Error: Failed to send authorization request (Account Not Found)

[Stallion Free]

ISSUE
After having my friend log into his account on my PC and add my PC to his list of authorized devices I am able to see his whole library of games when I log back into my account and install and play them (as long as the library isn't in use).

Two days in a row now Steam seems to forget that my PC is authorized forcing me to request access again (and only showing the games installed, not his entire list). Once I send the request I am always given the error: "Error: Failed to send authorization request (Account Not Found)."

If I try to check the achievement page for a game I have played on my friends shared library it throws up a community page error as well: "There was a failure loading user game stats." This is despite the actual Steam application showing achievement progress on the Detail View.

The only way we have found to fix it is to have him re-login on my PC after getting rid of the previous authorization entry and re-add my PC to the authorized devices list.


OS
Windows 7 64-bit


STEPS
-Authorize PC
-Play game from friends library
-Attempt again the following day
-Forced authorization request pop-up
-Attempt request


RESULTS
-Error: Failed to send authorization request (Account Not Found)
-Broken Achievement Steam Community page: "There was a failure loading user game stats."


EXPECTED
My friend has yet to need to send a request to reauthorize from using my library on his PC so I suspect I shouldn't be seeing this request authorization pop-up and it shouldn't always fail the authorization request if I should be seeing it.


THANKS
Hopefully I included all the necessary details. If any further information is needed I'll try to supply it. When family sharing is working it has really blown me away (the pop-up "friend's library is available again" is a really great touch).

[KaziArmada]

I think he's saying that Origin is interacting oddly with Steam and causing an issue. It's been known to happen between programs and Anti-Virus or Firewalls, but I doubt it'd be the case here given this issue is with the direct implimentation of Steam Sharing, not because of another program messing it up.

[ApeBapsen]

Nah, tried to do what he said but it wouldn't work. What really sucks is that Steam Support is being cocky as hell, and won't even come with advice....

[WonderGamer]

The problem is related to VPNs. Origin creates it's own VPN while you have it running (I assume this is their method of monitoring your computer while it's running. You may have remembered it used to be classified as a virus because of how it used to go through all the information on your computer; you can opt. out of this data collection now, but it seems the VPN is still used & could be a means for them to still go through your computer).

[ApeBapsen]

Origin isn't running, and still it wont let me..

[MechBull]

Guys, I solved my problem here.
My username was allowed to share the library of my friends, but not my computer. When I was sending a request, that error happened.
To fix it, I had to login on my computer using my friend's account, but I needed to login using a regular browser, not the steam software. When I did it, a code was sent to my friend's e-mail and, when I typed that code into the window that popped up, my computer was autorized into his account too.
So, now, with my username and computer athorized, I can finally play again!
Hope it helps.

[cheshire137]

I have this problem as well in Windows 7.

[ApeBapsen]

Aha MechBull so he autorized himself trough a browser? Thanks for the tip :D

[Kaye Renevark]

I'm having the same issue. I currently have three other accounts shared on my computer, my boyfriend's, my brother's, and my brother's girlfriend. I am getting this "Account not found" issue with only my brother's account. I have full access to the games on both other accounts and no issues. This makes me think that the issue is not with my computer, but with something else. My boyfriend, who also shares my brother's account, can access my brother's games with no problem. The issue just started occurring and I was able to access his games up until about a month ago.

[Celtic_Empress]

I was having issues exactly like most of you are, I spent almost 2 hours trying to figure out how to fix this problem. I have a windows 8 machine while my bf has a windows 7 machine, at first I thought that was the problem. I was wrong. What you have to do is (using YOUR computer) log in to steam with your friends log in info. immediately log out and sign in with your info and go to the setting where you authorize the machines. select Authorize my machine then check mark the box with your friends name on it and select ok. NOW go to your friends computer and log in with YOUR information then immediately log out and have your friend log in with THEIR info and then go to the settings and authorize the computer, then check mark, then ok. you should now be able to play each others games. I hope this helps.

[eui]

Mine broke when I connected my computer to the internet with an LTE stick instead of lan. It has something to do with network changes.

[WonderGamer]

Not just network changes, but hardware changes in general. Although network changes can happen on the fly due to some software opening up their own VPNs (viruses also), so network changes are the most likely cause for it. Best things we've found to fix it so far is to clear the previous authorization & re-authorize their computer. One thing however; make sure that any VPNs are disabled before doing it. Origin is known to open it's own VPN & it should be no surprise that Hamachi is a big one with gamers also (especially those who are not legally purchasing their games). These are only 2 known ones that are causing the problem, but I'm sure any VPN will cause it.

[Ranneko]

I have this problem, however I have 2 friends sharing me and only one of their games has become inaccessible.

Don't understand why only one of the authorizations would have broken.

Also the authorizations breaking is one thing, but the inability to rerequest with a meanlingless/misleading error is a bigger problem.

[WonderGamer]

When you get the error on attempting to request access, only thing you can do is have them wipe the authorization & re-authorize. More than likely you a VPN running when you attempted to access a game from that user, so the end results is now that you're going to get that error every time until they re-authorize you.

[Ranneko]

I can confidentally state that I did not try to access a game from that user whilst on a VPN. This seems pretty clear given that this would have resulted in trying to launch a game then suddenly losing authorization and getting an error.

From what I have seen in this thread, it is people noticing the authorization has already been lost when they go to access a friend's library.

In this case I actually very rarely look at my friend's library, I keep one of their small games installed to ensure I can rerequest access when authorization is lost because I no longer live on the same continent as them.

Still do not see why a VPN would break only one of two authorizations anyway.

[WonderGamer]

It's not specifically the VPN that causes it, it's hardware changes in general. Steam is verifying your computer based on a hardware ID. Any changes to your system results in the ID changing. VPNs count as a network change, which in turn counts as a hardware change due to the virtual network adaptor.

Of course as stated, seems that not having Steam Guard enabled can also cause it, but seems this is a minimal issue as it's not the primary cause from what I've seen in the past.