Windows says it can't find the Steam exe but it is definitely there

[Emily Lucy]

No matter how I try to launch the Steam client, it keeps saying "Windows can't find Steam.exe" or words to that effect. Even if I double click on it in its folder. I have tried uninstalling and re-installing but the same thing happens. I have run all the diagnostics I can think of. PLEASE HELP

[Jaunitta 🌸]

Steam must be installed to C programfiles x86.
where did you download from?
uninstall and download here run installer as administrator from your downloads.
https://store.steampowered.com/about/
it will place a desktop shortcut
Are you a limited user on your PC?
Which windows?

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Steam must be installed to C programfiles x86.

That's a lie.

As for the actual issue, make sure you click Steam.exe and not any shortcut.

[Jaunitta 🌸]

Your calling me a lier lol
I am taking into account the OP hasn't installed it to the right directory.
If you call me a lier one more time.
Impolite you should say incorrect.
Lets use some etiquette

[Supafly]

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Your calling me a lier lol
I am taking into account the OP hasn't installed it to the right directory.
If you call me a lier one more time.
Impolite you should say incorrect.
Lets use some etiquette

You can install Steam where ever the hell you want. You are given that option whilst installing. If you couldn't install it elsewhere you wouldn't be given the option to change it. I have Steam installed on my D: drive and it's not in program files.

D:\Games\Steam\steamapps
D:\Games\GoG-Games
D:\Games\Origin

As you can see Steam is installed on D: perfectly well along with other services. I then have a library folder on my C: drive for certain games but that does not require Steam being installed on it or in Program files.

Plus if OP can see it in the folder and click on it then he has already navigated to the correct place.


OP try checking Firewall and antivirus software incase Steam is being flagged as malicious and the Steam.exe is being deleted or moved to quarantine.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Your calling me a lier lol

I called a false statement you made a lie, but yeah, that technically means I called you a liar, yes.

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Lets use some etiquette

Sure. Lying is wrong. Don't do it. Saying false things especially when someone's looking for help is a ♥♥♥♥ move. If you call for etiquette, start providing it yourself.

[Cathulhu]

My Steam is installed in E:\Steam\
According to your statement that would be possible. Too bad i've done that under Windows XP, 7 and now Windows 10, without any issues.

So, yes, you're very, very wrong.

[Emily Lucy]

OK guys, for the record I have tried installing it to both places (program files AND to program files x86) and on different drives, and the same thing happens.
I have also tried disabling AVG. That didn't do anything.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by Major Phucup:

OK guys, for the record I have tried installing it to both places (program files AND to program files x86) and on different drives, and the same thing happens.
I have also tried disabling AVG. That didn't do anything.

Are you sure you're doubleclicking the Steam.exe file?

[Emily Lucy]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Originally posted by Major Phucup:

OK guys, for the record I have tried installing it to both places (program files AND to program files x86) and on different drives, and the same thing happens.
I have also tried disabling AVG. That didn't do anything.

Are you sure you're doubleclicking the Steam.exe file?

Yeah, I'm not a complete ♥♥♥♥♥♥. I have also tried specifically running it as administrator even though I am an administrator.

[Washell]

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

Steam must be installed to C programfiles x86.

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

I am taking into account the OP hasn't installed it to the right directory.

Thanks to a quirk of steam.exe, that is not only incorrect, but spectacularly incorrect. If steam.exe is ran from a location it's not installed, it will download all the missing bits and install itself in that location. It's either installed in the right place, or it will damn well make it the right place.

Originally posted by Major Phucup:

OK guys, for the record I have tried installing it to both places (program files AND to program files x86) and on different drives, and the same thing happens.
I have also tried disabling AVG. That didn't do anything.

If you google for "Windows can not find", you find disconcertingly many people looking for help. While there are a number of workarounds offered (some of which you already tried), I've yet to find a correct diagnosis of the problem and an actual fix.

My (personal) advice: if something this basic fails on my installation, I'd run a memory test, test the drives, physically clean the PC and assuming all is in order, reinstall Windows. I'd be operating on the assumption today Steam, tomorrow Word, day after Chrome, I simply wouldn't be trusting the system anymore.

[Levi]

Originally posted by Jaunitta 🌸:

YI am taking into account the OP hasn't installed it to the right directory.

Upon installing Steam, you specify an installation path, and as said, it can be launched.

Originally posted by Major Phucup:

OK guys, for the record I have tried installing it to both places (program files AND to program files x86) and on different drives, and the same thing happens.
I have also tried disabling AVG. That didn't do anything.

There are other things to check, such as fire-walls and other programs that could affect Steam.

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

Do you have any other crapware / cleaners on your PC?

It's even possible that they could be deleting Steam / exe and identifying it as a threat, and subsequently quarantining.

Generally, to troubleshoot this, you can boot your PC in safe-mode with networking and try to launch Steam.

[Lumino]

OK, this might be a necro-post, but I like topics like this to have actual solutions in them for the next guy to come along.

I just had this problem. I resolved it by uninstalling Steam and then re-installing it somewhere else. It was initially in Program File 86x, but I then installed it in My Documents -> Steam and it worked perfectly.

Hope this helps!

[Jerry]

Someone else solved the same issue a few days ago by renaming the steam.exe into something different.
Must be something about Windows not liking the specific path in rare cases.

[sales@tvhub]

Thank you Jerry a remame of steam.exe allowed the Steam to install.
To be clear I suddenly could not run steam on the computer any more after a full un-install and re-install multiple time in many locations I could not get paste the initial install. The Steam loader files were in the directory but running steam.exe would just crash out.
That change to the name worked so windows was stopping the file from running. So I dived into the registry and found the following entry that had not been removed by the un-install.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\steam.exe]
"Debugger"="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\AVAST Software\\Avast Cleanup\\autoreactivator.exe"

Now part of the debug process i had uninstalled AVAST Cleanup and also the antivirus program but steam.exe still would not run, but the renamed steam1.exe did.

So after a fresh install on a virtual machine and checking the same registry location it appears that whole [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\steam.exe] Key and every thing inside it can be deleted as it is not needed.

The hint being "Image File Execution Options"

Now steam.exe runs and if it updates the Steam.exe file it will continue to run

Yay!!

[El_Lobo]

Thank's a lot. This failure is really frustrating and I would't have tried renaming the steam.exe. Crazy idea but it worked! :-)