Can YOU figure this out..? Games Do Not Run After 'Preparing To Launch'

[Electronaut]

I need some help in solving this issue. My Steam Games are "Running" in Steam but only in Steam Client Bootstrapper in Task Manager - Won't launch the actual game

I have tried:

-Verifying the integrity of the game files
-Uninstalling the game and reinstalling the game
-Uninstalling and reinstalling Steam
-Uninstalling and reinstalling GPU drivers
-Updating Windows 10
-Disabled all third party programs on the Steam page that could potentially interfere with the game launching
-Running the game as administrator -> cycles in the launching phase until it times out in Steam and adds a .exe.####.STEAMSTART 5KB file to the game file in the common -> game's app
-Running the game in compatibility mode
-Removing the ClientRegistry.blob
-Running the Steamerrorreporter.exe
-Deleting the AppCache

Currently, only one game Halo: The Master Chief Collection runs.

[Sҽɾρҽɳƚ]

That steamstart file caught my attention, I had your exact problem too, but for which game I can't remember, but eventually I did fix it....ugh..is the game you're trying to play in the original language or some other? I couldn't for the love of god launch cod:bo1, because it's in Russian and Steam can't understand Cyrillic and instead throws some gibberish letters instead....

So yeah idk if this will help your issue, but try going to Region->Administrative->Change System Locale->Check -Beta:Use Unicode-8....

Downloading CCLEANER and fixing/deleting a few bits of your registry may solve something......

[Electronaut]

Can YOU figure this out..? Games Do Not Run After 'Preparing To Launch'

My Steam games are now not launching. I've tried everything in the "Games Do Not Run After 'Preparing To Launch' section" of the Steam page without luck, browsed countless Steam and outside forums and cannot figure it out.

[Electronaut]

Originally posted by Banančiks:

That steamstart file caught my attention, I had your exact problem too, but for which game I can't remember, but eventually I did fix it....ugh..is the game you're trying to play in the original language or some other? I couldn't for the love of god launch cod:bo1, because it's in Russian and Steam can't understand Cyrillic and instead throws some gibberish letters instead....

So yeah idk if this will help your issue, but try going to Region->Administrative->Change System Locale->Check -Beta:Use Unicode-8....

Downloading CCLEANER and fixing/deleting a few bits of your registry may solve something......

Yes, the game is in the original language, nothing has been changed and it just worked a few days ago. Used CCLEANER to fix the registry with no change.

[Pl@y$tation_1]

I have done the same and would like an answer... I have hundreds of dollars of games that won't launch.

[J4MESOX4D]

Ensure your Windows is updated to the latest version along with drivers. Make sure you don't have any trash software interfering and also ensure any anti-virus software aren't blocking Steam processes.

[Electronaut]

Originally posted by J4MESOX4D:

Ensure your Windows is updated to the latest version along with drivers. Make sure you don't have any trash software interfering and also ensure any anti-virus software aren't blocking Steam processes.

Windows is currently the latest software version, as well as DirectX, and my GPU driver. There is no interfering software and my anti-virus and my Windows firewall are allowing Steam and all of the games through.

[Iceira]

Sound more like Anti virus blocking issue.

and you should use windows event viewer and locate why app crash. windows do have log about it, even then its game itself that crash.

[Electronaut]

Originally posted by Iceira:

Sound more like Anti virus blocking issue.

and you should use windows event viewer and locate why app crash. windows do have log about it, even then its game itself that crash.

Here is an example of the event log when I start up the game, it shows it running in Steam, shows it in the task manager steam bootstrapper client, but not launching:

ERROR CODE:
The program steam.exe version 5.78.0.89 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available, check the problem history in the Security and Maintenance control panel.
Process ID: 50c
Start Time: 01d6076015eb991c
Termination Time: 4294967295
Application Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe
Report Id: 1c1b77af-f474-4bed-a6ea-47f45102555b
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:
Hang type: Top level window is idle



INFORMATION CODE:
Fault bucket 1188913829506732977, type 5
Event Name: AppHangB1
Response: Not available
Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:
P1: steam.exe
P2: 5.78.0.89
P3: 5e7d3170
P4: 3c55
P5: 67246080
P6:
P7:
P8:
P9:
P10:

Attached files:
\\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\Temp\WERA5C8.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

These files may be available here:
\\?\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\Critical_steam.exe_21c21a4ee5465b60c2797dad6a71d29892c76bae_2b32079e_70254b20-e135-45a8-9a07-f19c4bc08544

Analysis symbol:
Rechecking for solution: 0
Report Id: 1c1b77af-f474-4bed-a6ea-47f45102555b
Report Status: 268435456
Hashed bucket: 400ae83a3097ab2d107fded42c4c53b1
Cab Guid: 0



The description for Event ID 3 from source EPCP cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event:

03

The message resource is present but the message was not found in the message table

[Iceira]

have you tried the Steam://flushconfig cmd

rest is steam support, have no other idea atm.

ps.
do not OC , if somehow OC cause scripts fail. ( and do check pc is update from brand or custom build support page with driver and BIOS.

but then it do work with
Currently, only one game Halo: The Master Chief Collection runs, no this dont look like a pc issue.

ps.
-Running the game in compatibility mode
i only do that in very old games that require it and all are older then win7 more a xp issue.
i mention this because , skyrim support did say remove compatibility to get it to work fix
but thats only 1 game

you should give system spec, just to ruleout newest hardware, issue
and more game names, because other user might know diffrent games issue.

ps.
dont forget window SFC to rule that out.

and you also have boot safe mode, ruleout other interference issue with other apps with steam

[Iceira]

Running the game as administrator, have you tried that with steam.exe as admin ?
not the first time a migration fail from previous OS to win10, and only later it was discover its security app doing it ( firewall and antivirus app ) but most do a fresh install from the win10 toolkit DL and install it that way , no migration in needed anymore.

