Can't open Steam from Taskbar.

[exojjl2]

I was trying to run a game from Steam. Now Steam won't open from the Taskbar. Says it's running but it won't pop up. I've tried restarting numerous times. I've tried closing everything related to Steam in Task Manager. I never seem to see Steam Bootstrapper in the task manager. I've tried everything else and nothing works.

[ReBoot]

Please provide lore details on that "it says it's running" part.

[exojjl2]

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Please provide lore details on that "it says it's running" part. [/quot

Originally posted by ReBoot:

Please provide lore details on that "it says it's running" part.

Sorry forget to mention also Windows 10. Steam is running, I accessing the forums from a game through the shift+tab overlay. Steam starts up just fine at OS startup. I right click on it on the taskbar, there's the sub tabs (friends list, etc) and I can see it running in Task Manager. Obviously Steam is running, but in the background? When I left+click on Steam on the Taskbar it will not pop up to become visible so that I can use it.

[exojjl2]

It's almost like it's not Steam but the TaskBar? I was trying to run an older game (Carmageddon) and it gave me an error (which I had not had before on Windows 7.) I just recently upgraded to W10 and wanted to see if I can get the game to work. Error msg was "carm95.exe not in expected location.) So I went to browse game files, the folder is there with the game files on the second hard drive, tried to run the game from the folder, then the game wouldn't run and neither could I pop up the game folder from the File Browser tab on my Task Bar either in conjunction with Steam from my Taskbar.

[exojjl2]

After restarting several times, I also cannot open the File Browser tab from my Taskbar...

Sorry File Browser or rather "File Explorer."

[exojjl2]

Also I cannot open "My computer" to browse to the Steam folder to try and clear "AppCache" because it will not pop up either and seems to be locked to File Explorer. I cannot right+click on Steam to "Open File Location either" because that will not pop up....

[Lavie]

Hi! Try by unchecking the Steam Start with Windows... Then do a proper Restart (Press the Power button and select Restart from the popup menu.)

Originally posted by exojjl2:

After restarting several times, I also cannot open the File Browser tab from my Taskbar...

Sorry File Browser or rather "File Explorer."

Can be a Windows issue, not a Steam issue.

[exojjl2]

Originally posted by Lavie:

Hi! Try by unchecking the Steam Start with Windows... Then do a proper Restart (Press the Power button and select Restart from the popup menu.)

Originally posted by exojjl2:

After restarting several times, I also cannot open the File Browser tab from my Taskbar...

Sorry File Browser or rather "File Explorer."

Can be a Windows issue, not a Steam issue.

That's what I was starting to think. I just found the uncheck auto start option. Going to try that. Be back in a bit.

[Lavie]

After killing all Steam tasks in Task Manager, have you tried Steam.exe?

Where are Steam games .exe files? Steam installs to C:\Program Files\Steam folder by default and files for games installed on Steam are stored in the folder C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\ by default.

If file explorer still not working, some things to try here:
(edit : sorry wrong link, I will correct that)

[exojjl2]

So disabling Steam from automatically starting up with Windows did not work. I should be able to file browse my computer from internet browser. That's probably what that link will provide. I can try that.

[Lavie]

New link for the File Explorer issue:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/fix-file-explorer-if-it-won-t-open-or-start-ce614e06-be97-fe4a-a7ce-d6bf13a8cb98

If you Google "File Explorer not Working", you will find some other things to try.

For example this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39WbPd_uXlg

That said, i don't know if if the right solution if your Windows have other issues... But if nothing work, and you don't want to format and reinstall all from scratch, maybe you can try it...

[exojjl2]

Originally posted by Lavie:

New link for the File Explorer issue:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/fix-file-explorer-if-it-won-t-open-or-start-ce614e06-be97-fe4a-a7ce-d6bf13a8cb98

If you Google "File Explorer not Working", you will find some other things to try.

For example this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39WbPd_uXlg

That said, i don't know if if the right solution if your Windows have other issues... But if nothing work, and you don't want to format and reinstall all from scratch, maybe you can try it...

So that game I tried to run from the folder I patched previously a few years ago by usermade patch and I may have not clicked on the actual game executable but another .exe which appears to have created a new folder in c:\ I cannot delete that folder from file browsing in my Internet Browser. So yes I will have to look at the link...

[exojjl2]

Neither of these work. Trying to Run Explorer.exe from Task Manager does nothing. Windows button+E just opens more folders I can't actually open.

[exojjl2]

I think it's Microsoft trying to tank us for trying to run old games on it's newer system albeit in conjunction with Valve. I will uninstall the games, then trying to uninstall Steam before SSD reformat.

[Lavie]

Like we just concluded, it's a Windows issue on your computer, not a Steam issue... :-) I'm pretty confident all will be OK after a fresh Windows 10 installation.

[exojjl2]

Originally posted by Lavie:

Like we just concluded, it's a Windows issue on your computer, not a Steam issue... :-) I'm pretty confident all will be OK after a fresh Windows 10 installation.

Not doing that from a random person (no offense) on steam.