Fatal Error: Steam needs to be online to update

[zomboricua]

i'm really desperate at this point to find a solution to this problem i'm having with opening steam. The only reason why i came here is cause TEAM SUPPORT THEMSELVES can't even help me. Nothing on their troubleshooting website has worked, I even had my Internet provider come to my house to see if they can resolve the issue and they just tell me to keep asking steam for support. I've tried every possible thing and im genuinely frustrated. Even talking to steam support themselves, they can't help me. Steam is the only app acting this way on my computer. So it has to be something else, or something wrong with the program.
Here's a list of what i've attempted:
Including the trouble shooting site right here on steam:
Fix 1 – Change DNS settings and Reset Network
Fix 2 – Change Steam Compatibility Settings
Fix 3 – Turn Off Windows Firewall
Fix 4 – Delete Steam Files
Fix 5– Changes in Registry
Fix 6– Add -tcp parameter to Steam Shortcut
Fix 7 – Turn Off Proxy
Fix 7 – Change the DNS Settings
Fix 8 – Set Automatic Startup for Steam Client Service
Fix 9 – Reset Network Configurations
Fix 10 – Edit Hosts File
Fix 11 – Reinstall Steam
at this point i dont think its a network connection issue, its a program issue ans steam support wont help me.

[Haz_Offi]

Im having similar problems and I havent found a solution either, Ive tried to reinstall it multiple times and completly clearing steam yet nothing works

[lightwo]

This helps on Linux, so it might be worth a shot on Windows:

1. Open a command prompt window (Ctrl + R, enter "cmd" and press Enter)
   
2. Navigate to your Steam installation, adjust if it's been moved elsewhere:
   

   cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam"

3. Launch Steam this way:
   

   steam.exe -textclient

4. Hopefully it will have updated the client, ignore any errors after the update and try to launch the client normally

[Haz_Offi]

Tried it, nothing changed and the same error showed up

[wuddih]

textmode is for source games. it does absolutely nothing for Steam.

[lightwo]

Sorry, I wanted to say -textclient.

Originally posted by wuddih:

textmode is for source games. it does absolutely nothing for Steam.

True, but there's a hidden option "-textclient" which basically acts the same as SteamCMD (or rather, tries to) and is useful in case the GUI updater fails.

[Qbert ⭐]

Originally posted by lightwo:

Sorry, I wanted to say -textclient.

Originally posted by wuddih:

textmode is for source games. it does absolutely nothing for Steam.

True, but there's a hidden option "-textclient" which basically acts the same as SteamCMD (or rather, tries to) and is useful in case the GUI updater fails.

This
I had to update my client like this in my old (and unused) laptop. Just give it a few minutes.

[zomboricua]

I just tried -textclient and now its not even loading anything or responding :(

[zomboricua]

Originally posted by Lee Harvey Oswald:

Tried it, nothing changed and the same error showed up

Okay so this is what worked for me, I had to go and manually update my computer's drivers, after i did that i was able to reach the login screen. That was my first sign that something worked. Then, i activated my VPN and i was able to connect to steam and my games. If i knew this days ago, i would've been done in an hour. I hope this helps you.

[Wild_Optimism]

I tried a bunch of suggestions, nothing worked, then I turned on my VPN and for whatever reason, it worked!

[Ismail]

before trying all of that try moving steam out of program file. it worked for me

[[VLG]_BeePke]

Originally posted by Ismail:

before trying all of that try moving steam out of program file. it worked for me

How strange it may sound, this worked for me as well!

[Liquid Inc]

Originally posted by VLG_BeePke:

How strange it may sound, this worked for me as well!

Not strange at all. Program Files is heavily restricted in "modern" Windows (Basically XP onwards).
Lots of programs will hate being in that folder, as the security Windows places on it is higher than elsewhere.

If your installing programs, make a new folder and install it in *that* one instead. Ignore Program Files entirely.

[[VLG]_BeePke]

Thanks for the info Liquid Inc!

[ShhhYoureDead2]

This happened on my Steam deck a few days ago, tried everything, until I checked my Time that Windows displayed and it was not synced to the current time. I so unchecked and rechecked the sync to time with the internet automatically and somehow that worked.

[GayaJin]

My solution was

You need steam properly working another PC. I copied files (except steamapps folder & exe file) from steam folder. I pasted it to new PC steam folder. Problem solved. I saw similar solution on youtube. Some people provide properly working steam folder files.