Steam not starting with system boot anymore... (Win7)

[Frigidman]

So, recently (this week), steam has stopped Starting when I boot my machine. And going into Settings and checking "Run Steam when my computer starts", doesn't stick when I close the window. No matter how many times I check the checkbox, it is unchecked when I look again.

Now, I can jury rig up some Startup Folder item, and force it that way, but what gives? Why the setting option that doesn't work anymore? And why not? Anyone else getting this?


Before some armchair expert with righteous opinions chimes in about "why would you want something else starting up with windows? yadda blah blah bs"... just don't. My machine starts up within seconds, and adding steam to the queue is more convenient then fiddling in my taskbar or start menu to manually launch it everytime.

[DrakeTrevlig]

Posting to let Valve know I'm having the same issue, and hoping to learn how to resolve the problem.

[Frigidman]

Well, I've so far not found a solution. It seems an odd issue, one I don't want to resolve with a shortcut hack to startup items.

[MainMan B]

Have the same problem. I'm running Windows 10 Home 64-bit.

[Shiba Inu]

try this

Exit Steam

Go to your steam folder directory, and delete everything except:

Steam.exe (also known as the application)
Steamapps (contains your game files)
Userdata (This is optional, as it contains game saves for *some* games)

Launch Steam again, and re-test the issues.

Also make sure when you login to steam check the box to save the password.

[Shiba Inu]

Originally posted by Eiji:

try this you won't loose your games with this

Exit Steam

Go to your steam folder directory, and delete everything except:

Steam.exe (also known as the application)
Steamapps (contains your game files)
Userdata (This is optional, as it contains game saves for *some* games)

Launch Steam again, and re-test the issues.

Also make sure when you login to steam check the box to save the password.

[Frigidman]

Not speaking for the others, but I had tried that and also the steam reset option (https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3134-TIAL-4638).

It acts like steam has lost touch with its registry, and I'm not entirely fluent with reghacks to fix that if its the case.

[Frigidman]

Actually, just now fixed it.

I had an older SteamSetup.exe in a backup directory of installers. So I ran it, and told it to install steam to the same location I had it. It then did its thing, and I launched steam. It then updated itself (since the setup I used was about 6 months old). And now the checkbox setting sticks, and when I reboot the computer, it launches automatically.

So, there must be something during the setup.exe, that fixes the registry (if there is one?). Either way, that is now working for me.

TL;DR:
Quit Steam.
Run the Steam Install app.
Install to the exact same location steam is already installed too.
Launch Steam.

If it makes you feel safer, move your SteamApps folder out to a safe location during the install step. And move it back before launching steam.

[Living Computer]

Got the same problem, of course it is easy to work around by putting it in the startup folder, but i think Valve seriously needs to fix this. You can't change a simple setting on Steam. May i ask what Operating Systems you are using, if you are logged in as a administrator or a standard user, and if you have UAC enabled?

I myself am using Windows 7 x64. I usually log in as a standard user for security reasons, and only use an admin account when i need one.

[Frigidman]

Win7 Home x64, administrator account, but crappy UAC is enabled (because its OH SO BAD to turn off that annoying dren).

See post #7 above, its how I fixed it.

[Living Computer]

I would say putting Steam in the startup folder is a more easy solution, but whatever fits you. :)
Valve needs to fix this, because this gives them an unprofessional impression.

Well, using UAC on a administrator account (even on the highest level in Win 7/8/8.1 (not sure if the levels are in Win 10), is really not any big difference compared to disabling it, security wise. You can turn UAC off if you want to, but i would recommend having a standard user account for daily use and then UAC doesn't really matter, security wise.
If you want to turn off UAC using a administrator account all the time, you can do it.

UAC running in a administrator account is easily bypassed by malware poisoning the user enviroment, and piggy backing on a later elevation of a legitimate application.

But actually, why do you think UAC is crappy? I'm not saying you are wrong, i may agree with you in a way. But that maybe should be a separate topic, oh well. :)

I would like everyone with this problem to please post:
The OS you are using:
Your UAC setting:
If you are using a administrator account or a standard user account:
Do you run Steam in any special way?


Let's see if we find any patterns.

[Frigidman]

UAC is crappy because it annoys the hell out of me with all the 'are you sure?' 'are you really really sure?' 'hey are you suuuuuuuuuuure you want to open this?' dialogs ;) At least they let us turn off the dimming out the whole screen everytime it happens. But its still annoying as heck. About as bad as the balloons in the lower right, but least you can safely hack out the balloons hahah.

[Living Computer]

If you turn off the secure desktop feature (screen dimming feature you are talking about), then malware (and other programs) can freely manipulate the prompt and answer prompt for you as a "service". So why not disable UAC if you hate it? What you are doing is almost exactly as bad security wise as disabling UAC anyway, so i would say go ahead and disable UAC. :)

But back to topic, i think i may have an idea about where to look if anyone is into registry hacking. In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Valve\Steam there is a key named StartupMode. It is set to 0 on my system. I don't wanna do any testing on it on my system personally right now. This is under my standard user account btw, where i use Steam and have this problem.

[Macedote]

Originally posted by Eiji:

try this

Exit Steam

Go to your steam folder directory, and delete everything except:

Steam.exe (also known as the application)
Steamapps (contains your game files)
Userdata (This is optional, as it contains game saves for *some* games)

Launch Steam again, and re-test the issues.

Also make sure when you login to steam check the box to save the password.

I was not thinking straight and I've tried this.
actually, worked.
thanks.