Steam client crash (stuck in Not responding)

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jbynum Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:07pm

Last week one of my games started crashing but now...it's the Steam client that is experiencing issues. I played Cities: Skylines for about 60 hours, then one day it crashed regardless what I did to resolve the issue.

NOW, my Steam client struggles to start up and goes "not responding" 80% of the time. I didn't have an issue with Steam until a few days ago. From Task Manager, I see the Bootstrapper is stuck in limbo.

Windows 10, Intel quad core processor, AMD graphics.
Everything is updated, drivers current, STEAM is whitelisted with AV and Firewall.
Both Steam client and all games have been uninstalled, then re-installed.

Like I said, everything was fine til about a week ago. But I'm growing tired of restarting the pc for days on end and not finding a solution. If I could play my Steam games without using Steam, I would pay more...at this point.

Edit: I forgot to mention, when I am able to get the Steam client running, at the bottom of the screen it says "Downloading 0 of 1" but it never changes. It's like the client is stuck in downloading a phantom item.

Last edited by jbynum; Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:11pm

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Showing 1-13 of 13 comments

The Giving One Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:13pm

Not responding errors are often due to a software conflict causing the problem.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9828-SFLZ-9289

Especially since you said it seems to get stuck in a downloading loop. Something is causing Steam to have problems, and it sounds software related.

jbynum Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:20pm

Thank you. I will check into that.

The Giving One Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:24pm

You are welcome. Look at msconfig from Windows Start (different in Windows 10). See what is actually running in the background.

Some programs have other processes that can come packaged with them or other 'services' that can cause this.

For example, CCleaner. It seems like a userful program, but it has a monitoring mode section that is enabled by default and directly conflicts with Steam and causes all kinds of problems.

If you get stuck and want to look further into that possibility, we could try to help find the software conflict, if it is software causing it.

Also, even if some antivirus programs are set to ignore Steam in real time, there can be other processes as I mentioned above, that can still run in the background and are associated with the antivirus.

McAfee
AVG
Norton

These are just a few. So msconfig will tell you what is actually running, looking at "startup" and "services" tabs there. Check the box "Hide all Microsoft Services" if you use this tool, as those processes are fine to run.

jbynum Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:30pm

I have NORTON. But like I said, everything was fine til last week. Nothing has changed with Norton that would affect a sudden change in attitude. Checking msconfig now.

The Giving One Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:34pm

Originally posted by jcbynum007:
I have NORTON. But like I said, everything was fine til last week. Nothing has changed with Norton that would affect a sudden change in attitude. Checking msconfig now.

Norton is one of the most notorious ones that causes problems with Steam. It can come bundled with services such as "Norton Online Backup" that can cause issues like this.

Also, even if you never had problems before, a new update to Norton or Steam or Windows or the game even, might present a new problem never seen before, so don't count that possibility out.

I bet it is Norton causing your problem, but there might be other programs you have that can cause it, too.

EASY TEST

Boot the PC into safe mode with networking. Test the Steam client there only. If Steam works fine there, you have a software conflict surely, as programs like Norton don't run in safe mode with networking.

jbynum Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:53pm

Going to try that now.
Question: If I have Steam whitelisted, how would Norton still be causing issues? I'm really trying to figure this out a.s.a.p. and I DO appreciate your time and patience.

The Giving One Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:59pm

Originally posted by jcbynum007:
Going to try that now.
Question: If I have Steam whitelisted, how would Norton still be causing issues? I'm really trying to figure this out a.s.a.p. and I DO appreciate your time and patience.

jbynum Oct 16, 2018 @ 9:15pm

Well I just got back from Safe mode and here is what I discovered:

Windows 10 only has Sleep, Shutdown, Restart power options. To find Safe mode I had to use deductive reasoning (lol). Start > RUN > msconfig - General, *Safe boot - Network > Restart.

As you proposed, Both Steam client and Cities: Skylines game fired right up, and very fast.
Also, Norton did have several updates and ONE patch the last few days, as did my Windows OS.

Now I need to research for a Norton work-around.

