Portal doesn't run: "Server too busy"

[fabioromeu]

I'm new to Steam and this is the first time I'm running a game from it. The thing is, I downloaded Portal 100% and played along yesterday with no problems at all. Today I tried to resume it and all I got was the message "Server too busy" that many people saw. And I tried many times today.

So an eyebrow is raised. I can't play Portal even with all the files already validated? Will I need to hope for a successful connection every single time I want to play a game?

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see Steam coming to Mac and was ready to pay for Portal before knowing it was free, but I really need to know if I can actually play the games I'm getting.

I saw a solution here (http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1268621) that, as brilliant as it is, is an absurd hack to something that should be user-friendly. Also, I have a vanilla install of Snow Leopard and the game worked fine before, so I don't think that's an issue. Also there's no firewall nor anything like it running, and changing the server's location in preferences does nothing.

So, dear Valve, what is happening? Why can't I play Portal? Are the servers under that much of stress to deny a simple check?

[Aerinbear]

I'm getting the same error. I posted about it in the Portal forums, but someone mentioned that this might be a more appropriate place to post.

[MammalBot]

I was also referred here from the windows forum... that is an absurd hack...

[Hoggle]

I had this problem for two days. I uninstalled Portal, then re-downloaded it, and everything works great now.

[fabioromeu]

Me too. I had to download again the darn thing after Steam failed to recover a backup... And I moved Steam to the Applications folder instead of the Games folder inside Applications where I used to keep my games. Now things work like they supposed to... Well, almost.

[xMr.Orangex]

It happened once to me, it's pretty common, especially on PC. Quit the program and log back in (I suggest waiting a bit). Sometimes this works for me. It doesn't work all the time, but I haven't had that message for a long time, so I think it'll go away.

[Thedizz]

I had a similiar problem, it was installing the portal files. And my mac just fell out. Because I have a battery problem( Still need to take my mac to the app store) And when I relaunched steam. It would always pop up with the message: Steam servers are too busy.

One way to solve this is to delete all local game content, and reinstall it. Downside however is, if it gets interrupted again you probably end up with the same error. And have to wait again...

[acefighter007]

ya i have had the same problem since the day the game launched, i havent been able to play it once, just keep getting the same popup