Steam is generally pretty stable, but every now and then you’ll run into a problem. This guide gives solutions to common problems you’ll encounter in Steam, from games crashing or not working properly to Steam failing to launch.
Installed games are appearing as uninstalled. Begin the installation process to cause Steam to recognize existing files. Games may appear uninstalled when Steam no longer recognizes the installation files. As long as the game folders are still in the proper location, attempting to launch a game will prompt a download. This will allow. Posts must link to the original source. How to make Steam recognize existing game files. Move game and app manifest file; Restart steam and (if not already.
If none of these solutions helps, try Googling the problem – you may have run into a game-specific problem with a game-specific solution or just a more obscure Steam bug.
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Validate Game Caches
If a game fails to load, crashes as soon as it loads, or crashes when you reach a specific level, your game’s files may be corrupted. Corrupted files can also cause a multitude of other odd game bugs. To fix corrupted game files, you can have Steam validate the game’s cache on your system. Steam will examine the game’s files and – if any problems are detected – will re-download the corrupted files from Steam’s servers.
To validate a game’s cache, right-click the game in your Steam library and select Properties. In the properties window, click the Local Files tab and click the Verify Integrity of Game Cache button.
Delete ClientRegistry.blob
If Steam itself is failing to launch or you still experience odd issues with games not working properly, you might want to try deleting your ClientRegistry.blob file. After deleting this file, you’ll have to log back into Steam and other local settings will also be lost – for example, you’ll have to re-categorize your games. You’ll find this file in your Steam directory – C:Program Files (x86)Steam by default. Be sure to close Steam completely (click the Steam menu at the top of the Steam window and select Exit) before deleting this file.
Change Download Server
Steam periodically detects the closest download server to you. However, these download servers can become overloaded – if games are downloading slowly, you may want to change your download server. You can view each download server’s load on the Steam Content Server Status page. Be sure to choose one reasonably nearby.
To change your download server, click the Steam menu and select Settings. From the Settings window, click the Downloads + Cloud tab and select a different server from the Download region box.
You’ll have to restart Steam after changing this setting.
Set CPU Affinity
Some older games don’t play nice with multiple CPU cores on modern computers. Common symptoms include glitchy, jumpy animations and the animations playing too fast – the game’s animations may even be out of sync with the audio. You can tell Windows to run on the game on only one CPU core to solve this problem – this is referred to as setting the game’s CPU affinity.
The easiest way to do this is by launching a game, alt-tabbing out, opening the task manager, right-clicking the game’s process on the Processes tab and using the Set Affinity option. However, this may not always solve the problem – if the problem has already started occurring, the gameplay may be glitchy until you relaunch the game.
One trick you can use is setting Steam.exe’s CPU affinity instead – when you launch the game through Steam, it will inherit Steam’s CPU affinity and launch with the correct CPU affinity. Right-click your taskbar and select Start Task Manager to open the task manager.
Be sure to change Steam’s CPU affinity back to the default – using all cores – before launching a demanding, modern game. Windows doesn’t “save” CPU affinity between sessions – when you close Steam and reopen it, it will use its default CPU affinity settings.
Disable Steam Overlay
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Some old games may also have graphical issues with Steam’s in-game overlay – the screen that appears when you press Shift+Tab while in a game. You can disable the overlay for an individual game by right-clicking the game in your Steam library, selecting Properties, and unchecking the Enable Steam Community In-Game check box.
Disable Compatibility Mode
Windows automatically assigns compatibility mode settings to certain programs – including Steam – when they crash. If Steam detects it’s running in compatibility mode, you’ll see a message like this one:
If you right-click the Steam shortcut and select Properties, you won’t see any compatibility settings being applied:
Windows has hidden the compatibility mode setting it applied – you can only remove it from the registry. First, launch the registry editor by clicking Start, typing Regedit into the Start menu, and pressing Enter. Browse to the HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionAppCompatFlagsLayers key in the registry editor and delete any values associated with Steam.
