[ ? ] An issue with your computer is blocking the VAC system. You cannot play on secure servers.

[supremee^]

Hello all,

I've been playing CS:GO periodically for the past couple of years. I've accumulated about 900 hours of playtime and reached the Global Elite rank in matchmaking. I've had the pleasure of playing without severe issues for the majority of my games, but have recently encountered the following error at (what appears to be*) random times:

"An issue with your computer is blocking the VAC system. You cannot play on secure servers."

I've scoured the internet for solutions, visited various threads, tried all of the recommended fixes, conducted analysis on my machine, monitored processes, disabled services, changed system configurations, but all without definite success.

* By 'what appears to be random times;' I mean, sometimes I'm kicked with the error after 10 minutes of playtime, sometimes after 5 / 6 matchmaking games (without changing anything!), sometimes after an hour or two, there appears to be no distinct pattern between the kicks.

For a list of things I've tried (), see below:

Computer

• Restarted Computer [ x ]
  
• Re-installed Windows [ x ]
  
• Disabled User-Access Control (UAC) [ x ]
  
• Updated System time with Windows Time Server [ x ]
  
• Cleaned registry and temp files (CCleaner) [ x ]
  
• Disabled all start-up applications/items via System Configuration [ x ]
  
• Disabled all non-Microsoft services [ x ]
  
• Enabled High Performance Mode [ x ]
  
• Disabled Superfetch [ x ]
  
  
• Enabled Kernel Integrity via:
  "bcdedit /deletevalue nointegritychecks" [ x ]
  "bcdedit /deletevalue loadoptions" [ x ]
  
  
• Turned off Kernel Debugging via:
  "bcdedit /debug off" [ x ]
  
  
• Enabled Data Execution Prevention (DEP) via:
  "bcdedit /deletevalue nx" [ x ]
  "bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOn" [ x ]
  "bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx OptIn" [ x ]
  
  ...and Control Panel -> Advanced system settings -> Advanced -> Settings (Performance) -> Data Execution Prevention -> Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select [ x ]

Steam

• Tried launching Steam with elevated privileges (Run as Administrator) [ x ]
  
• Re-installed Steam [ x ]
  
  
• Repaired the Steam Service via elevated command prompt (i.e. w/ Administrator Rights) via:
  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe" /repair [ x ]
  
  
• Tried running Steam with custom parameters:
  "*\Steam\Steam.exe" -tcp -clearbeta (TCP mode rather than UDP) [ x ]
  
  
• Delete appcache folder in *\Steam [ x ]
  
• Delete ClientRegistry.blob in *\Steam [ x ]

Networking

• Restarted Networking Infrastructure (modem & router) [ x ]
  
• Reset modem/router settings to default [ x ]
  
• Turned off Windows Firewall [ x ]
  
• Turned off Network Firewall [ x ]
  
• Opened Router Ports for Steam [ x ]
  
• Changed NAT Filtering from 'Secured' to 'Open' [ x ]
  
• Opened Router Ports for Steam [ x ]
  UDP: 27000 - 27015 [ x ]
  UDP: 27015 - 27030 [ x ]
  UDP: 27031 - 27036 [ x ]
  UDP: 3478, 4379, 4380 [ x ]
  TCP: 27014 - 27050 [ x ]
  TCP: 27036 - 27037 [ x ]
  
• Used a fixed IP Address
  
• Used a dynamic IP Address
  
• Tried a different DNS (OpenDNS)

Game

• Verify the integrity of game cache for CS:GO [ x ]
  
• Tried launching CSGO without any Launch Options [ x ]
  
• Re-installed CS:GO [ x ]
  
• Tried playing with CS:GO in-game option Multicore Rendering disabled [ x ]
  
• Delete cache folder in *\Steam\SteamApps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\csgo [ x ]
  
• Delete config folder in *\Steam\SteamApps\common\Counter-Strike Global Offensive\csgo\cfg [ x ]
  
• Tried launching CSGO with Launch Options:
  "+clientport 27006 -novid -high -threads 8" [ x ]

BIOS

• Reset BIOS Overclocking/Voltage settings to default [ x ]
  
• Disabled C-State and Power Saving technologies [ x ]
  
• Disabled HyperThreading [ x ]
  
• Tried Execute Disable Bit ON & OFF [ x ]
  
• Tried HPET ON & OFF [ x ]
  
• Turned off Hyper-V Virtualisation [ x ]
  
• Reset all BIOS settings to default [ x ]

MISC.

