Steam "freezes" while trying to login

10-25-2010, 06:54 PM

I've tried nearly everything I can find in the official support site and I'm not sure what else to try. I'm one of the few people who still lives someplace that cannot access anything but dial-up but I've always been able to use Steam in the past. I'm trying to get it working before I buy Fallout New Vegas.

When I start Steam I enter my user name and password then I hit login steam says <Connecting to Steam Account: Username> and then it just freezes there.

I can't move the window around at all and when I look at the task manager is says steam is not responding however my internet is still being accessed. So my question is; is Steam downloading update or is it really freezing?

Amander · 10-25-2010, 09:07 PM

It's a usual Steam problem. While it waits for network actions to be completed, the UI is unresponsive. Not a good coding style OFC, but it's easier to program than asynchronous code. So just let Steam sit there and do whatever it needs to and don't kill the process.

Other big players have the same problem. Microsoft's Outlook also doesn't update the UI while waiting for the network.

10-27-2010, 08:50 AM

I've let Steam sit for twenty-four hours now and it still hasn't done anything.

I'm not sure what else I can try short of reformatting and reinstalling windows but if it's a internet speed issue that isn't going to fix anything.

I've thought about taking my PC to a friends house and using his broadband to get on Steam but unless I can get offline mode to work which I've never been able to in the past I'll be stuck with the same problem since I doubt this is only a initial login problem.

Can anyone offer any other advice?

Amander · 10-27-2010, 08:58 AM

Advice: Use Process Monitor to see what Steam's doing during it's hangs if it's doing anything.

10-27-2010, 11:48 AM

It just says Steam <Not Responding> it goes not responding after I click the login button and the window changes to <Connecting to Steam Account: Username>.

It's not using any CPU and it's memory usage doesn't increase however it has to be doing something because my internet is being utilized and Steam is the only program or process running that uses it.

Terrum · 10-27-2010, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryhalt

It just says Steam <Not Responding> it goes not responding after I click the login button and the window changes to <Connecting to Steam Account: Username>.

It's not using any CPU and it's memory usage doesn't increase however it has to be doing something because my internet is being utilized and Steam is the only program or process running that uses it.

Tried logging in with a different account? Or deleting clientregistry.blob or even reinstalling?

10-27-2010, 02:55 PM

I don't have another account and I've deleted clientregistry.blob and reinstalled.

Amander · 10-28-2010, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryhalt

It just says Steam <Not Responding> it goes not responding after I click the login button and the window changes to <Connecting to Steam Account: Username>.

It's not using any CPU and it's memory usage doesn't increase however it has to be doing something because my internet is being utilized and Steam is the only program or process running that uses it.

You still should use a monitor program. Process Monitor or if it's only for the net, Network Monitor.

10-28-2010, 10:06 AM

I am using a monitor program, two in fact; Process Explorer and Windows Task Manager.

After reinstalling windows I've been able to login to Steam twice, I can at this point only assume it's my dial-up internet speed.

Shargol · 10-28-2010, 03:37 PM

I ve got nearly the same problem! i run steam with win 7 Ultimate 64! after i logged in and tryed to start CS:S and it didnt started i tryed to start CS 1.6 and all was fine. After that i thought when i switch to steam beta i could connect to CS:S and after i switched my steam it freezed after i clicked on login! but after some time i got a messange that steam couldnt connect to steamnetwork.
So this is the end of the story! Maybe someone has/had the same problems and know how to fix them.

Edit: I already tryed all type of help via google, forum and support(im waiting for their answer!)

best regards

emrico1 · 12-27-2010, 08:39 PM

Same here. I have long defended steam to friends but lately I have had a flurry of annoying problems that may just lead to me going back to hardcopy. GGRRRR

predcon · 12-27-2010, 11:44 PM

I've posted several threads about my client taking hours just to login. I can see that it's clearly downloading something while it's displaying the "Connecting to X Account" splash, via a third party tool that monitors the Tx/Rx activity of all running processes and services. I've clocked my client as having downloaded over 20MB worth of data while showing the "Connecting to X Account" splash for several hours. My clientregistry.blob is just over 2MB. It doesn't take 20MB worth of Tx/Rx to exchange username and password information.

MacArther · 10-03-2011, 01:49 PM

I'm having this issue too. Steam was working fine, and then one day, it had issues starting up any of the games I have. So, I closed Steam and tried to restart the program. Except now, it just hung on the log in splash. I've deleted everything in the folders and tried updating on the next connection. I've uninstalled and re-installed steam a total of 6 times. I've even removed programs from my computer to see if more memory was needed. NONE of these have fixed the problem. The best I get is occasionally, Steam will actually log on, but then be unable to get past the "launching XXXX (game)" splash.

ARG!

max2 · 10-03-2011, 01:51 PM

This is normal and a feature. You can not fix it really.

If you want all the freezes to stop completely, just about, install Steam on a ram drive.

MacArther · 10-03-2011, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by max2

This is normal and a feature. You can not fix it really.

If you want all the freezes to stop completely, just about, install Steam on a ram drive.

The problem I have with believing that, is that up until 2 weeks ago, I had never experienced such issues with Steam. Also, I did not update Steam at any time following that might have changed some values.

When I say Steam is freezing at the log in screen, I mean I can go to class for a few hours and come back to Steam still not loaded.

