Steam client not starting

[CaptainWurstwasser]

I have the following problem:

When I try to open the steam client, the little window appears saying "verifying installation". After it is done, it closes and nothing else happens, the client is not opening.

I can uninstall the client and reinstall, then it works for about a day, then I have to reinstall again.

I have tried workarounds like deleting everything in the steam folder except the .exe. Doesn't help either.

Does anyone have any idea what is going on here?

[Elucidator]

I have an odd dejavu feel.

I recommend looking through the logs. (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Logs)
They may give an idea on what is going on.

Second, it could just be a bootstrap fail. (taskmanager, close steam, open steam, try again and then maybe it works).

[CZI]

It might be deleted by antivirus.
If you install on other drive, better to be C drive default location.
Or whitelist the Steam installed folder.

[CaptainWurstwasser]

Thanks for the suggestions. Already tried installing on a different drive. Looked through the logs but couldn't find anything helpful. Already tried disabling anti virus (and Windows Defender/Firewall) and starting steam with admin permissions.

Also after Steam failed to load, it's also not in task manager.

[76561199195300818]

what

[Mark]

you need to redowload game

[Elucidator]

About the logs: I wonder if it didn't provide anything helpful because it actually didn't or if it wasn't clear to you.

Did you try to remove Steam completely (including all directories linked to it), Restarting windows, then installing Steam again?

[CaptainWurstwasser]

Hey. I checked the logs a while back and I didn't find something that looked like anything related to an error to me but I will check again as soon as Steam fails again, right now it works.

Like I said, re-installing works as a workaround, but the problem keeps coming back like once a day.

[Elucidator]

yeah sorry, uhm, some people misunderstand things and think simply reinstalling is the same as making sure everything is gone before installing anew. (as the first option often leaves behind cookies and stuff).
Also I noticed many people on Steam not understanding crash logs and such, so I wouldn't be surprised. The Steam logs do keep progress of the verification stuff and includes where it fails or hangs, including why.

I am surprised you need to reinstall (not just use task manager to close steam)
... Something seems to fail with verification at least.
... no clue.

tricky, this one.

Edit: Here is something that might also help instead of Reinstalling should that bug happen.

Początkowo opublikowane przez まりさ:

https://appuals.com/how-to-use-steamflushconfig/
This one may fix the issue.

(found it in another thread)

[CaptainWurstwasser]

Yeah I also tried deleting everything in the Steam folder except the .exe (without uninstalling). This rebuilds everything again when I run the exe again. But that didn't change anything either.

Thanks for that link, looks good, I will try it when the problem is back and check the logs again, I might have missed something the last time.

[CaptainWurstwasser]

Początkowo opublikowane przez Elucidator:

yeah sorry, uhm, some people misunderstand things and think simply reinstalling is the same as making sure everything is gone before installing anew. (as the first option often leaves behind cookies and stuff).
Also I noticed many people on Steam not understanding crash logs and such, so I wouldn't be surprised. The Steam logs do keep progress of the verification stuff and includes where it fails or hangs, including why.

I am surprised you need to reinstall (not just use task manager to close steam)
... Something seems to fail with verification at least.
... no clue.

tricky, this one.

Edit: Here is something that might also help instead of Reinstalling should that bug happen.

Początkowo opublikowane przez まりさ:

https://appuals.com/how-to-use-steamflushconfig/
This one may fix the issue.

(found it in another thread)

Today the problem is back, I tried the flusing the steam config, no success. I checked the logs, it realy all looks like it does what it's supposed to..

[Elucidator]

Something is likely blocking something
Can you see anything in Windows Logs (Event Viewer > Windows Logs) considering Steam closing?
Did it leave any crash log somewhere maybe (Steam I mean)?

The antivirus is windows defender I guess, not something that secretly remains running while you're thinking its not.
Do you have any virtual drivers that could interfere with Steam, maybe?

[CaptainWurstwasser]

This is an entry in Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System which gets created every time i try to start steam. After some googling, these kinds of messages seem to be intended and not to worry about:

The application-specific permission settings do not grant Local Activation permission for the COM Server application with CLSID
{2593F8B9-4EAF-457C-B68A-50F6B8EA6B54}
and APPID
{15C20B67-12E7-4BB6-92BB-7AFF07997402}
to the user ****** SID (S-1-5-21-2616752077-2729204069-2376574136-1001) from address LocalHost (Using LRPC) running in the application container Unavailable SID (Unavailable). This security permission can be modified using the Component Services administrative tool.

Nothing else realy. I am running Windows Defender and Avira Security. Avira can be stopped. I tried disabling avira, windows defender and windows firewall all together and then starting Steam, that didn't help.

What kind of virtual drivers do you mean?

