Strange problem occurred when trying to open Steam.

[TheSwede]

So, yesterday I was downloading an update for Cyberpunk 2077 through GOG. As that was going I thought I open up Steam. Steam started and then suddenly the client and friend list started to expand to the left side of the screen. Once it stopped I couldn't drag it back or do anything so I right clicked on Steam in the taskbar and used the Close Windows option. Steam closed down, but the whole PC was suddenly sluggish. So I closed everything down and then restarted the PC, which also gave me a windows 10 update. When it was up and running again I tried Steam again. The Steam Updating box showed, then the account login screen, but as that one went away, the Steam Client never opened. It was however showing in the active programs list down at the right side of the taskbar. Opening the Task Manager the Steam Program was not showing there but scrolling down it showed the different Steam elements was running under the label Background processes, as shown below.

When trying to click on the Steam down at the right hand side of the task bar, I get this box popping up.

Bot nothing I do with those alternatives makes Steam to open up. The Click HERE for more information did not work either.

I downloaded the Steam Client and re-installed it but that didn't help. I am going to try a System Restore later, have to go out and do some shopping before it gets to late. So though I post here first to see if anyone might have experienced something like this before with Steam and if possible get some other advice. if not, System Restore it will be.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and for any and all suggestions !


UPDATE: System Restore did not work, the above still happening.

 

[TheSwede]

Another update.

Was going to uninstall steam but the uninstall exe in the steam folder wouldn't work, so thought I was going to do it all manually. On a whim I deleted the Steam folder in C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Local and then started Steam. Come to login screen and after I used the steam app to sign in, the client actually opened. Quickly ran two games and seems to be working, so yay for that !

BUT.. although Steam is showing as a running app in Task Manager, it still don't show up under Programs and Features in the control panel, as all the other programs does, and neither is it showing up under Apps & Features in the Settings box. But part from that it seems to be working again so that's all good ! (I am assuming that Steam should show up at these two places ?? Would appreciate if someone could confirm that, or if it actually not suppose to be there ? )

 

[NetMan]

Well it should show in the APPs and Features as well as the old Control panel > programs > programs and features but if it works it works...

You can either leave it and see if it sorts it self out when they push out the next steam app update or you could try downloading the installer and seeing if that will correct the missing entry.

 

[adrichardson81]

Sounds like something corrupted with your local profile. You could check if the Steam installer shows up in your registry (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall) but I'd be inclined just to reinstall.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

Usually steam self repairs just fine, you can delete almost anything out of the steam folder(s) and restarting it will scan the install folders and re-download whatever is missing. Sometimes you'll get errors with steam if it has files it needs to update or overwrite and it doesn't have permissions, either this can be account related (are you running on an admin account, or no? Have you tried running steam specifically as admin?)

The other thing can be conflict of files, if something else is updating a file steam needs like either windows updater or GOG possibly interacting with a shared game install?

The same can be true if you're running anti virus software or alike, if that spots certain file access attempts it may block them until you allow it, are you running any anti-virus or malware programs or anything like that?

Lastly I notice you mentioned really strange UI behaviour with steam, I've never seen or heard of that before, I also see you have a strange border for task manager, are you moding windows somehow, or have custom UI stuff installed?

Have you changed anything else recently, 50% of IT problems I've solved quickly by working out what few things I changed last, that's normally the culprit.