Civ V Stuck "Updating Executable" Windows 10

[swinginman]

This issue has been reported by several users and it preventing them from launching Civ V. Steam will get stuck "Updating Executable" and be unable to launch. I personally have tried verifying game files, reinstalling the game, and reinstalling Steam multiple times. I have even tried completely reinstalling Windows. Nothing works, I also confirmed it happens on two separate computers. To my understanding, something has to be wrong on Steams end and nothing can be done. Some people's games are still working, I am not sure why but I would advise they don't reinstall as that may break it.

If you really want to play the game right now, the Linux version still works. I would recommend setting up Pop_OS on a virtual machine or a spare drive. Saves are cross compatible, you can copy them to ~/.local/share/Aspyr/Sid Meier's Civilization 5/Saves

EDIT: Try setting "My Docuemnts" to NOT read only. This worked for me on my Laptop. No clue why that directory was set to read only in the first place...

[yelow1111]

There is this file in the game folder installscript.vdf.
After opening it there are instruction to install DrectX and VCRedist from the game folder.
Did it manually.
File in folder VCRedist (MICROSOFT VISUAL C++ 2008 RUNTIME LIBRARIES (X86, IA64 AND X64), SERVICE PACK 1)
can't be installed gives and error 1935.
Tried with downloading from microsoft page same thing.
Check if you can install it manually.
Now gonna look up how to fix it.
Edit:
Looked it up nothing worked.
Deleted "installscript.vdf" in the game folder and by a miracle it worked.

[Buttered Nut Squash]

Originally posted by mosteraz:

What worked for me and a friend just now (fresh installs):
* Manually open launcher.exe in folder
* Try all options (DX9, DX10/11 & Touch) after each earlier attempt failed
* Attempt regular start via Steam
* Rinse and repeat until one succeeds
Regular Steam start worked after ~5 minutes

worked for me too but crashes unless i launch using "(touch)"
this was my second time this happened, first time I got civ to run after restoring my computer to a few days before it started having problems.

[baraka444]

Originally posted by yelow1111:

There is this file in the game folder installscript.vdf.
After opening it there are instruction to install DrectX and VCRedist from the game folder.
Did it manually.
File in folder VCRedist (MICROSOFT VISUAL C++ 2008 RUNTIME LIBRARIES (X86, IA64 AND X64), SERVICE PACK 1)

Worked for me:
1. Download and repair vcredist_x86.exe
2. Install directx_Jun2010_redist (not sure)
Hope may help someone

[Clara]

this seems to have worked.

I set launcher.exe in compatability mode for widows 7. Then ran as administrator

This made steam do a cloud sync. After that I could keep launching from steam

Originally posted by dibo:

My solution - it seems to be a permission issue with the Game Folders. So if you make the game run both in Compatibility mode AND Run as administrator - this allows the game to overwrite where and what it needs in the folders. So in the Compatibility tab of the Properties menu of the the following files in the games directory - Launcher.exe, CivilizationV_DX11.exe and LaunchPad.exe (the last one is in the LaunchPad folder), you select run in compatibility mode for Windows 7 as well as AND Run as administrator. Then when you launch the game - it asks permission to make changes as if you are installing a programme (you are actually), you click yes and then it launches OK.

[mojave_wastelander]

For me worked just going legacy branch, no reinstall needed.

[Nagi]

Try this one, helped for me (fully updated to 24h2 win 11) https://steamcommunity.com/app/8930/discussions/0/830448585302697963/
It seems the problem is in the windows defender

[Crowtje68]

Hi everyone,

I posted a possible solution on december 16 where I managed to get Civ5 working by starting another Steam game, close that game and start Civ5, it worked fine...until recently.
After some days (and, of course, an interval at Christmas - hope you all had a wonderful time!) I was wondering if the Windows firewall was playing some part in this drama.
So I opened up Windows firewall (I am still using Win10) and went to the advanced settings. In this window, I opened Rules for incoming traffic. What I saw there were 6 rules for Civilization 5 (2 for all domains, 4 for public domains) and I started to compare these with the rules of other Steam games (CoH2 for example). I found out that 2 rules for Civ5 are 2 too much! There needs to be 1 rule for UDP connections (public domain, just leave those 2 rules for all domains alone) and 1 for TCP connections. You can check this when you right-click on a rule, then select Properties and find a tab called Protocols. There you will find the protocol for that rule. So, I disabled 2 redundant/extra rules for Public Domain (right-click on a rule you wish to disable and choose "Disable rule" in the context menu), which left me with 2 all domain rules and 2 public domain rules. Just leave the disconnected ones in the list, there is a green tick mark before the rule and when you disable it, it will disappear.
And guess what....I started Civ5 through Steam game menu, at first it seemed to get stuck again ("Updating executable" and then nothing) so somewhat disillusioned, I clicked the cross and closed that screen as I was to continue my search for another possible solution when....Civ5 started!!! I was truly perplexed....but it runs effortesly now, tried it all: start a new game with a mod Civ, saved it, no problem. Loaded the savegame after closing the game, no problem. So I cross my fingers that THIS was the problem all along. Now I work in ICT so it kept running through my head that the had to be a problem with the connection to/synchonisation with the Steam Cloud.....that set me on track to the Windows firewall.