[Electronaut]

Originally posted by Iceira:

have you tried the Steam://flushconfig cmd

rest is steam support, have no other idea atm.

ps.
do not OC , if somehow OC cause scripts fail. ( and do check pc is update from brand or custom build support page with driver and BIOS.

but then it do work with
Currently, only one game Halo: The Master Chief Collection runs, no this dont look like a pc issue.

ps.
-Running the game in compatibility mode
i only do that in very old games that require it and all are older then win7 more a xp issue.
i mention this because , skyrim support did say remove compatibility to get it to work fix
but thats only 1 game

you should give system spec, just to ruleout newest hardware, issue
and more game names, because other user might know diffrent games issue.

ps.
dont forget window SFC to rule that out.

and you also have boot safe mode, ruleout other interference issue with other apps with steam

Originally posted by Iceira:

Running the game as administrator, have you tried that with steam.exe as admin ?
not the first time a migration fail from previous OS to win10, and only later it was discover its security app doing it ( firewall and antivirus app ) but most do a fresh install from the win10 toolkit DL and install it that way , no migration in needed anymore.

Running Steam as admin and booting windows in safe mode makes no difference for me.
I'm not OCing so that shouldn't be an issue.
I tried running in compatibility mode on different windows versions, all with no luck, and then reverted it back - just wanted to share another possible solution I tried.

So far the only games working are Halo: Master Chief collection and Doom Eternal. All of my other games including CoD Black Ops II, CoD Modern Warfare 3, and everything else in my library won't work. MW3 will launch, but get stuck in the launch state and will go into a 'Not Responding' mode forever.

System Specs: (More than sufficient; games ran a few days ago just fine)
MB: ASRock X370
CPU: Ryzen 7 1700
GPU: GTX 1080 Ti
RAM: 16GB

[Iceira]

ohh yeah, dont foget single player test, could be as simple as covid19 effect all is home, even steam mention it now in the top pinned, but that wont solve all the games devs own server.

if steam works with single player game like skyrim or other highend game you have. then i bet its only MP game. issue you have. ( and it could be the issue with isp or traffic into steam and its game server or games devs server. )

it could be sa simple as that ( sure not simple but all is home and play games. )

[Electronaut]

Originally posted by Iceira:

ohh yeah, dont foget single player test, could be as simple as covid19 effect all is home, even steam mention it now in the top pinned, but that wont solve all the games devs own server.

if steam works with single player game like skyrim or other highend game you have. then i bet its only MP game. issue you have. ( and it could be the issue with isp or traffic into steam and its game server or games devs server. )

it could be sa simple as that ( sure not simple but all is home and play games. )

The single player/ campaign portion does the exact same thing as the multiplayer portion of it the games when launching, too.

[Iceira]

Originally posted by Sigtinius:

Originally posted by Iceira:

ohh yeah, dont foget single player test, could be as simple as covid19 effect all is home, even steam mention it now in the top pinned, but that wont solve all the games devs own server.

if steam works with single player game like skyrim or other highend game you have. then i bet its only MP game. issue you have. ( and it could be the issue with isp or traffic into steam and its game server or games devs server. )

it could be sa simple as that ( sure not simple but all is home and play games. )

The single player/ campaign portion does the exact same thing as the multiplayer portion of it the games when launching, too.

ok that is both good and bad, good its not just MP , and bad.

reinstall Nvidia graphic in custom and make clean install then checkbox is there. i suspect a windows core update could have trigger this, and dont know why , but its Nvidia that fail after windows core update , and i doubt its this, its still a best guess, and make sense why so many games fail ( special single player games should have work ) most will agree to that no matter what network is there or not.)

but dont forget
ERROR CODE:
The program steam.exe version 5.78.0.89 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available,

((( check the problem history in the Security and Maintenance control panel. )))
this report as a Security and Maintenance issue. whatever that is ?

is this windows own or have you add a own security app. ( link protection service is also part of this )

[Electronaut]

Originally posted by Iceira:

Originally posted by Sigtinius:

The single player/ campaign portion does the exact same thing as the multiplayer portion of it the games when launching, too.

ok that is both good and bad, good its not just MP , and bad.

reinstall Nvidia graphic in custom and make clean install then checkbox is there. i suspect a windows core update could have trigger this, and dont know why , but its Nvidia that fail after windows core update , and i doubt its this, its still a best guess, and make sense why so many games fail ( special single player games should have work ) most will agree to that no matter what network is there or not.)

but dont forget
ERROR CODE:
The program steam.exe version 5.78.0.89 stopped interacting with Windows and was closed. To see if more information about the problem is available,

((( check the problem history in the Security and Maintenance control panel. )))
this report as a Security and Maintenance issue. whatever that is ?

is this windows own or have you add a own security app. ( link protection service is also part of this )

It seems like a windows update could be the culprit, however, it started doing this without me updating windows first (unless there was a background windows update that happened that I’m not aware of) and is still doing it even after updating windows to the latest version.

The windows 10 OS is owned and I’m using windows defender, malware bytes, and the standard windows firewall. Steam and all of the games are (and have been) excluded from the following security applications.