Disconnected by VAC: You cannot play on secure servers

[winTry]

I recently got a new acer nitro 5 laptop and have downloaded nothing but steam but for some reason I cannot connect to VAC protected servers and I hve tried everything on this article


https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2117-ILZV-2837

none of it works and I think there may be a program in my computer that VAC thinks is a cheat or something except I have no idea what it could be because I have downloaded nothing but steam and this is a new computer PLEASE HELP!!

[Zekiran]

"Tried everything" usually means "tried one or two things and gave up" - Can you please be specific about whether you've fully updated your computer, its drivers, and made sure that your other programs are whitelisting Steam and the Vac process?

I've seen several other threads today about 'new computer, vac error', you might search around here for those, which may already have more help.

[winTry]

I'm not sure if I need to update the drivers of a new computer but I actually tried everything in the linked page also how do I whitelist steam/the vac process

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Chika Fujiwara:

none of it works and I think there may be a program in my computer that VAC thinks is a cheat or something except I have no idea what it could be because I have downloaded nothing but steam and this is a new computer PLEASE HELP!!

Saw your post in another thread.

That is not how this error works. If VAC detected a cheat, then your account would already have an incomming VAC ban, but this is an error, not anything about detecting cheats necessarily.

New computers do often come with bloatware or even software that Steam or games may not like.

Start here :

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9828-SFLZ-9289

But for us to really be able to maybe help, if it is a software issue, we would need screenshots of processes and programs.

1. Take screenshots of all of the programs you have installed on your computer. Control panel then programs/programs and features. (Windows 7,8,8.1) or "apps" (Windows 10 click "Start" (Windows icon on bottom left))

2. Click Windows Start and type in msconfig and run that resulting process. Go to the services tab and check the box on bottom "Hide all Microsoft services". Take screenshots of all that is left.

3. Then go to the startup tab on top of that same window (Task Manager in W10). Expand the header on the left so we can best see the process name (small window, so do the best you can). Take screenshots of all that there also. Don't forget to scroll down if needed and get everything in the shots, please.

Post all the links to the above screenshots here, using a file hosting site such as imgur.com, which is free to use.

[winTry]

If it doesn't work let me know sorry for the bad screenshots

[winTry]

https://imgur.com/a/iei3C90

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Chika Fujiwara:

https://imgur.com/a/iei3C90

Sorry for the late reply.

Looking over the shots, I see one that maybe is not currently running, but can possibly be an issue if it ever does :

Norton Security Scan. Anything Norton or Symantec is pretty notorious for being overprotective and even conflicting with Steam or games. Make sure that one is not causing issues.

Also, I see Intel Management and Security. Check to see what a process is by doing research before you disable it though. I see several processes there in your msconfig shots that you really don't even need for anything useful in gaming or much else, honestly.

Many of those come installed on new computers and just needlessly take up resources in the background. Make sure what a process is for before you disable it, though.

Also, not sure, but it's possible that your problems are maybe related to the many other threads we have seen lately with people getting the "VAC was unable to verify your game session" errors, so it could be you just maybe need to wait a bit to see if this gets resolve in a Steam update or on it's own, possibly.

EDIT...

Sorry, but forgot to add this. After taking steps to troubleshoot the issue and playtest the game, make sure to first verify the game files to correct any issues that may exist from what might have been causing the error :

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2037-QEUH-3335

Basically, something is causing the VAC system to be blocked or negatively affected from scanning your PC when you connect or try to connect to a secure server, so that is why you get "disconnected by VAC", as the error says. So look closely at things that might get in the way of VAC scanning your system.

[winTry]

Originally posted by The Giving One:

Originally posted by Chika Fujiwara:

https://imgur.com/a/iei3C90

Sorry for the late reply.

Looking over the shots, I see one that maybe is not currently running, but can possibly be an issue if it ever does :

Norton Security Scan. Anything Norton or Symantec is pretty notorious for being overprotective and even conflicting with Steam or games. Make sure that one is not causing issues.

Also, I see Intel Management and Security. Check to see what a process is by doing research before you disable it though. I see several processes there in your msconfig shots that you really don't even need for anything useful in gaming or much else, honestly.

Many of those come installed on new computers and just needlessly take up resources in the background. Make sure what a process is for before you disable it, though.

Also, not sure, but it's possible that your problems are maybe related to the many other threads we have seen lately with people getting the "VAC was unable to verify your game session" errors, so it could be you just maybe need to wait a bit to see if this gets resolve in a Steam update or on it's own, possibly.

EDIT...

Sorry, but forgot to add this. After taking steps to troubleshoot the issue and playtest the game, make sure to first verify the game files to correct any issues that may exist from what might have been causing the error :

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2037-QEUH-3335

Basically, something is causing the VAC system to be blocked or negatively affected from scanning your PC when you connect or try to connect to a secure server, so that is why you get "disconnected by VAC", as the error says. So look closely at things that might get in the way of VAC scanning your system.

Thanks for the help I'll let you know when its fixed.

[The Giving One]

Feel free to also check out some of the other threads around here on this type of issue :

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/9/2952595757885292480/?ctp=2#c2952595757890647384

There and elsewhere lately, I have seen people claim that it is a Windows 10 update that is causing this issue. Feel free to read that and you can also forum search for the exact error you have or "VAC was unable to verify the game session".

Although that error and your original one......this :

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2117-ilzv-2837

are worded differently, sometimes the cause of them can possibly be similar or even the same. From what I know, the "game session" one never let you connect in the first place because of an issue.

And the "Disconnected" one actually disconnected you after you had already connected to the server, even if only for a few seconds.

So in short, they might be different errors, but the cause of them might be the same or very similar.

[mr. pavuk]

deleting the Steam/appcache and running Steam as admin works for me.

[***** the GOAT]

I get this error with RAW ACCEL, a mouse acceleration application.

Valve, how about you add back the mouse acceleration console commands?

[Lufia]

Originally posted by \ΛΛ/\/\Λ:

I get this error with RAW ACCEL, a mouse acceleration application.

Valve, how about you add back the mouse acceleration console commands?

And to give Valve something they'll never read here, are you playing Necromancer and reviving an almost 1 year old topic?

[Aluvard]

Originally posted by Lufia:

Originally posted by \ΛΛ/\/\Λ:

I get this error with RAW ACCEL, a mouse acceleration application.

Valve, how about you add back the mouse acceleration console commands?

And to give Valve something they'll never read here, are you playing Necromancer and reviving an almost 1 year old topic?

At least he performed fairly advanced Necromancy

[Dieter]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.