Steam.exe (main exception): To run steam, you must first connect to the internet.

I have the same issues with my laptop, nothing I've tried works. I'm about to give up and never risk buying a Steam Powered game again... (mind you what else is Steam Powered these days, electricity and internal combustion took over for good reason didn't it?)

Excepted steam from the AV client scan, opened the ports up on the firewalls (Steam is excepted on the local Windoze firewall), tried the -tcp trick, downloaded the version from teh website rather than distributed with the game, none of this makes a difference.

Checking my proxy server logs, there isn't even an attempt to access the Internet, the client just sits there and then gives up...

I can't beleive that Steam can't negotiate a modern home setup! loads of people run smoothwall boxes or similar, the advice of disabling AV and firewall from the support site is simply ridiculous...

Any ideas anyone?

copy all of the steam folders into a file (on your desktop if you want. just not in the steam file it self). might take along time to copy but its better then redownloading them. then remove steam but keep the files you copyed. download steam again. then all you have to do is put your oldfiles into the new steam.

This only took me maybe 5mins and i tested a game and every thing was fine.

If you're getting this error then the most likely reason is that a firewall is blocking Steam's access to the Internet. To solve the problem myself, I created a firewall rule that allowed outbound TCP connections on ports 27030 through 27039 to any external computer. I would have preferred to make the rule more restrictive (fewer computers) but there appear to be so many computers in the Steam network as to make that impossible.

Anyway, just open that access and the Steam client will install, allow you to create your account, and sign in.

Note: I have no idea if these are the only ports required as I have only just installed the client myself, but it will at least get you in initially.

Thanks for nothing Steam Support. Worst company ever.

[Washell]

Originally Posted by El Marco

I'm about to give up and never risk buying a Steam Powered game again... (mind you what else is Steam Powered these days, electricity and internal combustion took over for good reason didn't it?)

Coal, Gas, Nuclear, Biomass, Waste gas and some solar plants all turn water into steam and run the steam through a turbine connected to a generator. That means the bulk of the worlds power needs are met by utilizing steam technology. So basically, most of the world is steam powered. What changed is that electricity is now heavily used to transfer and distribute the power.

[KBX]

Yes pooer block is the problem, diable it and try again

Originally Posted by obo

If you use:

• Peerblock, PeerGuardian or any IP-blocking software
• Torrent software that blocks certain IPs or network ports
• A HOSTS file designed to block certain ads, websites or applications
• A particularly restrictive firewall policy
• A router that enforces access policies at certain times, bandwidth thresholds or against certain websites

Disable it or, if possible, add exceptions for Steam.

If you have a functional Internet connection but get this error, it's because something - your computer, your router or your ISP - is blocking access to Steam's servers.

Peerblock and PeerGuardian both offer optional lists that block the IPs Steam uses to communicate. Nine times out of 10, when I see or hear about this problem, it's either this or a HOSTS file issue. The other 1/10th of the time is either an ISP or router block.

Hows this:

I have this problem.
1 month ago Steam worked perfectly for me, i installed a new game and played it online. didn't play it for a few weeks. 2 days ago i bought another game, tried to open it up on Steam and received the error message titled for this topic.
Nothing has changed on my computer in the last month.
I have disabled my firewall, uninstalled the anti-virus.
Still no luck. Have completely deleted Steam - which deleted 4 games full of saved games without prompting me!! - reinstalled it from scratch, and still having this same problem.
The problem has to be at Steams end.

[Pifflestick]

Originally Posted by apw2

Hows this:

I have this problem.
1 month ago Steam worked perfectly for me, i installed a new game and played it online. didn't play it for a few weeks. 2 days ago i bought another game, tried to open it up on Steam and received the error message titled for this topic.
Nothing has changed on my computer in the last month.
I have disabled my firewall, uninstalled the anti-virus.
Still no luck. Have completely deleted Steam - which deleted 4 games full of saved games without prompting me!! - reinstalled it from scratch, and still having this same problem.
The problem has to be at Steams end.

I have the exact same problem as you and have yet to find a solution. I have spent hundreds of dollars on Steam so this is a huge kick to the man-berries, especially since I just bought Fallout New Vegas yesterday.

*****

Originally Posted by CoenRock

Look to resolve this problem i do this:

Delete this "ClientRegistry.blob" BUT THIS IS THE TRICK -- > normally reinstaling Steam over an old instalation could not correct the problem so you have to use the tool of "Control Panel" -- > Add or Remove Programs -- > remove Steam and reinstalling, then try again, tell me if this work!

GL!

didnt work for me starting to get really annoyed

[PattonCommander]

It sounds like the router is your problem

It isn't i know that for a fact considering I'm connected to the internet

Igot that same problem on Win xp 2000 can some1 help me? I will pay for help!!!!

This problem is happening to me, and has been the past 3 weeks.
I've already uninstalled ALL of my games and steam, and it's still doing this error.

[Uevari]

Originally Posted by McKnick_Knack

Well i just did the unthinkable. I unistalled all my games and steam. Yup thats right and now its finally working!!!!

That did nothing for me. I deleted everything!!! and started anew. I still get nothing. I'm really ticked. I'd use explictives but I bet their against forum rules.