On the off chance that Steam actually loads, none of the games will launch. This is different from Steam launch because occasionally (as I've said) Steam will launch within a 30 minute period. The games, however, have been left at the launching screen for upwards of 8 hours with no progress.

To top it off, if I try to verify the integrity of the game files, Steam freezes up.

10-25-2010, 06:54 PM	#1
Ryhalt Guest Posts: n/a	Steam "freezes" while trying to login I've tried nearly everything I can find in the official support site and I'm not sure what else to try. I'm one of the few people who still lives someplace that cannot access anything but dial-up but I've always been able to use Steam in the past. I'm trying to get it working before I buy Fallout New Vegas. When I start Steam I enter my user name and password then I hit login steam says <Connecting to Steam Account: Username> and then it just freezes there. I can't move the window around at all and when I look at the task manager is says steam is not responding however my internet is still being accessed. So my question is; is Steam downloading update or is it really freezing?

10-25-2010, 09:07 PM	#2
Amander Join Date: Feb 2010 Reputation: 561 Posts: 8,143	It's a usual Steam problem. While it waits for network actions to be completed, the UI is unresponsive. Not a good coding style OFC, but it's easier to program than asynchronous code. So just let Steam sit there and do whatever it needs to and don't kill the process. Other big players have the same problem. Microsoft's Outlook also doesn't update the UI while waiting for the network. Last edited by Amander: 10-25-2010 at 09:09 PM.

10-28-2010, 03:37 PM	#10
Shargol Join Date: Oct 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 6	I ve got nearly the same problem! i run steam with win 7 Ultimate 64! after i logged in and tryed to start CS:S and it didnt started i tryed to start CS 1.6 and all was fine. After that i thought when i switch to steam beta i could connect to CS:S and after i switched my steam it freezed after i clicked on login! but after some time i got a messange that steam couldnt connect to steamnetwork. So this is the end of the story! Maybe someone has/had the same problems and know how to fix them. Edit: I already tryed all type of help via google, forum and support(im waiting for their answer!) best regards Last edited by Shargol: 10-28-2010 at 03:40 PM. Reason: forgot something

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10-27-2010, 08:50 AM	#3
Ryhalt Guest Posts: n/a	I've let Steam sit for twenty-four hours now and it still hasn't done anything. I'm not sure what else I can try short of reformatting and reinstalling windows but if it's a internet speed issue that isn't going to fix anything. I've thought about taking my PC to a friends house and using his broadband to get on Steam but unless I can get offline mode to work which I've never been able to in the past I'll be stuck with the same problem since I doubt this is only a initial login problem. Can anyone offer any other advice?

10-27-2010, 08:58 AM	#4
Amander Join Date: Feb 2010 Reputation: 561 Posts: 8,143	Advice: Use Process Monitor to see what Steam's doing during it's hangs if it's doing anything.

10-27-2010, 11:48 AM	#5
Ryhalt Guest Posts: n/a	It just says Steam <Not Responding> it goes not responding after I click the login button and the window changes to <Connecting to Steam Account: Username>. It's not using any CPU and it's memory usage doesn't increase however it has to be doing something because my internet is being utilized and Steam is the only program or process running that uses it.

10-27-2010, 02:55 PM	#7
Ryhalt Guest Posts: n/a	I don't have another account and I've deleted clientregistry.blob and reinstalled.

10-28-2010, 10:06 AM	#9
Ryhalt Guest Posts: n/a	I am using a monitor program, two in fact; Process Explorer and Windows Task Manager. After reinstalling windows I've been able to login to Steam twice, I can at this point only assume it's my dial-up internet speed.

12-27-2010, 08:39 PM	#11
emrico1 Join Date: Oct 2009 Reputation: 11 Posts: 12	Same here. I have long defended steam to friends but lately I have had a flurry of annoying problems that may just lead to me going back to hardcopy. GGRRRR

12-27-2010, 11:44 PM	#12
predcon Join Date: Dec 2009 Reputation: 44 Posts: 666	I've posted several threads about my client taking hours just to login. I can see that it's clearly downloading something while it's displaying the "Connecting to X Account" splash, via a third party tool that monitors the Tx/Rx activity of all running processes and services. I've clocked my client as having downloaded over 20MB worth of data while showing the "Connecting to X Account" splash for several hours. My clientregistry.blob is just over 2MB. It doesn't take 20MB worth of Tx/Rx to exchange username and password information.

10-03-2011, 01:49 PM	#13
MacArther Join Date: Nov 2009 Reputation: 2 Posts: 16	I'm having this issue too. Steam was working fine, and then one day, it had issues starting up any of the games I have. So, I closed Steam and tried to restart the program. Except now, it just hung on the log in splash. I've deleted everything in the folders and tried updating on the next connection. I've uninstalled and re-installed steam a total of 6 times. I've even removed programs from my computer to see if more memory was needed. NONE of these have fixed the problem. The best I get is occasionally, Steam will actually log on, but then be unable to get past the "launching XXXX (game)" splash. ARG!

10-03-2011, 01:51 PM	#14
max2 Join Date: Nov 2008 Reputation: 101 Posts: 2,417	This is normal and a feature. You can not fix it really. If you want all the freezes to stop completely, just about, install Steam on a ram drive.