated requirements, then the only option to launch Steam is to update the computer hardware. Now let's move on to other reasons for the breakdown.

Server malfunctions

There is a type of malfunction that does not depend on the user's actions. In most cases, they are associated with the use of online services. If you start the service, but the program cannot connect to the servers, then most likely the problem is a breakdown on the developer's side. It may also indicate that service work is being carried out, after which the game store will again work correctly. In such a situation, you cannot influence the repair of the program in any way, so you just have to wait for the completion of work or maintenance. Now you know another reason why Steam does not open on your computer.

Hanging processes

Often, the main problem with launching is the freezing of processes launched when you turn on Steam. You can fix it like this:

Launch Steam in any convenient way.
If the program does not respond in any way, then go to the task manager using the combination CTRL + ALT + DELETE.
Go to the Processes tab.
Find the processes with the names Steam Client Service, Steam Client WebHelper in the list and close them. To do this, right-click on each of them and select "End Process".
If there are several identical processes in the list, then click the “End process tree” button in the menu.

Now try again to launch "Steam" through the shortcut or folder with the installed program.

Delete files or reinstall

The next reason why Steam does not open is partial damage or deletion of important program files. To fix it, you can either download the update again or simply reinstall the application.

Open the folder where the installed "Steam" is located, and find the files with the names tier0_s.dll and tier0_s64.dll, and then delete them. Now try starting Steam. The program should start downloading the update because important files have been deleted. After that, the service should start.

Also, a complete reinstallation of "Steam" will be a working way. To do this, first of all, you must remove the program completely. Use "Remove Programs" or third-party software for this purpose. Then download the distribution kit from the official website and install it. Remember to reboot your PC between procedures.

Why doesn't Steam open on the desktop?

In this case, the problem lies in the path to the executable file, which is specified in the properties of the shortcut. To solve the problem, click on the RMB shortcut and select "Properties". In the "Object" field, the path to the folder with the installed Steam client should be written. You can write it yourself.

Registry fix

To solve the problem with the registry, you must use the editor. You can open it using the Run window, which opens with the Win + R key combinations. Enter the regedit command and run the program.

In the window that opens, find the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT directory. It contains all the information regarding the Steam program. Find the Steam branch in the directory subsection and delete it.

Next, go to the HKEY_CURRENT_USERS directory and find the Software folder. In this thread, erase the Valve section. To avoid irreparable damage, back up the registry first. If after deletion nothing has changed, then the registry is not the reason why "Steam" does not open on "Windows 10". Return the registry settings from the backup and restart your computer.

Conflict with antivirus

This often happens with the Windows 7 operating system and third-party antiviruses. Let's figure out why the game or "Steam" does not open due to security software.

This is due to a software conflict. Steam may download components that your antivirus might consider harmful to your computer's health. If the automatic solution to the problem is enabled in the antivirus settings, it will automatically quarantine Steam and prevent it from starting. Usually, the program warns about this procedure or displays a message about quarantine. Check the quarantine folder in your antivirus. If you find files related to Steam in it, then they need to be removed from quarantine and immediately added to exclusions. Now the antivirus will not block application activity. We figured out why Steam does not open on Windows 7 and 10. It remains to consider the last problem.

Timeout Expired error

If you see a window with this error when starting the program, then you need to do the following:

open the configuration panel using the msconfig command in the "Run" window;
go to the "General" tab and set the options "Selective startup" and "Do not show Microsoft services";
in the "Services" tab, disable everything using the "Disable all" button;
save the changes with the "Apply" button and restart the PC.

The Steam app should now launch correctly. Use this method only if you see an error when you turn it on.

Bugs in Steam? There are many reasons why Steam does not work, or it is not possible to launch games on Steam, for example GTA 5 or Pay Day 2, problems often arise with these games. Let's see how to run Steam without errors.

What to do if Steam does not start?

It often happens that it seems like Steam is not running, but it hangs in processes. And that prevents you from running it. Therefore, check if it is hanging in your processes, you can do this in the task manager. If there is a Steam.exe process there, then terminate it.

If your Steam does not start after the update, then perhaps it was installed incorrectly or was not completed completely, which is why the program is not working. In this case, you need to reinstall the program.

If the software folder contains files such as: tier0_s64.dll and tier0_s.dll, then you need to delete them and restart your computer, then try to start steam again.

Game won't launch on Steam

This can be because of steam, and because of the game itself. First try these steps:

Log out of your account and close the program. Go to the Steam dad, and delete the AppCache folder.

Reboot your computer. If the game still does not start, then the problem is in the game itself, perhaps you do not have good computer characteristics for this game.

What if all else fails?

You need to do some work with your system. We suggest doing this using two useful programs.

1. Updating drivers with Driver Booster. This is really cool software that helps a lot. Updating old drivers with new ones is one of the key requirements for the normal functioning of games and programs on a computer.

You might be thinking that Windows always notifies users when new updates are available. Indeed, it shows alerts, but only for the presence of updates for Windows and the video card. But besides this, there are many more drivers that need to be updated regularly.

2. Repair your PC with Reimage Repair. Run this program to analyze your system for errors (and they will be 100%). Then you will be prompted to cure them, either individually or all at once.