• Changed Steam Nickname [ x ]
  
• Changed Steam In-Game server brower: Max pings / minute to 5000 [ x ]
  
• Ran Memtest86+ and it returned "Errors: 0" [ x ]

Setup

• CPU : Intel Core i7-3820 Extreme Edition - 4.8GHz
  
• GPU : Gigabyte R9 290X 4GB - 1120Mhz
  
• RAM : 32GB G.Skill TridentX - 2666MHz Quad Channel
  
• Motherboard : MSI X79A-GD65 - 8 DIMMs
  
• CPU Cooler : Thermaltake CLP0596
  
• PSU : Corsair CX 750W
  
• SSD : OCZ Agility 3 256GB
  
• HDD : 2TB Seagate Barracuda, 1TB Seagate Barracuda, 500GB Hitachi Ultrastar, 250GB Maxtor
  
• Monitor : 144hz BenQ XL2430T 24" & 2x 120hz Hanns.G HS233H3B 23"
  
• Headphones : QPAD QH-90
  
• Mouse : SteelSeries Kana v2 (Black) w/ Hyperglides
  
• Pad : Artisan Hien L (Wine Red) on SteelSeries QcK Heavy
  
• Keyboard : SteelSeries 7G (Cherry-MX Switches)
  
• ISP : Virgin Media 150MBit - Fiber
  
• Router: Netgear Nighthawk X4
  
• Modem: Virgin Media Superhub (...)
  
• Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate x86_64 (64bit)
  
  N.B. Installed Windows 10 x86_64 (64bit) and same issue applies.
  
  
• Service Pack 1 [ x ]
  
• Drivers [ x ]

Any help is greatly appreciated.

~ SPR

[ReBoot]

Post the output of every console command from the support article.

[supremee^]

bcdedit /deletevalue nointegritychecks
>An error occurred while attempting to delete the specified data element.
Element not found.

bcdedit /deletevalue loadoptions
>An error occurred while attempting to delete the specified data element.
Element not found.

bcdedit /debug off
>The operation completed successfully.

N.B. Reports success but "msconfig -> boot -> advanced options -> debug" is always unchecked. That's all this bcdedit check flags.

bcdedit /deletevalue nx
>An error occurred while attempting to delete the specified data element.
Element not found.

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by where dead angels lie:

bcdedit /debug off
>The operation completed successfully.

This is bad. See id it succeeds again after you reboot.

[supremee^]

Yes it does succeed repetitively. But read the N.B. below it. All that command does is ensure "msconfig -> boot -> advanced options -> debug" is unchecked. (which it always is)

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by where dead angels lie:

Yes it does succeed repetitively. But read the N.B. below it. All that command does is ensure "msconfig -> boot -> advanced options -> debug" is unchecked. (which it always is)

If it succeeds repetively, you got a problem here. A program on your PC keeps turning kernel debugging on.

[supremee^]

What does it say when you type it in?

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by where dead angels lie:

What does it say when you type it in?

Me? "Element not found". Because this setting shouldn't be there!

[supremee^]

Are you 100% sure?

Have you tried typing it in right now? I'm 99% sure all that "bcdedit /debug off" does is uncheck the DEBUG boot checkbox in msconfig...

I can't find a single instance on the web of anyone with the "Element not found" to switching debug off...

[ReBoot]

Then let's follow other trails. Have you repaired the Steam service? Have you, after doing that, made sure that the Steam service is actually running?

[supremee^]

I've tried repairing the Steam Service via: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\bin\SteamService.exe" /repair

I've also checked under "services.msc" and it's startup type: "Automatic" and status is set to "Running."

[ReBoot]

Have you walked through the list of conflicting programs?

[supremee^]

Yes, the only programs I'm running alongside CSGO are:

• Catalyst Control Centre (R9 290X GPU drivers)
  
• SteelSeries Engine (Kana v2 mouse drivers)

[ReBoot]

And those are all you have installed? I don't believe that

[supremee^]

They're the only things that are "running" as processes (except native Windows proc's).

[ReBoot]

Originally posted by where dead angels lie:

They're the only things that are "running" as processes (except native Windows proc's).

Have you checked all services? Anyway, please give an exhausting list of running processes and installed programs.