Steam games no longer load.

[2againstnature]

Hello,

I've had a problem the last week or so with games I got from Steam no longer playing properly - they open up a black window and do not respond to anything - attempting to close them through steam ends with them being stuck on 'Stopping' indefinitely, and attempting to close them through Task Manager is only sometimes successful; only a restart is able to consistently close them. This only happens with games I acquired from Steam while games I acquired through other means (GOG, Epic, etc.) do not have this issue. This happens with all games in Steam so it is not unique to one title/publisher/etc and this happens when trying to open them through either the Steam client or direct from the file location on the hard drive.

I have tried updating Windows, updating drivers, re-installing games, verifying game files, re-installing Steam, moving locations on the hard drive, running as administrator (even though I already am one), running in compatibility mode, and disabling fullscreen optimisations with no progress. I have no new peripheries or anything else that would interfere with Steam (I have recently been having issues with my keyboard but I can't imagine how that would affect Steam and nothing else), and these games played with no problems as of a week ago with no issues so I know I meet system requirements.

I am currently at a loss for how to proceed further and any help would be appreciated.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

How much RAM is Steam using total (including all webhelpers) when launched?

Do you run Steam on PC startup (Steam Client default setting)?

If so, in Task Manager (ctrl + shift + esc) < Startup tab, is the Steam app showing its Valve icon properly and not appearing blank?

[2againstnature]

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

How much RAM is Steam using total (including all webhelpers) when launched?

Do you run Steam on PC startup (Steam Client default setting)?

If so, in Task Manager (ctrl + shift + esc) < Startup tab, is the Steam app showing its Valve icon properly and not appearing blank?

About 700 MB according to task manager, no, and it does show the icon properly.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by 2againstnature:

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

How much RAM is Steam using total (including all webhelpers) when launched?

Do you run Steam on PC startup (Steam Client default setting)?

If so, in Task Manager (ctrl + shift + esc) < Startup tab, is the Steam app showing its Valve icon properly and not appearing blank?

About 700 MB according to task manager, no, and it does show the icon properly.

That is normal...

[2againstnature]

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

Originally posted by 2againstnature:

About 700 MB according to task manager, no, and it does show the icon properly.

That is normal...

Yes, so hopefully you can understand my confusion.

[2againstnature]

Originally posted by Schrobes:

You most likely have a virus. Steam as an application does nothing but what is given to it.

It will never operate outside of that. So you have black screen? Check File Integrity through Steam. If that does not solve it, take your....

Google....

I mean the games when I try to launch them are black screens (as in nothing from the game loads, not the command prompt if that was unclear) - neither the Steam client nor any games themselves are coming up without my input. I've already uninstalled and reinstalled both my games and Steam itself and did a virus scan last night which came up clean, so I really don't think I have a virus, but I'll check again anyway.

[Annalana]

unistall steam and re dwnload?

[2againstnature]

Originally posted by Lelawl:

unistall steam and re dwnload?

No change after Steam re-install #3.

[2againstnature]

Originally posted by Iceira:

Is there a reason OP you dont notice once worked , and later now it dont, and you meat game requirement, dont it sounds like a blocking issue from anti virus app, so understand i and other here has seen this over 20 years, so yes we other also once stuggle what is going on then it did work before.

ps.
Do understand we other have no clue how much experience steam user has. ( i should i said pc users ) and yes it dont make it better if you also work with security, then you get even more experience.

gl with it, i assum it that because of the little clues you tell.
same when ppl here complain over a older tiles thats seen as well tested and worked and later dont start up at all. ( almost a dead give away clue )

No change from excluding the folder from Windows Virus Defender.

[Callahan420]

Try running Steam as admin.

[2againstnature]

Originally posted by Callahan420:

Try running Steam as admin.

Already tried that, didn't work.

[no154370]

Originally posted by 2againstnature:

Hello,

I've had a problem the last week or so with games I got from Steam no longer playing properly - they open up a black window and do not respond to anything - attempting to close them through steam ends with them being stuck on 'Stopping' indefinitely, and attempting to close them through Task Manager is only sometimes successful; only a restart is able to consistently close them. This only happens with games I acquired from Steam while games I acquired through other means (GOG, Epic, etc.) do not have this issue. This happens with all games in Steam so it is not unique to one title/publisher/etc and this happens when trying to open them through either the Steam client or direct from the file location on the hard drive.

I have tried updating Windows, updating drivers, re-installing games, verifying game files, re-installing Steam, moving locations on the hard drive, running as administrator (even though I already am one), running in compatibility mode, and disabling fullscreen optimisations with no progress. I have no new peripheries or anything else that would interfere with Steam (I have recently been having issues with my keyboard but I can't imagine how that would affect Steam and nothing else), and these games played with no problems as of a week ago with no issues so I know I meet system requirements.

I am currently at a loss for how to proceed further and any help would be appreciated.

3rd party programs seems to be the likely cause.

------------------------------------------------------------------

others who replies never mention it at all because they all assume that every single 3rd party programs won't conflict with Steam Platform and Steam Games.

that is in actual fact a "myth".

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Check Event Viewer for any application conflicts while the games are running. Literally make a New Custom View at the start of the game loading.

You can also check Reliability History AFTER you load a game and get the black screen.

This is how I found Apple Bonjour (iTunes) causing BSoD.

If you are also getting BSoD, download the old tool "Blue Screen View" which will point towards the culprit driver, in most cases if it is a driver.

If you do have Apple Bonjour running and causing issues, simply go into Services and make it run manually not automatically - this will fix that application and other apps.

Event Viewer may be your guiding light.

[2againstnature]

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

Check Event Viewer for any application conflicts while the games are running. Literally make a New Custom View at the start of the game loading.

You can also check Reliability History AFTER you load a game and get the black screen.

This is how I found Apple Bonjour (iTunes) causing BSoD.

If you are also getting BSoD, download the old tool "Blue Screen View" which will point towards the culprit driver, in most cases if it is a driver.

If you do have Apple Bonjour running and causing issues, simply go into Services and make it run manually not automatically - this will fix that application and other apps.

Event Viewer may be your guiding light.

Process '\Device\HarddiskVolume3\Steam\bin\cef\cef.win7x64\steamwebhelper.exe' (PID 3400) was blocked from making system calls to Win32k.sys.

I'm seeing this one come up a lot - PID number changes but the rest of the message remains consistent.

[Phénomènes Mystiques]

Originally posted by 2againstnature:

Originally posted by Cosa Nostra:

Check Event Viewer for any application conflicts while the games are running. Literally make a New Custom View at the start of the game loading.

You can also check Reliability History AFTER you load a game and get the black screen.

This is how I found Apple Bonjour (iTunes) causing BSoD.

If you are also getting BSoD, download the old tool "Blue Screen View" which will point towards the culprit driver, in most cases if it is a driver.

If you do have Apple Bonjour running and causing issues, simply go into Services and make it run manually not automatically - this will fix that application and other apps.

Event Viewer may be your guiding light.

Process '\Device\HarddiskVolume3\Steam\bin\cef\cef.win7x64\steamwebhelper.exe' (PID 3400) was blocked from making system calls to Win32k.sys.

I'm seeing this one come up a lot - PID number changes but the rest of the message remains consistent.

Thank you this helps a lot.

Tell me what you see here:

Run Steam

Run PowerShell (Admin) → Win Key + X + A (or Terminal Admin for Win11)

Enter this command into PowerShell (Admin):

Get-ProcessMitigation -Name steam -RunningProcesses

Look into the 'System Calls' Log and check if 'DisableWin32kSystemCalls' is OFF

[Iceira]

Outdate OS user, byebye