[Elucidator]

This is going to be a long list:
- hit windowskey+r on your keyboard.
- type regedit
- press enter
- navigate to hkey_classes_root/clsid/2593F8B9-4EAF-457C-B68A-50F6B8EA6B54/
double click on default value and remember that value data somehow. (note it down or something)

- right click on "2593F8B9-4EAF-457C-B68A-50F6B8EA6B54" and click on permissions.
- select advanced,
- then click on change (its next to owner)
(the owner should be "TrustedInstaller", but it might show "cannot display owner" or something instead)
- click on object type heading
- select users
-click on location
-select your pc,
- In the blank space enter the username of your windows account (the one you use to log in on your pc)
(you can use check names to make it match the user group/username thing windows uses internally)
- then click on okay
- click on apply.
- click on okay.
- right click on "2593F8B9-4EAF-457C-B68A-50F6B8EA6B54" again and select permissions.
- click on administrators (in the group or usernames heading)
- select full control.
- click on Users
- select full control.
- apply
- close

- navigate to hkey_classes_root/appid/15C20B67-12E7-4BB6-92BB-7AFF07997402/
- right click on "15C20B67-12E7-4BB6-92BB-7AFF07997402" and click on permissions.
- select advanced,
- then click on change (again, its next to owner)
(the owner should be "TrustedInstaller" here too, but it might show "cannot display owner" or something instead)
- click on object type
- select users
- click on location
- select your pc,
- In the blank space enter the username of your windows account (again, the one you use to log in on your pc)
- then click on okay
- and click on apply.
- click okay
- right click "15C20B67-12E7-4BB6-92BB-7AFF07997402" and click on permissions
- click on administrators
- check full control
- click on users
- check full control
- apply
- close

(you can close regedit now)

- hit windowskey+r
- type dcomcnfg.exe
- press enter
- go to Component Services>Computers>My Computer>DCOM Config

Remember that value name from a while ago?

- find (something with that name; in this example I shall name it RunTime Broker)
- right click it
- select properties

You need to look at the APPID. If it matches, 15C20B67-12E7-4BB6-92BB-7AFF07997402
then its good, if not, close the properties window and find another RunTime Broker. (yes there will be two of them in that list at least)

Once you have the right runtime broker, go to the security tab
- click on Customize (for Launch and Activation Permissions)
- Click on edit
- (click on remove if you get a security warning thingy)
- click on Add and type in “NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE” in the “Enter The objects Name to select” option.
(if it doesn't list this, then you can just type Local Service)
- Click on OK
- and then grand the local activation permission.

That should remove that error at least....

Edit: if you need some images: https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmagic/the-application-specific-permission-settings-error.html
(you can look up a lot with a search engine anyway)
(yes, I renamed the example value to runtime broker because this guide also uses that)

So in Windows Logs, there is no error related to "Steam", only just to dcom at around the time of the crash?
hm... odd.

[CaptainWurstwasser]

Hey I did all of that, double checked, the warning in event viewer still shows up every time I launch Steam. And no, definitely no other entries there when I start Steam.

And yeah, very odd :D I also contacted steam about the problem, also wasn't helpful so far...

[Elucidator]

Virtual drivers like Citrix Virtual drivers or something.
Some programs install virtual network adaptors (vpn clients do this at least), some antivirus software does this as well. It depends.
It is possible these things are messing with Steam when it is trying to connect or launch its service.

Well, if you find something new that could be interfering or maybe a dump file somewhere related to Steam; currently I am out of ideas.

Are you running Steam on a virtual machine? (I assume not)
Is your modemrouter okay? Did you update the firmware of your bios, NIC, and router?
--- there is a lot that could be.. it I guess.

Just to name another example that could cause odd issues: Did you read the stuff about some intel processors in the 6400~6800~ ish series not doing hyperthreating correctly (just to name a weird example; intel messed up the driver software for those things)

Anyway keep your drivers updated at least.

As to Steam, does it magically sometimes launch or once it stops launching, it forever doesn't launch anymore and you really need to reinstall Steam before you can launch it again? (that would indicate something at least, like if something is saved or removed)


Edit: What I mean with that last part is; I get that it stops working properly and that you need to reinstall, but 'does it always not work, once it stops working' is basically the question. Because if it does work even once after it doesn't work for quite a while, then...
then we have a hint at least.


Edit 2:
You know what, lets assume something is wrong with Windows instead.

try running msconfig
go to Services tab
then check Hide Microsoft Services
In there, disable everything, except Steam Client Service.
(this means all normal windows services and Steam service are enabled only)

go to the startup tab and click on open task manager
in here, disable every item from starting when windows starts
now you can click on OK in both windows and restart the computer.

then try launching Steam.

If it works, then the culprit is in one of the lists somewhere.