Have you ever experienced a game on Steam that simply refused to launch? Definitely yes, because in that case you would not have come here. Most likely, you tried to launch the toy, but instead of the usual loading screen, a window appeared on your monitor, which says the following:

Failed to start the game (unknown error).
Visit the Steam Support website for details.

So, what can this error even mean? In fact, this can mean almost anything, since Steam literally tells you that an unknown error has occurred. That is why the reasons for this error can be just an incredible list.

In this article, we'll cover most of the possible causes of the Failed to start game on Steam error, as well as methods to help you get rid of this problem. Get ready, because the list will be quite long. We will not divide the article into two lists, because because of this it will come out rather "dirty".

All of the methods below have been tried by various users on the web, but this does not mean that the first one will immediately work for you. There will be about a dozen different ways to solve the error Failed to start the game on Steam.

Running Steam as Administrator

The very first and simplest advice in this article is to try running your Steam client as an Administrator. It is possible that elevation will allow you to run the game you wanted. It can also help in the event that there are problems with the game for which you downloaded the released update. Try to launch the client through the Administrator and check if the error Failed to start game on Steam disappears.

Deleting the AppCache folder

The following method can also be used if you cannot start the game for which you installed the update. In this folder, as it was already possible to understand, the cache for the Steam client is stored. This folder is used for quick access to various information or files. And so deleting files from the AppCache folder will reset some processes. Go to the directory / Steam / appcache and delete all folders and files that will be there. Then try starting some game again and check if the error Failed to start game on Steam is still present.

Operating system incompatibility

If this is your first time launching the game and encountering this error, then you should check the compatibility of your operating system with this game. As you may know, nowadays almost all games run only on operating systems with 64-bit architecture. Therefore, look at the system requirements of the game and make sure that the bit depth of your system meets them. Here you can only advise the installation of a 64-bit OS, since there is no other way to launch a 64-bit application. Moreover, there is simply no point in staying on a 32-bit system today.

Checking the integrity of the cache

Perhaps the most obvious tip for a problem with an error unable to start a game on Steam is to check the integrity of the cache. Many people underestimate this function in vain, but it helps to fix a lot of problems. When launching the game, you were shown a message stating that an unknown error occurred. It is possible that the problem is based on corrupted or missing game files, which is causing the error Failed to start game on Steam. To check the integrity of the cache, do the following:

Go to your Steam library.
Find in it the game that you launched earlier and received the error Failed to start the game on Steam.
Right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu.
Go to the "Local Files" tab.
Click on the button "Check integrity of the cache ..."
That's all. It remains to wait for the end of the check. The check time is proportional to the size of the game, i.e. the more the game weighs, the longer it will take to check. At the end of the scan, you will be given a summary stating the number of files that have not passed the scan and a notification that they will be downloaded again. After checking, try starting the game and check for the error unable to start the game on Steam.

Hard reset Steam

It is possible that your problems could arise due to incorrect settings of the Steam client, which were exposed by your hands or after some incident in the system. In general, it is not that important. The important thing is that you can try resetting Steam to test this theory. This is done very simply:

Press the key combination Win + R and enter the command in the "Run" window steam: // flushconfig.
You will see a window with the message “This action will reset your local Steam settings, and you will have to log into your account again. Are you sure you want to continue? "
Click on “Ok”.

After resetting the settings, go to the client again and check if the error remains Failed to start the game on Steam.

So now we are moving into the territory of methods that have a rather shaky reputation among users, since they help solve the problem in half the cases, and in others they do not. But we decided to include them in this list anyway to cover all possible solutions.

Changing the language of the Steam client

Some users claim that changing the client language helped them overcome the Could not start game on Steam error. It is possible that your problem is somehow related to the language factor. To change the Steam language, do the following:

Click on “Steam” in the top bar of the client.
Select “Settings”.
Go to the "Interface" tab.
Select the interface language that you know at least basic, let's say it's English.
Then try starting the game you want again and check for the error Failed to start game on Steam.

Opt out of beta testing

For some games, the developers are conducting various beta tests of the content that should appear in the game soon. Remember if you were in any beta testing for this game? If so, then perhaps this was the reason for this problematic situation. Exit testing and try restarting the game. If you don't remember how to do this already, here's a small example:

Find the game you want in your library, right-click on it and select Properties.
Go to the "Beta versions" tab.
Click on the drop-down menu and select “REFUSE - Quit All Beta Programs”.
Then try to start the game again and check if the error Failed to start game on Steam is still there.

Changing the directory for installing games

Another method that helps some players with the error Failed to start the game on Steam. In general, do the following:

Go to “Settings” again.
Go to the "Downloads" tab.
Click on the "Steam Library Folders" button.
Then click the "Add Folder" button and select, or create, another folder for your games.
Then reinstall the game and try running it again.

Change the download region

Another method that seems to work, if you believe the reports of some players on the network. One way or another, if none of the above worked, which is rather strange, then it is simply necessary to try this method. Changing the region can sometimes help with problems downloading various content from Steam. If you have a problem launching the game for which you were trying to download the update, then you can try this method. To change the download region, do the following:

Go to "Settings".
Go to the "Downloads" tab.
Click on the drop-down menu and select a region, which will be located, preferably in another country.

Change the region a couple of three times, reinstall the game and see if the launch error disappears.

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