Steam should now launch without any compatibility mode errors.
Do you have other troubleshooting tips to share? Leave a comment and let us know about them.
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One of the best things about games is how they can bring people together. In this age of digital distribution, it’s easier than ever to give games as gifts to friends and family anywhere in the world. Steam, Valve‘s PC game distribution platform, has a stranglehold on how PC games are bought and sold: It’s almost certainly the easiest way to give someone the game of your choice. Here’s a quick guide on how to gift games on Steam.
Before we begin, it’s worth pointing out that Valve recently changed its policy on Steam gifts. It is no longer possible to hold onto extra codes for handing out at your leisure, nor can you give games to people who do not have a Steam account. Any leftover codes you still might have kicking around from the previous system are still there, and we’ll show you how to gift those at the end, but going forward, all gifts will require the following procedure. Cryptocurrency fanatics will also have to get back on the grid for the time being, since Valve stopped accepting Bitcoin as payment due to the upstart currency’s volatility.
If you’re unsure of a specific game to give as a gift, you can purchase a Steam Wallet code instead. That way the recipient can decide. We go over that process at the end of this guide.
Linking Already Download Game Files To Steam Windows 10
How to gift a new game on Steam
Previously, it was possible to send a game to anyone with an e-mail address, and the message would include instructions on how to set up a Steam account and download their new purchase. Now, you can only gift new games to people that already have Steam accounts and are on your friends’ list.
1. Make sure your friend has a Steam account
If you want to buy someone a game who does not have a Steam account, they’ll have to set up a new account and download the Steam client.
Once they are set up, you should go to the Friends drop-down menu, select “Add a Friend,” search for their username and invite them to become your friend. Once they accept your request, you can send them a game.
2. Find the game you want to buy and add it to your cart
Locate the game you want to give in the Steam store, either directly in the client or through the web portal, and select “Add to Cart.” If you already own the game in question on your own account, there will be a note just above the buy option that says “Buy this game as a gift for a friend.”
3. Select ‘Purchase as a gift’
If you already own the game, “Purchase for myself” will be faded and unresponsive, since you cannot own multiple copies of the same game anymore.
4. Choose your recipient
Select the recipient from your list of friends. You can choose to schedule the delivery at a later time and date, if you want to set it up to arrive on a delay and be a surprise for a particular occasion.
5. Fill out the customized message
Personalize your gift by filling in your friend’s name and writing a message. This can be anything from a simple happy birthday or happy holidays to a heartfelt letter or funny message.
6. Complete the purchase
After personalizing your gift with a note, press “Continue” and you will proceed to the regular purchase screen, where you can proceed as you would to buy a game for yourself. Then pat yourself on the back, because you’re done! What a good friend you are, giving the gift of gaming.
How to gift a duplicate game on Steam
Valve recently changed Steam’s gifting policy in order to crack down on key resellers and people circumventing regional price differences so you can no longer purchase and hold onto game codes for an indefinite period. Any residual codes you may still have are still around, however, and can still be given out as before.
1. Under the Games tab in the Steam client, select ‘Manage Gifts and Guest Passes’
You will only find this option when using the Steam client software so make sure to have that downloaded before looking for this.
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2. Select the duplicate game you want to gift
If you have duplicate games that you can gift, they will appear in the grid. Select the game, then navigate to the right and click on the button that reads “Send gift…”
On the next page, you can either gift the game using the recipient’s e-mail address or send it to them directly through Steam but they must be on your friends’ list.
Once you have input the recipient through either method, press Next and proceed from step 5 above.
Give a Steam Wallet code
Alternatively, you can purchase a Steam Wallet code as a gift. To do so, you must be friends with the recipient on Steam for at least three days. Gift codes can be purchased in $5, $10, $25, $50, and $100. Simply choose the value of your gift, pick a recipient from your friend list, and complete your purchase. The code will automatically be sent to your friend.