Valve Hardware Survey

[Krondike]

is there any way to prevent it from loading? it locks my pc and crashes steam, I can't access my games :(

[Satoru]

Note the hardware survey uses standard windows wmi calls to get information. If that’s crashing your system It likely means you have a lower level system problem

I’d start with a full windows update

[Krondike]

thanks, so there is no way to prevent it from loading?

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by Krondike:

thanks, so there is no way to prevent it from loading?

Close the window when it pops up.

[Krondike]

not possible as soon the survey window pops up (which comes before the client itself) it locks the whole client what a sh.. show to force user through this BS

anyway, I found a way around it, by pulling the network connection forcing it to offline mode and go back online at least I have access to my games again, however convenient goes different because as soon I start it online this stupid survey locks me out again :/

Edit: Solved, started it in compatibility mode for windows 7, ignore the warning, click No Thanks in the survey and exit. remove compatibility mode and it's running again.

[Satoru]

Again if that’s locking yourself system it means you have a low level OS problem

Not making the survey load is not the “solution”

[Zekiran]

Yeah you're trying to mask a symptom but not at all addressing the very serious problem your computer is likely experiencing.

I'd suggest doing full software as well as hardware scans to make sure your computer isn't just breaking. Because that's not normal behavior.

[Krondike]

Thanks but no. :) The system runs fine, all Games run fine, Steam runs also again without any issue. It was only this stupid survey window that gave me trouble. Never change a running system.

[Satoru]

I wish people would stop trying to be “experts” at something they don’t understand then ignore expert advice like if you want help but ignore people’s advice giving it why bother

[Random Sanity]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Again if that’s locking yourself system it means you have a low level OS problem

Not making the survey load is not the “solution”

Uh, no. If the thing runs fine until you open Program X, Program X is the problem. That's troubleshooting 101.

[Zekiran]

Originally posted by Random Sanity:

Originally posted by Satoru:

Again if that’s locking yourself system it means you have a low level OS problem

Not making the survey load is not the “solution”

Uh, no. If the thing runs fine until you open Program X, Program X is the problem. That's troubleshooting 101.

that's... completely and totally false.

"The thing" may be appearing to run "fine" - but software does not cause issues like that. Software CONFLICTS at the most, but 99% of the time, it's failing hardware or viruses.

OP is going to come back in a couple months with "my computer doesn't boot up any more!" eventually.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by Random Sanity:

Originally posted by Satoru:

Again if that’s locking yourself system it means you have a low level OS problem

Not making the survey load is not the “solution”

Uh, no. If the thing runs fine until you open Program X, Program X is the problem. That's troubleshooting 101.

Correlation is not causation

You’re treating the symptom. Not the cause

The hardware survey uses standard WMI calls to generate the survey data. If that fails it means those calls are failing. That means there is an OS level issue causing those WMI calls to fail

Disabling the survey is like seeing your check engine light on, and then putting black electrical tape over the light

[Zekiran]

And of course the author indicated that nonsense as the "fix".

Dude, NO.

*rolls up newspaper* NO.

That is NOT how it works. AT ALL.

Disabling the survey is like seeing your check engine light on, and then putting black electrical tape over the light

That's beautiful and accurate.