Friends List Status Offline

[blu4lyf]

For a month now, my status on my friends list has been stuck on OFFLINE status.

Attempts to change my status from OFFLINE, or even view my friends list, results in no change of things. I'm still able to join games that other host, but no one can find the games that I host. I know this isn't an issue with my account, since it works just fine when I use Steam on my Chromebook, but my desktop (primary gaming machine) remains stuck. I have tried logging out and back in, no change. I have tried logging out and deleting the friends folder, no change. I have tried logging out and uninstalling the app, no change. I have tried dumping web cache and cookies, no change. I have tried multiple combinations of the above attempts, no change.

What am I missing to get this back online?

Just to be really clear, the app itself is online, just my status on all of my friends' list remains offline (except when I run Steam on my Chromebook).

[The Giving One]

So on your desktop computer, do this and tell us what you see :

Go to "view" in the top left of the Steam client. Not a browser with Steam. The actual Steam client.

Click on "friends" in that drop list. A window pops up that says you need to sign in to friends and chat. So if you sign in with that window, then what happens ?

After that, go to "friends" that is right next to "view" at the very top of the Steam client.

Does the check mark then indicate that you are "online" ?

I don't see how this should matter from one computer to the other, as you said it works fine on the Chromebook, but just asking.

[blu4lyf]

Click on View -> Friends results in no pop-up dialog.

Click on Friends and check mark indicates that I'm offline. Clicking on any status other than offline has no response.

Clicking on Friends -> Add a Friend or Friends -> Edit Profile changes view in Steam client.

Clicking on Friends -> View Friends List elicits no response from the Steam client either.

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by blu4lyf:

Click on View -> Friends results in no pop-up dialog.

That's strange. When I click on "view" then "friends" in that drop list, I get a whole new window that opens up and the choice to then sign into friends and chat with a blue button for that selection. And I am always appearing as offline, so if it works for me, then I am not sure what to suggest next.

Originally posted by blu4lyf:

Click on Friends and check mark indicates that I'm offline. Clicking on any status other than offline has no response.

This is also very strange. You should be able to go "online" from that list of selections, as you seem to already know.

It is as if your desktop is stuck in offline mode. That's surely not it as you would have noticed that, right ?

And if you are on the desktop right now, you would not be able to post here to say so. Strange.

[blu4lyf]

Correct on all counts. It does seem very much like it is stuck in offline mode, and it seems very determined to stay that way.

I've been completely baffled, and Google searches have not yielded any suggested results that have changed my situation.

I do appreciate your attempts to help.

[The Giving One]

Sorry I have not helped you but I wanted to try so you are welcome for that. I will post this on the off chance it might be relevant so excuse me if it is not helpful either.

Foolish question maybe, but can you actually download any games while logged into your desktop ? Just wondering if you have an actual connection to the Steam network.

Maybe network connectivity is the issue and I might be looking at this the wrong way, so that's why I am asking. As you said, that would not be an account issue, but a PC issue or PC hardware issue.

Originally posted by blu4lyf:

I know this isn't an issue with my account, since it works just fine when I use Steam on my Chromebook, but my desktop (primary gaming machine) remains stuck.

[blu4lyf]

I have downloaded games since this has started (multiple in fact). I'm able to join games that others are hosting (for example Don't Starve Together), but when I'm hosting the games, no seems to be able to find it. Also, for me to find their's, I have to launch the game after they are already hosting the game and are in it, otherwise it doesn't show for me. As an added bonus, each time I launch the Steam client, it tells me how many friends are online at that particular moment (which from what I can tell is accurate), and it never changes that number, even when I know there is a different number of friends online later.

[The Giving One]

That last reply was for sure an 'added bonus' in the area of very strange.

I have to suggest this as I am not sure what to suggest next except that this might be relevant to those kinds of issues.

Have you done a malware scan of the desktop lately ? Boot the desktop into safe mode, then use a downloaded version of Malwarebytes, and enable every scan option that is available to select for the scan.

Then scan that whole desktop as intensively as you can. Do this in safe mode only and do not do anything else while booted into safe mode.

[blu4lyf]

Well, I'm running a Linux machine. I've rerun my usual checks (I tend to be a bit paranoid about such things) and nothing was found. No viruses, nor rootkits.

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by blu4lyf:

Well, I'm running a Linux machine.

Feel free to use the forum search here and see if you can find anything helpful or related to your issue, unless you have already :

https://steamcommunity.com/app/221410/discussions/

[Iceira]

Wait a sec, i dont know if this is Relevant or not, anotheer Linux user Mentions that Linux BIOS and PC BIOS Clock dont talk with each other, or something like that.

Let me see if i can explan it better, windows pc ( not a emulated windows OS pc )

dont seem to have this issue, unless they did time cheat in a game, this is why Friends & chat online worked again. after reboot,
and why other pc , and if you notice we just say pc here.

i dont have proof of this, this is just cross post that make no sense , but human brain see clues , without have data to back it up,

and all who has issue with this Friends & Chat seem to have Multi device also.
dont forget mobil or tablet or login and show online status.
again i point out , i have trigger this on my laptop by my CPU run at 100% ( cancer calculation )
so pc simple run at max, and somehow dont leave enouh cpu cycles to its other task and can actual go offline. pretty sure after they change it, had a effect on its requirements.

and i just notice the op he run a Linux machine and thats might be a clue here.( yuo need Linux Group to take a look at this , ( you might say to many Windows only userhere with our point of view. ) and while you are at it vist Mac forum could be a very good idea. )

if this is to complicated im sure Givinn One can try explan my point better.
this is tech problem across platform maybe, problem with steam forum is lack of post information what OS people have and even that is debatable seen from a Technician.

you even see people with wrong timezone and country , even that is a known issue then you timestamp things seen in a Global network, this is server educated knowledge , a common problem and why time index most be correct and in sync. ( what ever this is relevant on steam forum is another matter , but ask server people on this it is.) this is fact and steam is just a kid here , no matter how much Global they think they are. ( then you grab time log from diffrent time zone, things matter in minutes, even in secounds to narrow things down. )

sorry for the explanation, this is equal much to do with not the first time i have tried help with the issue , and to few and to spread out on many diffrent things. with same Friends & chat is offline, there is simple not a smoking gun, unless steam support have even more ticket with it,

all who has complain over it seem to get a reply Fix your pc, and it seem to be users own mistake. because we dont hear from them anymore.

do have update pc with Driver and Bios , no OC so things calc wrong or is kept in stability check.

ask The Giving One, if you need help here. i just notice the Linux part and maybe that relevant here. or the multi device here and other is offline as Main default status check.