Thank you, I appreciate your advice and communication.

jbynum Oct 17, 2018 @ 1:15am

UPDATE

As I suspected from the beginning, it's the Steam client, not my computer.
Everything on my pc has been manually updated, complimenting the Windows Updater and Dell SupportAssist.
Norton has been completely uninstalled, and Windows defender firewall turned off (Steam.exe placed in all available exclusion lists).

Steam will work only in offline mode (which is not acceptable since Cities:Skylines never finished downloading assets from the market that were deleted from the uninstall).

I even made the desperate attempt to access Norton's 24/7 Live Chat support. Never again.

So here is where I stand, my Steam client is broken and I can't seem to fix it. I can't play the one game I've paid good money for (Cities: Skylines + expansions + DLCs) because it requires...my broken Steam client !!

@The Giving One, thank you for trying. I do appreciate it. I'm finally going to bed and not thinking about this **** .

James

jbynum Oct 17, 2018 @ 11:59am

@The Giving One, You are not going to believe what fixed my Steam client and Cities: Skylines game.

At the last hour of desperation, the defining moment when all hope seemed spent, when I was ready to accept my fate and walk the Green Mile...I decided to go out in a Blaze of Glory. I clicked "Troubleshoot Compatability". STEAM was having nothing to do that and popped up the Warning window, advizing me to "turn back or you'll bring the Zombie Apocalypse upon the Earth". I paused for a moment. Remember that "Blaze of Glory" I mentioned? Well I selected the option "Git R Dun", and it was like the room permeated with a heavenly glow. I could hear Angels singing in the distance, wild animals dancing outside my house, as my Steam window opened and the Download in progress...COMPLETED !

After several minutes of celebration, I gained my composure and wiped the tears of joy from eyes. I sat down in front of the computer and decided to do one more test...activate the game !
MONEY !

By the time I finally got to bed, I.was.exhausted.

Thank you again sir for your assistance. Maybe you or someone else could add this experience to your "list of things to check" in the future !

James

#10

The Giving One Oct 17, 2018 @ 1:30pm

Sorry for the late reply.

Thank you for the information as to what you have been doing to try to fix it, and what seemed to have worked.

Honestly, there might still be an issue somewhere, as you should not need to run Steam in any compatability mode for older operating systems, if I understood you correctly.

Normally, you won't be able to run games in safe mode because only basic Windows drivers are loaded and utilized, so no third party GPU drivers would be used there. Therefore, launching games in saef mode "normally" won't work, however you seem to have said you were able to at least launch the game and Steam in that safe boot.

Just for clarification.

If you are happy with the results then we wish you well, but if you have any other issues, feel free to reply for further help. I personally would still be interested to see what you have in msconfig under "services" and "startup" (Task Manager in Windows 10).

EDIT...........

OH...I see you have AMD graphics.

Do you have the AMD External Events Utility under msconfig ? In services tab, I think ? That also is a known conflict with Steam for some, and you can disable that one if you have it.

Anything that is a "utility" or "service" or "updater" or "manager" type of process under msconfig can be suspect to these kinds of conflicts, when there is a software conflict of course.

Last edited by The Giving One; Oct 17, 2018 @ 1:37pm

#11

jbynum Oct 17, 2018 @ 8:30pm

My computer is a "hybrid" model. Alienware Alpha 2. I have both Windows and XBox 360 OS onboard. When I heard about these hybrid computer consoles, I researched to find one. This was literally the last Alpha 2 model in Dell's inventory with a 1 TB HD, all others were of less size.

When checking Task Manager, I noticed and ended both AMD External modules, even though they don't seem to have created any kind of interference to this point.

As for how the Windows Troubleshooting Compatability corrected whatever was going on with my Steam client...you got me on that one, lol. But it did, and I'll take it.

As for how I was able to run Cities: Skylines in Safe Mode, again, you got me on that one. But it did, and I'll take it.

#12

Cringefar 2000™ Oct 31, 2020 @ 5:24pm

In Windows 10, I had a mapped network-drive, that required a VPN-connection. When not connected to this VPN, Steam client would hang when trying to install a new game. Solution: either disconnect the mapped drive or connect to the VPN and install the game.

#13

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Date Posted: Oct 16, 2018 @ 7:07pm

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