Windows 10: Windows Desktop crashes when trying to launch steam on second drive

Hello all


I would like to ask for help trying to troubleshoot an issue I'm having with Steam, which is that whenever trying to open the client whether from a desktop shortcut or the exe file in the installation folder windows ends up freezing with no kind of error message being produced as to what could be malfunctioning.


The nature of the crash itself is that no system command like Ctrl + Alt + Delete, Alt + F4, or even the Power options in start menu or software interaction are possible, and I just get stuck on the desktop with an infinite loading icon visible over my mouse with whatever other apps or software open at the time crashing as well. Strangely however I can still click through folders installed on my system if I click on the file explorer icon in the taskbar.


A bit of background on this issue is that last month I ended up buying an SSD to create a second windows installation as a back up in case my main drive, a Seagate barracuda 2TB SSHD, ended up malfunctioning at some point. I decided on creating a separate volume of Windows 10 with a fewer selection of programs and apps than my main drive, but wanted to still have steam, however ever since I started trying to install steam and make any attempt to troubleshoot I've only ever experienced the same issue with no indication of what the problem is.


All I know is that the steam bootstrapper process is invisible in Windows Task Manager but IS visible in Sysinternals Process Explorer while causing the crash and that the whole issue is absent in safe mode with networking and also absent from my main drive despite both drives using the same version of Bitdenfender Antivirus software with the same levels of permission.


Any advice would be appreciated.

Thank you

:)

 

Xbox One controller is navigating Windows 10 without Steam or any 3rd party apps running...

Hi,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

Please confirm a few things for me.

1. Is this issue occurring with ‘Steam’ being installed on your system?
   
2. Have you checked if the controller still works on your Windows when ‘Steam’ is not running in the background?
   

Please check with the following methods.

Method 1:

Stop the process for steam in task manager and check with this.

You can stop ‘Steam’ running in the background by following the steps below:

1. Press ‘Ctrl’, ‘Shift’ and ‘Esc’. This will launch the ‘Task Manager’.
   
2. Click on the ‘Details’ tab, you should be able to locate the ‘steam.exe’ process if ‘Steam’ is running in the background.
   
3. Right-click on it and select ‘End process tree’ to stop the ‘Steam’ running in the background.
   
4. Check if the controller is still working on the Desktop.
   

Method 2:

I would suggest you to check the settings in the Steam application. You may follow the steps below:

1. Launch the ‘Steam’ application, click on ‘Settings’.
   
2. You should be able to locate the ‘Controller’ option under ‘Settings’.
   
3. Under ‘Controller Configuration’, click on the ‘Desktop Configuration’. Please confirm the settings there.
   

Hope it helps.

Aaron Summith

Microsoft Community - Moderator

 

Steam games not launching on Windows 10


Hi all,

I'm having a problem when I try to launch Steam games, as whatever game I try to launch doesn't actually launch. A message comes up about the game "preparing to launch" but then nothing after that happens. Some games give me an error saying Steam is not running at all, whereas others just do nothing.

I've already completed all the troubleshooting steps on Steam's website but none of them have actually fixed it. The only temporary fix that works is restarting Steam, but this becomes very annoying when I have to do it multiple times a day every time I want to play a game.

Any help on this problem is greatly appreciated - thanks

 

Steam games won't launch on Windows 10?

Hi Oaasfari,

Thank you for being a part of Windows 10.

Before we proceed, I need more information to help you better.

• Which are all the Steam games you are unable to launch?
• Do you get any error message/code when you try to launch the game?

If the Steam games are not working in Windows 10 then, I would suggest you to contact the Games manufacturer for further assistance and check if the Game is compatible with Windows 10.

Reference: Refer to the following Microsoft article on
Windows 10 help & how-to.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/support

Reply with necessary information and we will be happy to help you further.

Thank you.