TF2 Won't Start Up

[backfire]

Since my makeshift/forced upgrade of Windows 7 RTM on top of the RC, everything seemed to be working fine. I tried launching TF2 tonight and nothing happened. The "Preparing to Launch" window came up... then... nothing. Nothing on my taskbar, no signs in my task manager...

Here's the kicker. Same problem with all games associated with HL2.exe. L4D works fine, but hl2, gmod, tf2, all of that have the same problem... so anyone have any ideas?  :'(


Btw... wasn't sure whether to put this here or Big Boys... more of a technical issue though so..

[Kirby]

I had that issue once before too, I ended up deleting a lot of the .gcf files and re-dl'ing them to fix.

[Vlambo]

You know, I can just link you to some NOT TORRENTS of Windows 7

[Kirby]

You know, I can just link you to some NOT TORRENTS of Windows 7

Or not preform an install that you're not supposed to do because it can break shit.  :-*

[backfire]

[quote author=Vlambo link=topic=4227.msg137740#msg137740 date=1266673125]
You know, I can just link you to some NOT TORRENTS of Windows 7

Or not preform an install that you're not supposed to do because it can break shit.  :-*
[/quote]

Well... everything else is fine. It's just this thing :-\

Ack, I'll try backup my tf folder then just redownload everything -.-



Err... actually... looking at my task manager now... I have this svchost.exe thing takin up 90mb of ram...

Blah, maybe I should just reformat.... Soooo, I can just use an unverified version of windows vista, right? Like... do I not need to give vista a key before I upgrade?.. and how many times should that upgrade key of mine work?

[at0m]

You have to give vista a key, but it does not have to be verified to format over it with a Win7 upgrade key (custom, clean install). It just has to be there, otherwise the installer will bitch and say your key is invalid.

[backfire]

You have to give vista a key, but it does not have to be verified to format over it with a Win7 upgrade key (custom, clean install). It just has to be there, otherwise the installer will bitch and say your key is invalid.

So... like... random letters and numbers?

[at0m]

[quote author=at0m link=topic=4227.msg137946#msg137946 date=1266855881]
You have to give vista a key, but it does not have to be verified to format over it with a Win7 upgrade key (custom, clean install). It just has to be there, otherwise the installer will bitch and say your key is invalid.

So... like... random letters and numbers?
[/quote]For vista? no, it has to validate, but you don't have to go online and verify that its a legit key. So you can NOT use a pirated copy, if you know what i mean.

[backfire]

[quote author=backfire link=topic=4227.msg138209#msg138209 date=1266981908]
[quote author=at0m link=topic=4227.msg137946#msg137946 date=1266855881]
You have to give vista a key, but it does not have to be verified to format over it with a Win7 upgrade key (custom, clean install). It just has to be there, otherwise the installer will bitch and say your key is invalid.

So... like... random letters and numbers?
[/quote]For vista? no, it has to validate, but you don't have to go online and verify that its a legit key. So you can NOT use a pirated copy, if you know what i mean.
[/quote]

Gotcha. I need to not get myself one of those so I can't upgrade to windows 7 because of that crap where they DID tell me it was a full version up until the time I hit SUBMIT ORDER! >

[at0m]

[quote author=at0m link=topic=4227.msg138227#msg138227 date=1266987494]
[quote author=backfire link=topic=4227.msg138209#msg138209 date=1266981908]
[quote author=at0m link=topic=4227.msg137946#msg137946 date=1266855881]
You have to give vista a key, but it does not have to be verified to format over it with a Win7 upgrade key (custom, clean install). It just has to be there, otherwise the installer will bitch and say your key is invalid.

So... like... random letters and numbers?
[/quote]For vista? no, it has to validate, but you don't have to go online and verify that its a legit key. So you can NOT use a pirated copy, if you know what i mean.
[/quote]

Gotcha. I need to not get myself one of those so I can't upgrade to windows 7 because of that crap where they DID tell me it was a full version up until the time I hit SUBMIT ORDER! >
[/quote]I ran into the same problem myself, which is how I know the solution The error you get when trying to install 7 (upgrade license) onto a fresh HDD is cryptic, it just says your key is invalid, even if you didn't type it wrong. There has to be a windows install of some sort on the HDD before you run the 7 installer (even if you boot off the CD and reformat the HDD to do a clean install) in order for the upgrade key to validate and start the install :/ BS IMO, but thats how it works.

Also, try running STEAM as an administrator and see if you have better luck getting HL2 to launch. It's probably trying to patch something and can't since it doesn't have elevated rights (again, I know because I've run into the same problem )

[backfire]

[quote author=backfire link=topic=4227.msg138261#msg138261 date=1267025491]
[quote author=at0m link=topic=4227.msg138227#msg138227 date=1266987494]
[quote author=backfire link=topic=4227.msg138209#msg138209 date=1266981908]
[quote author=at0m link=topic=4227.msg137946#msg137946 date=1266855881]
You have to give vista a key, but it does not have to be verified to format over it with a Win7 upgrade key (custom, clean install). It just has to be there, otherwise the installer will bitch and say your key is invalid.

So... like... random letters and numbers?
[/quote]For vista? no, it has to validate, but you don't have to go online and verify that its a legit key. So you can NOT use a pirated copy, if you know what i mean.
[/quote]

Gotcha. I need to not get myself one of those so I can't upgrade to windows 7 because of that crap where they DID tell me it was a full version up until the time I hit SUBMIT ORDER! >
[/quote]I ran into the same problem myself, which is how I know the solution The error you get when trying to install 7 (upgrade license) onto a fresh HDD is cryptic, it just says your key is invalid, even if you didn't type it wrong. There has to be a windows install of some sort on the HDD before you run the 7 installer (even if you boot off the CD and reformat the HDD to do a clean install) in order for the upgrade key to validate and start the install :/ BS IMO, but thats how it works.

Also, try running STEAM as an administrator and see if you have better luck getting HL2 to launch. It's probably trying to patch something and can't since it doesn't have elevated rights (again, I know because I've run into the same problem )
[/quote]

Tried the admin thing, no dice.

I just purged my system of steam via revo, so I'm reinstalling EVERYTHING. If TF2 doesn't work after it's done... then... gah, only option is to reinstall windows. Something I'm so desperately trying to avoid.

Yep... no luck...

[backfire]

:o

So... the moon and the planets all lined up and rained down a power unto the steam forums which provided me with an actual solution.

Apperantly... I was missing a dll file  :-\


BUT IT WORKS! I'M BACK! ;D

[Trace]

I knew sacrificing babies to gabe newell would work