Halp.

[Chazlene]

So Steam has fubared and whenever I try to launch a game I get an error message saying 'Steam must be running to play this game', even though it is... this is happening for all my games. I've tried reinstalling it but it still does the same, any ideas how to solve it guys?

[Colonel Mitch]

So Steam has fubared and whenever I try to launch a game I get an error message saying 'Steam must be running to play this game', even though it is... this is happening for all my games. I've tried reinstalling it but it still does the same, any ideas how to solve it guys?

when you say reinstalling what exactly do you mean?

[Calneon]

Delete ClientRegistry.blob in steam folder.

[Chazlene]

when you say reinstalling what exactly do you mean?

I just downloaded it again and installed that, should I completely uninstall it first then?


Delete ClientRegistry.blob in steam folder.

I tried that but I still get the same problem.

[Colonel Mitch]

I just downloaded it again and installed that, should I completely uninstall it first then?



I tried that but I still get the same problem.


Downlaod it TO A NEW FOLDER. then try fully redownlaoding a game.

If it doesnt work do a full uninstall first.

[Chalex4]

I know it's not ideal, but definitely worth a shot first backing up your whole Steam Games collection then uninstalling Steam. Then just redownload a few games to test.

Check the Steam forums first though as it may be a bigger issue that more people have.

[Mr.Big]

i always just cut steamapps out, uninstall steam - install steam then run steam, log in then exit steam then paste steamapps back in

[Chazlene]

i always just cut steamapps out, uninstall steam - install steam then run steam, log in then exit steam then paste steamapps back in

Gah just tried that but I still get the same problem :(

[Colonel Mitch]

If your on windows 7 you have to have the steam service running, check ctrl panel>administrative tools>services

[Chazlene]

Mega bump but I don't care.

I've finally decided to try to fix this properly, so I've completely reinstalled Steam and my games, but now I get a different error message (probably all mean the same thing) for each game I try to launch, for example when I launch CS:S I get 'Failed to load the launcher DLL: Invalid access to memory location' and for Bad Company 2 it says 'Battlefield Bad Company 2 failed to start (error code 66)'.

So yeah still just as bad as it was before, any ideas what those error messages mean?

[Hutch]

tl;dr

[Calneon]

I really have no idea. If you've tried reinstalling Steam completely you might be completely fubar'd. Have you tried doing a search for the error codes you're getting?

EDIT: When you reinstalled Steam, did you completely delete the Steam folder? Some nasties may have been left over if you didn't.

[VoX]

Just steam games that do this or all of them?

[Chazlene]

Just steam games that do this or all of them?

Yeah just Steam games, I'm limited to Burnout Paradise and Ass Creed 2 at the moment since they're the only games I have that don't run on Steam lol.

[Vicious Horizon]

Boot and Nuke it, that's the only solution I can think of if the problem's still happening.

[Hutch]

Reformat the computer and try again.

[VoX]

Hmm, in which case I'd say go with Cal's suggestion, re-install steam and delete the entire folder to make sure.

[ez64]

Uninstall steams and dont copy your game folders across,

Restart in all non windows items and services disabled in msconfig,

Install steam (fresh download from filehippo dont reuse another installer)
make sure steam custom installs to a new location not the default ie just prog files/steam2 to make sure it isnt registry problems.

right click on the folder properties and take permission of the folder with Full rights will post a how to if you dont know how to do this its under security permissions and advanced.

then run steam from the exe no shortcuts and run as admin.

Should fix your problem but make sure you dont let anything startup services or exe's apart from windows stuff. make sure before you install the new steam that you disable any anti viri you have.

if its fixed startup a block of new programs in msconfig that you normally have running, if you suddenly find its broken again you may have found your problem.

[Chazlene]

Restart in all non windows items and services disabled in msconfig

Urmm what do you mean by this? (Sorry, you're gonna have to slow down a lot for me).

And yeah I'm not sure about all that folder security stuff you mentioned.

[ez64]

Sorry :D

go to msconfig via run

then click the services tab

then check hide all ms services and then press disable all, then go onto the startup items tab and just disable all for now.

you will want to turn this stuff back on later but for the purpose of a clean steam install you will want them off. Restart your pc when it asks then follow the steam install procedure with any anti virus programs you have disabled.