Won't Launch

[YourPalButch]

Cursor does spinning wheel for a few seconds. Steam status for game switches to "Running" for a few seconds, then goes back to "Ready to Play". Nothing happens. No error messages.

Things that changed:
- Windows 10 Creators Update
- Nvidia Driver 381.65

Both installed yesterday.

Things I've tried:
- Restart Steam/PC
- Unsubscribe to mods in Steam
- Verify game cache
- Re-install game (with and without having deleted Documents/my games/The Binding* )

Is there a way to go back to an earlier NVIDIA driver maybe? Anyone else see this crap?

I've got a daily to fail!!

[Swiss]

Before you confont the deaded update and drivers, just one question so I know if the problem you're having is what I think it is.

After Steam's "Preparing to launch" vanishes, does it sync?

[YourPalButch]

It does. Flashes very briefly.

[Swiss]

Right, then I'm glad to say it's not a problem with your drivers or new Windows 10 update. It s a problem Steam has had for years and don't seem intent of fixing, but I guess that's Valve for you.

The game is being run as a background process instead of an app, Windows is closing it since it's in the wrong place and Steam syncs the game when it closes.
If you open the task manager, scroll down to background processes, start up Isaac and check the task manager again, you'll see it show up under background processes.

I don't have a definate fix that works for everyone but I find closing all instances of Steam in the task manager under both apps and background processes, then restarting my computer fixes it.

Let me know if that helps!

[YourPalButch]

You're absolutely right! All of a sudden it does show up as a background process. What an interesting problem.

I've tried your workaround, and also went as far as disabling every startup process AND non-Microsoft background process (via 'msconfig'), but unfortunately nothing has worked.

Perhaps this is a sign... after 830 hours of playtime... that I'm finally being set free from Isaac's Mother's clutches. Uninstalling.

Thanks for your help!

[Levanator]

Create a shortcut to the game from the steam directory files.

[RJ]

Hey all. I was having the same problem as OP and these steps fixed it for me. It seems to be a an issue with some NVIDIA software. Isaac no longer starts as a background process for me.

1. Open msconfig with Windows Button + r and type "msconfig"
   
2. Click on the Services tab.
   
3. Find the service called "NVIDIA LocalSystem Container"
   
4. Click the check box and click "Apply" and "OK"
   
5. Restart your computer as the prompt suggests.

[YourPalButch]

A little update! After giving up on Isaac I was trying out some other games. DOOM was also crashing at startup. I decided to uninstall the latest NVIDIA driver (381.65).

After a reboot it had automatically rolled beck to my previous one (378.92). DOOM worked again... so I reinstalled Isaac and it works now too.

Maybe NVIDIA's newest driver is a just poop, or something screwed up during the install. I'll probably try re-installing the 381.65 to see if I can reproduce the problem.

[Penguini_Kun]

im having the same problem with the game but i cant find the NVIDIA LocalSystem container any tips? :/

[Heckscode]

I found a fix and I'd like to share my experience:


I got a new gaming laptop days ago and BoI worked at the start. It stopped working however today when I disconnected the laptop via HDMI to an external monitor and use the laptop screen. My problem is when launching, Preparing to launch shows and closes, game says Running briefly and flashes Syncing but no game.

I literally tried everything. Nothing works.

Then I tried to go to NVIDIA control panel only to get an error message saying something like I've disabled the integrated graphic card, which I did to force HDMI connection to go through NVIDIA graphic card instead.

Upon renable the GPU, game finally runs. So yes, check your device manager, make sure all graphic cards are enabled.

Good luck

[mominvader]

mine straight up wont open

[Probably Jules]

Originally posted by Swiss:

Right, then I'm glad to say it's not a problem with your drivers or new Windows 10 update. It s a problem Steam has had for years and don't seem intent of fixing, but I guess that's Valve for you.

The game is being run as a background process instead of an app, Windows is closing it since it's in the wrong place and Steam syncs the game when it closes.
If you open the task manager, scroll down to background processes, start up Isaac and check the task manager again, you'll see it show up under background processes.

I don't have a definate fix that works for everyone but I find closing all instances of Steam in the task manager under both apps and background processes, then restarting my computer fixes it.

Let me know if that helps!

For me the game opens but stops responding right after, and crashes. It's not running as a background process

[Taktyczny Jezus]

Originally posted by _Mootls:

Originally posted by Swiss:

Right, then I'm glad to say it's not a problem with your drivers or new Windows 10 update. It s a problem Steam has had for years and don't seem intent of fixing, but I guess that's Valve for you.

The game is being run as a background process instead of an app, Windows is closing it since it's in the wrong place and Steam syncs the game when it closes.
If you open the task manager, scroll down to background processes, start up Isaac and check the task manager again, you'll see it show up under background processes.

I don't have a definate fix that works for everyone but I find closing all instances of Steam in the task manager under both apps and background processes, then restarting my computer fixes it.

Let me know if that helps!

For me the game opens but stops responding right after, and crashes. It's not running as a background process

just delete tboi from My games folder

[Tomandandy]

I'm suffering from the same issue, Isaac only starts a a windowed white screen and shows (not responding) next to the game name.
Yesterday the game worked just fine and suddenly it stopped working today even though there was neither a game nor a mod update.

I tried disabling the NVIDIA LocalSystem Container and restting the game but it didn't help. Closing all instances of Steam in the task manager under both apps and background processes, then restarting my computer also didn't do the trick. I also uninstalled the game and deleted every last folder in both the steam install directory as well as every TBoI related folder inside the "my games" folder and still the game won't launch. Besides I updated my drivers and the game is still not starting.

[GoldenAze]

Originally posted by Swiss:

Right, then I'm glad to say it's not a problem with your drivers or new Windows 10 update. It s a problem Steam has had for years and don't seem intent of fixing, but I guess that's Valve for you.

The game is being run as a background process instead of an app, Windows is closing it since it's in the wrong place and Steam syncs the game when it closes.
If you open the task manager, scroll down to background processes, start up Isaac and check the task manager again, you'll see it show up under background processes.

I don't have a definate fix that works for everyone but I find closing all instances of Steam in the task manager under both apps and background processes, then restarting my computer fixes it.

Let me know if that helps!

I'm having the same problem, today randomly after the new update this started happening, i'll try a bunch of stuff so guys if any of you found a new solution pls tell me

[TPXCenix]

In my case for some ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ reason windows update replacing my AMD Graphics Driver, causing weird issues. Redownloading the update now see if that fixes anything.