Steam app crashes if Steam is started on second networked computer

[Dangus ))<>(( Taargus]

Is anyone having this issue:

I have two computers attached to my network that are set up to stream, and about 2 months ago, if I start one computer and launch the Steam application while the other is already running Steam, Steam crashes. I then get up and relaunch Steam on the computer that Steam crashed on, and then the other computer's Steam app crashes - this can go on for 3 or 4 attempts before I finally get both Steam apps to stay open and allow for streaming.

It doesn't matter which computer I use as host or client, it's seems to simply be that if one networked computer is already running Steam before the second is started, and Steam is opened on the second computer, it crashes on the first computer.

Is there a security setting I missed that would be causing this? Or is this a bug others have experienced? I can't find reference to anything like this anywhere else. Streaming works fine once I get them both to stay open... but it does still seem like the symptom of an issue related to connecting the computers together over the network for streaming.

[M3TaBoLiC]

Yes. I have had this problem many times. It happened as lately as yesterday. Start Steam on PC-1, Steam crashes on PC-2. Start Steam back up on PC-2, Steam crashes on PC-1. It goes back and forth like that. Sometimes I just exit Steam properly on each machine, then launch it again, and it is OK after that. It seems to be pretty random. It happens every once in a while, and it's super annoying.

Sorry. I don't have a solution. Just confirming that you are not the only one. Just in case it matters, PC-1 is a Windows box, and PC-2 is a Linux box, but I have had the issue between PC-1 and PC-3 also, with PC-3 being another Windows box.

[Dangus ))<>(( Taargus]

Originally posted by M3TaBoLiC:

Yes. I have had this problem many times. It happened as lately as yesterday. Start Steam on PC-1, Steam crashes on PC-2. Start Steam back up on PC-2, Steam crashes on PC-1. It goes back and forth like that. Sometimes I just exit Steam properly on each machine, then launch it again, and it is OK after that. It seems to be pretty random. It happens every once in a while, and it's super annoying.

Sorry. I don't have a solution. Just confirming that you are not the only one. Just in case it matters, PC-1 is a Windows box, and PC-2 is a Linux box, but I have had the issue between PC-1 and PC-3 also, with PC-3 being another Windows box.

Ok good, I'm not alone. You've described my issue to the T. Both my machines are Windows 10, but it seems like it's not OS related.

[Gwemmie]

I actually really need this fixed. I use Linux and have a gaming Windows VM that uses a real video card, and said video card can only be used in a VM (thanks to the way the Linux KVM works), and I have a lot of Steam games and shortcuts, so I share the Steam folder between my Linux host and, guess what, a second VM: also Linux, for Linux games that need the better video card. This means I can't have one set to stream and the other set not to stream, because they share the same settings.

For now, my workaround is to disable streaming on the host AFTER launching Steam but BEFORE launching the VM. That way, it reads the stream-on setting that was saved the last time I closed Steam. This workaround sucks because, let's be real, how often am I gonna remember to disable streaming every time I launch the VM and enable it again every time I close the VM but BEFORE I quit Steam?

[ektoutie]

After a good long while of Steam Home Streaming working wonderfully for me, with this latest update I'm now seeing this issue as well. Windows 10 desktop (no QuickSync on the CPU but a GeForce 645 with NVenc) and OSX 10.11 (this year's Macbook Air).


[UPDATE: FIXED]

Turns out that Nvidia's wonderful GeForce Experience had fallen over its own feet earlier this week and broke my graphics drivers, to the point where I could no longer update them by hand either. Uninstalling all the Nvidia stuff from the Windows machine and installing freshly downloaded drivers fixed the problem.

[Gwemmie]

^I really doubt that fixed the problem. I have it with 2 Linux machines, and it's intermittent enough that it'll probably crop back up for you sometime despite seeming fixed for now.

[Dangus ))<>(( Taargus]

Originally posted by TheOutrider:

[UPDATE: FIXED]

Turns out that Nvidia's wonderful GeForce Experience had fallen over its own feet earlier this week and broke my graphics drivers, to the point where I could no longer update them by hand either. Uninstalling all the Nvidia stuff from the Windows machine and installing freshly downloaded drivers fixed the problem.

I have nothing but AMD hardware. I don't think we have the same issue... or that this is a fix. This is definitely a Steam issue related to streaming and the instance of two clients running on a local network.

[Zhutchka]

Having similar issues since enabling in-home streaming again after a couple of months of hiatus, so can't pinpoint any specific offending update to Steam, Windows or drivers. A few months back, I was able to stream without issues.

ISSUE
Connecting to Steam on Computer B with in-home streaming enabled will crash Steam on Computer A. This happens before any actual streaming has occurred or is attempted.

SETUP
Local Network
Computer A: Windows 10, GeForce GTX 660 on 361.75 drivers
Computer B: Windows 10, GeForce GTX 970 on 361.43 drivers (.75 has issues with Surround)

STEPS
1. Start Steam on Computer A with in-home streaming enabled in options.
2. Start Steam on Computer B with in-home streaming enabled in options
OR
Reconnect to an already running instance of Steam on Computer B (by for example waking Computer B from sleep, or disabling and then enabling network connection on Computer B) with in-home streaming enabled in options.

RESULTS
7 times out of 10, Steam will instantly crash to desktop without any error messages on Computer A. This happens even if no game is running on Computer A. If a Steam-game is running, the game too will suddenly CTD without error messages a few minutes after the Steam crash, even if Steam is re-started before the game crashes. The former I've tested thoroughly and have been able to repeat over 20 times. The latter I've only tested with Football Manager 2013, but have also been able to repeat numerous times. The latter is espeically troubling to me since it results in unforeseen game crashes and resulting loss of unsaved progress if I sometimes forget to disable in-home streaming or completely exit Steam before leaving a computer.

[Teammate2024]

Having a similar issue. Two windows 10 machines, a gtx660 as the host to a laptop client with intel integrated graphics. Been working fine for a few months no problems with witcher 3, fallout 4, but now if I restart steam on the host, or simply disable and re-enable in-home streaming on the laptop client, steam just closes with no message as soon as it reads in the list of streamed games from the host.

[ultraviolet]

I am having the same exact problem. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the Steam client to no avail. The problem is very annoying since I leave my host PC on 24/7 in order to stream to a computer downstairs. Whenever I want to play a game on my client PC, I have to go upstairs and restart the Steam app on the host machine.