Problem:
All of my games that run on the source engine either fail to start up or, once started, freeze on the initial loading screen.

In most cases, I'll hit the play button in steam for a particular game, the dialog box pops up telling me the game is initializing, then...nothing. Further investigation shows the hl2.exe process is in fact running, but there is no game/application/anything visible.

These games used to work for me, too. Then, a few months back - maybe January - they all took a dump and died on me.

Apparent solutions (none of these worked btw):

• Verify game cache integrity
  • Finishes and shows that there are no problems with the local game files.
• Set launch options to run it in 32bit compatibility mode
  • Half the time, this causes the game to launch but freeze on the loading screen. The other half, hl2.exe runs but there's no game.
• Set launch options to run it in a lower DirectX compatibility mode
  • Same as above.
• Update drivers
  • I updated the shit out of my drivers. Still nothing. I also tried rolling back my drivers to see if that would help.
• Uninstall Steam + games
  • GMod worked the very first launch after reinstalling Steam, then no source games worked after that. I've done this 3 times now. Same results.
• Fucking System Restore
  • Didn't work. I don't have a restore point from far enough back.

I'm using a Dell StudioXPS with a Core 2 Duo processor. 4gigs of RAM and a whole shit ton of free hard drive space. GPU is a Radeon HD 3670. I've run everything from Solitaire and Minesweeper to Monday Night Combat and Crysis 2 on this computer before with hardly any problems.

I am open to suggestions, people.

 

Reinstall directX. Do full windows update. See what happens.

 

Forgot to mention I did that too. Nada.

 

Did you try to Defrag? Apparently that helped some others who had the same issue.

 

I defrag my computer every 2 weeks, in addition to running CCleaner every 2 or so days. I also run a registry cleaner/repairer every so often.

Keeps my comp running pretty well, but doesn't seem to do anything for some of my games...

 

How about redownloading the games? I'm thinking that the critical source files were damaged at some point.

Worse come to worse, you could always reinstall windows.

 

Uninstalled and reinstalled/redownloaded steam + games 3 times now. And the integrity check comes back clean every time.

I would love to reinstall my OS. Now if only I could find my installation CD, then I'd be golden.

 

Window 7?

10char

 

64bit Windows 7. Fully updated.

Also, UAC turned off, Windows Firewall turned off, BitDefender turned on game mode, ports open...

 

Try this:
Navigate to C:\Windows\SysWOW64\wbem\ and rename the fastprox.dll into fastprox.dllold.
I don't know what this dll is for, but it seems to work for some people.

 

If you have the window 7 sticker under your laptop, then I'd recommend that you just go and download a ISO of Window 7 x64 DVD, burn it, then reinstall it using the cd-key on the sticker.

Quickest and painless way to do it, IMO.

---------- Post automerged at 01:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:23 AM ----------

I see you have bitdefender. Disable bitdefender for a second, and try.

 

Guess I'm not one of them. Didn't work. Thanks for the effort though.

No dice on this. My original OS was Vista, which had more problems than Swiss cheese has holes. I've tried disabling BD also but that was a bust.

I don't see how it can have anything to do with antivirus/firewall/uac/permissions/etc since the hl2.exe process always starts up. The problem isn't starting the program, it's that the game windows never come up.

 

Check your hardware. That means running Memtest to check your ram: http://www.memtest86.com/

A video card stress test to check your video subsystem. Something like this: http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/

Isn't there a DirectX test tool to check your Direct3D somewhere? I think Source Engine is still using DirectX 9, so there's no need to worry about DX10/11. I could be wrong.

Also see if there's a way to force source engine games to use opengl instead of directx. Source games on Mac OS X are all OpenGL, and on Windows are DirectX by default. Clearly Source can work with both, there might be an unsupported way to flip the video engine, like "hl2.exe -opengl" or something. Doubtful, but worth googling.

Maybe there was a universal source engine update in mid-Jan. They used to be published in the Steam update logs, but I don't know if they still are. eg. http://store.steampowered.com/news/1308/

EDIT: Try these steps: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7169-TIAV-5361#launch

You've already done some of the stuff mentioned there, but pay attention to "Set Game Launch Options and Disable Problematic Hardware" and disabling DEP for Steam.

Also, do none of these Source games have crash log files? They'd be worth looking at.

EDIT 2: In mid-Jan there was a Steam client update that changed a lot of back end networking stuff. It caused me a few headaches. It's another shot in the dark, but perhaps the updated Steam Overlay from Jan is causing trouble here. Right click the game in your Steam library. Properties. General. Disable Steam Community In-game. That should stop the Overlay.

EDIT 3: This guy had the same symptoms that you described. The problem turned out to be BitDefender. He fixed it by turning on Game Mode, which you've already done, but try completely killing BitDefender anyway. I could tell you stories about the unusual and unpredictable behaviour that "security" software has caused me in the past.

He does mention that he was able to get some semblance of life in his game by forcing the launch option "-window" on his source games. Give it a try in HL2.

EDIT 4: This guy got his Source games working by launching Steam with "Run as Admin" privileges. Try that.

 

Well how did you install W7 to begin with? For legality sake, you had to have a serial number. You could still download a W7 x64 ISO and burn it. I'm still of the opinion that this is the best route.

About vista: it's actually a good OS -- once you patch it. If you reinstall Vista, patch it with both service packs that are out. That'll fix all the major bugs and whats not.

 

That won't work. It sounds like he upgraded from Vista[*]. Upgrade serial numbers don't work on full retail installations.

*He had Vista first. It'd be weird to spend the extra $ on a full Win7 retail disc when the Win7 upgrade disc is that much cheaper.

Either that or the serial number may be stored with his missing Win7 disc.

 

Do you have a USB headset?

 

Actually, they do. And you can install the full W7 from an upgrade DVD.

 

Well...I just went 0 for 6 on this.

Came with Vista, upgrade CD from Dell for W7. But I don't have any of the installation CD's anymore. It's been 2 years since I did the upgrade and I'm pretty sure my dad threw out all that stuff.

Yup.

Nope. Got a Razer Carcharias.

I'm going to try this here in a bit.

 

Those are some sneaky workarounds. They definitely aren't included in Microsoft's standard advice on Windows 7 keys and upgrade activations. Good find.

Now I'm wondering why anyone ever bothers paying for the full retail version of Windows 7. It looks like you can just use the upgrade version to do everything that you need, even a completely new install on an empty PC. The ways to trick the disc are fairly simple, especially the double install method.

 

Good news, folks! I fixed the problem (whatever it was...)!!!!!

Spoiler

All I had to do was format my C: drive and reinstall Windows 7!

Man I hope no one else here gets this problem. Wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Thanks for all the suggestions.