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View Full Version : "Can not connect to Steam server" (Steam 26% error) revisited.



PotshotPolka
17 Aug 2010, 01:48pm
So one of my games was being finicky about updating so I exited steam and deleted the clientregistry.blob files, a cure-all in most cases, apparently not for me yet again.

This is simply bizarre, I'm able to access my account on my laptop, but not on my desktop. The problem is poorly documented on Steam's site, and I've tried all of their fixes. I've completely deleted my steam folder and reinstalled and the problem STILL persists, even when the original problem that caused the hangup should be completely erased. What the hell.

Before anyone gives me retarded or googled advice on this:


This is a goddamn mess.

I was changing my settings in a game (Red Orchestra) when I suddenly crashed.
I restart, cannot enter the game, so I delete my clientregistry.blob file as the cure-all to any issue like this, restarted steam, then this shit started happening.

Upon reaching 26/27% steam stops updating, makes a temporary minidump file, then does one of two things, the first being the error (delete of steam.exe failed win32 error 5) or the other prompting me to log in. When logging in correctly it simply states "Cannot connect to steam network". When putting in incorrect username/pass it states invalid account info, so that's not the issue.

I've attempted deleting everything in my steam folder but the games/steam.exe, and then I went a step further and completely gutted the folder and reinstalled, no dice. Does anyone have any clue as to WHAT fucking issue could result in this error after the entire directory was nuked?

Also before anyone decides they can use Google and I can't:


Yes, I've gone to Steam's support page, and I've tried what the next 3 pages of links suggested to do, which were all about the same thing.
No, I have NOT recently installed a AV/Spyware program, the one I've had has never interfered in games or updates.
No, I haven't gotten a magical virus that targets steam, that's just Valve's support team's way of saying "We don't know what the fuck is wrong, but maybe its some other asshole's fault."

If no one can come up with anything I'm just going to reformat, I've got enough clutter on this HDD I could use a reason to anyways, but help is appreciated.
http://www.steamgamers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35620

Jager
17 Aug 2010, 06:47pm
i thnk your registry may be fubared, that is the only thing i can think of that would be pointign to orphaned data or redirecting update files then failing.

if you are already at the point of HDD reinstall back up your games through steam then nuke the hdd and restart.

PotshotPolka
17 Aug 2010, 07:07pm
Reformatted, no dice.

Finally traced the problem to possibly being router related, but I was DMZed. So on a whim I turned off DMZ, without portforwarding, no firewalls, and that did the trick. Jackasses at support said nothing about DMZing, oh well, time to reinstall everything. Why (or for that matter how) the DMZ option on the router could prevent me from connecting is absurd, but I figure the primary trigger is deleting clientregistry.blob, then not being able to properly download it because of the ports perhaps?

Jager
17 Aug 2010, 07:12pm
possibly, or your router is overheating and then fubars the data, then steam verifies sees corruption and stops.

check your router and see how hot it is getting.

Spiffy
23 Aug 2010, 02:51pm
Where are you at on this?

fixedthat26error
29 Aug 2011, 05:38pm
Hey,

So I had this for a long time (gave up and was prepared to reformat). Then, AVG found some virus in a cracked Portal 2.exe file on the machine (I share it with a lot of people). I put that in the vault, then ran it again - success. Funny thing was that the virus lay under the radar for a LONG time.

Hope that helps.