Steam freezing whole computer

[KedarOthort]

Every time I try to open Steam since the latest updates group was released, the computer freezes every time I try to open Steam. Sometime it tries to go through the 'updating' process again and then freezes after that and when it would open Steam, sometimes it doesn't even do that before the computer freezes. The harddrives are not spinning, the computer's not getting overworked and freezing because it can't keep up with everything. Everything halts and the computer just freezes, the screen frozen and nothing works except the 4-second-hold hard shut down.

The thing is that it works in safe mode, which (unless I'm misunderstanding something) tells me that it's not Steam itself doing this, it's something else running that doesn't boot up in Safe Mode but does in normal mode, and this thing doesn't like when Steam is running. But what could it be?

Some friends have said to uninstall and reinstall Steam, but I'd rather avoid that if I'm correct and can find the cause for this issue.

[KedarOthort]

Did that. Did not work; after reopening Steam and it going through the update process again to regenerate all the removed files, the computer froze when it tried to open Steam.

[Maxwell]

Well Steam shouldn't be freezing either way nobody here can help you, go ask steam support for help. And i wasn't asking for help. either just be patient and it might load or go ask steam support.

[KedarOthort]

TNAB, I already told you to stop posting if you're not going to be helpful. Someone may be able to point me to something that is helpful. I already planned on contacting them directly if I couldn't find help here. Do not post in my thread again; you are one of the least-useful people I have ever seen on a help forum.

[KedarOthort]

@anyone else who might actually be helpful: I might try a complete uninstall and reinstall (instead of just refreshing the files). If I do that, do the games uninstall too, or will they stay on the computer and I just have to reinstall the client to be able to access them?

[KedarOthort]

http://ompldr.org/vaDFyeQ/DxDiag.txt

[KedarOthort]

...And then after another attempt at deleting the .blob from the corrupted update and letting it update again, it works just fine. ...I wonder if that defrag made it fine, though I wouldn't think that'd cause the issue I was having...

[KedarOthort]

Updated drivers, but the issue magically resolved itself before I had to do so. Hopefully the issue doesn't rear its ugly head again. I appreciate your help, though. :)

[saumen]

restart windows explorer or end some unecessary processes with windows task manager

[Angel]

Not the number one possibility, but you might have gotten a virus in your computer.
I would suggest scanning, defragging, and scanning again on all your computer files.
If it is something corrupt, defragmentation might help you out.
If it is a virus, then it could help to scan. Don't put all of your trust into scans though, use this tactic to make sure it is clean.
Type fake info in your computer, like a fake Name or something, if it is left alone, you might be clear. If you find evidence that somebody tried to use that name for something, they are still in your computer.

[AwesomePossum]

I just ran into this issue With an ASUS G73Jh laptop and found the solution to be an issue with Audigy HD compatibility. The fix is super simple:

Right click the little speaker icon in the Windows taskbar notification area and choose "Playback devices" (or go to control panel and choose "Sound")

Double click the "Speakers" device (or right click on the "Speakers" playback device and choose properties).

Go to the tab with the "disable all enhancements" checkbox and check the box

Click the OK button.

Start Steam

[dpunk]

I will say that steam has always been at least, quite slugish compared to a normal web browser.

[Maxwell]

Originally posted by AwesomePossum:

I just ran into this issue With an ASUS G73Jh laptop and found the solution to be an issue with Audigy HD compatibility. The fix is super simple:

Right click the little speaker icon in the Windows taskbar notification area and choose "Playback devices" (or go to control panel and choose "Sound")

Double click the "Speakers" device (or right click on the "Speakers" playback device and choose properties).

Go to the tab with the "disable all enhancements" checkbox and check the box

Click the OK button.

Start Steam

Don't bump 50000 year old posts. And Dpunk its your internet/ Steam isn't a internet browser.

[Yossarian]

AwesomePossum, you are truly awesome. I thought I would be missing out on the summer sale on my G73JH because of this problem. Thank you so much for the straightforward fix.

[Hamez]

AwesomePossum's fix only works for onboard soundcards, what about people who had disabled there onboard soundcard ages ago when they got a proper soundcard and still are recieving the freezing.

The freezing is happening for me still and ive disabled the onboard soundcard via bios, but it seems to only freeze if i try to download something

[Jay]

Originally posted by AwesomePossum:

I just ran into this issue With an ASUS G73Jh laptop and found the solution to be an issue with Audigy HD compatibility. The fix is super simple:

Right click the little speaker icon in the Windows taskbar notification area and choose "Playback devices" (or go to control panel and choose "Sound")

Double click the "Speakers" device (or right click on the "Speakers" playback device and choose properties).

Go to the tab with the "disable all enhancements" checkbox and check the box

Click the OK button.

Start Steam

Thanks. It took me three weeks to, but finally found the solutions. The steam support stuff is so slow :(