Apologies for the not-so-good English, I am not a native speaker so I hope this (possible) fix was described clear enough for everyone!

Again, I hope it helps and good luck - and to all, in advance, a very very happy new year!!!

[Cyberblonde]

i start to think you are all trolls or bots with your braindead "solutions"

NOTHING WORKS

[Eja Cool8]

Folks, there is nothing you can do about this, same as all the other times it's stopped working, then randomly started launching again-*with no system changes at your end*. It's not us, it's got to be 2K-assuming Valve have thoroughly looked at the issue and found it's not Steam. At present it's like waiting for a parcel delivery from Evri: it might arrive....it might not.

[Traddles]

Originally posted by Dr Molotoff:

Originally posted by SixSkills:

I finally got it to work. I couldn't play for weeks. I tried reinstalling, verifying game files countless times. Deleting Civ V folder manually, admin rights, custom arguments and launch options as people suggested. Nothing Worked.

What worked :
Deleted the folder named 2k in %localappdata% (C:\Users\YourUserFolder\AppData\Local\2k)
Deleted the folder named 2k in %appdata% (C:\Users\YourUserFolder\AppData\Roaming\2k)

Hopes it works for you too!

This is the one and only thing that worked for me. Thanks!

[🅰𝕍𝔾𝕍𝕊𝕋 WARD]

sfs with updates. there is no FIXes no solutions!
if you want to play so badly as me,
try to use searchtor and check repack by xatab 1.03.279 with all dlcs (copy magnet)
attention! only RU and EN languages

[Woeshoem]

I've had this issue twice now, the first time I resolved it by launching Steam as admin. The second time I literally tried every solution, what worked for me is launching the steam shortcut every 30 seconds for about 10 minutes like an old lawnmower. I wrote a bat for this, I'm also pretty sure I selected DX9 in the properties of Steam so it defaults to that during the fix.

:loop
start "" "C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Steam\CIV5SHORTCUTNAME.url"
timeout /t 30
goto loop

Change USERNAME & CIV5SHORTCUTNAME.url to the right names. Just my two cents.

[Trixter]

I finally got mine working in the dumbest way possible. Basically I just spammed the play button until an installer popped up which i assume is the executable. It's an odd solution but I'm putting it here just in case

[Blah]

had the same problem but it's working on my win 11 now.
I did two things,

1) I enabled the legacy launcher (instructions below, copied from someone else). It still didn't work. Step 2 fixed it. I don't know if the legacy launcher was needed or not, but you can try and confirm by trying step 2 first, and then doing step 1 if that doesn't work.

2) It then worked (steam installed direct x automatically upon launch) when I set launcher exe and civ5 exe to run as administrator, via compatibility tab. (browse local files, right click file, properties, compatibility, tick run as admin, confirm with ok)

Note, some people have said their exe files, or the folders are set to read only which prevents the install finishing. Mine didn't have that but if yours does, then untick read only under file properties.

--
I don't know if the legacy launcher was needed or not, but you can try and confirm by trying step 2 first, and then doing step 1 if that doesn't work.
legacy launcher instructions copied below (from Brucculi) :
Brucculi 4 Oct, 2019 @ 3:36pm 
Firaxis put a super easy fix to remove the new launcher

1. Go to your Library
2. Right-click on Civ 5 and go to "Properties"
3. Go to the "Betas" tab
4. Type "ineedlegacyaccess" into the box
5. Confirm
6. Select the legacy launcher from the drop-down menu in the "Betas" tab
7. Done! You now have the legacy launcher!

[My Name Billy]

Hello everyone, I'd like to let you know, that according to my investigation, this is not an issue just with Civ V. This seems to be an issue with multiple games that use Steam CEG DRM. Here's a list of games I tested with this technology that do not currently work:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops
  
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009)
  
• Civilization V
  
• Hitman Absolution
  
• Just Cause 2
  
• Mafia II (Classic)
  
• Saints Row: The Third
  
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown

That is far from an exhaustive list, it is probable that all games using CEG do not work. If you have any of these games, or any others which are known to use this DRM, please test them out. Be aware that this issue occurs only upon first launch, and after launching once successfully (which is currently random), the game will work without a problem. I've contacted steam support with the list of affected games I discovered and I advise everyone affected by this issue to do the same. I will post a simillar message in other games communities.